Curious Incident - sound levels too loud yet again!

[Beef Oven!]

Anyone with a personal anxiety about the effects of loud noises faces a social dilemma if someone books them a ticket without consulting them. Do you investigate, and then decline to attend if you find that there will be noises too loud for you? Or do you politely accept the ticket despite the loud noises it entails?

However, if someone suggests booking for you, you could investigate whether there will be loud noises and then politely decline their offer, citing your anxiety.

I had this problem at a Black Sabbath gig in 1974, especially during the drum solo. They were even louder than Deep Purple, which I didn't think possible.

IIRC, there was no warning on the ticket, or at the venue. A year later, Led Zeppelin were just as bad.

[Beef Oven!]

which presumably put you off seeing Cheap Trick or motorheap, who were the world record holders a little later in the decade?

I saw Motorhead twice, including at the Hammy. Sabbath were the loudest of any concert I've ever attended, followed by Led Zep. And the best gig ever was Dr Feelgood at the Hammersmith Odeon 1975.

(slow on here tonight, innit?)

[jean]

Reading his post again, maybe he just meant "yet again" in the theatre generally? And didn't mean "yet again" at Curious Incident ...?

It was perfectly clear to me on first reading that he was referring to other productions, particularly NT productions.

If you're going to sneer at people, make quite sure you've got it right first.

[MrGongGong]

I saw Motorhead twice, including at the Hammy. Sabbath were the loudest of any concert I've ever attended, followed by Led Zep.

Merzbow at Trafo?

[Beef Oven!]

Merzbow at Trafo?

No way - I'm just a poseur

[MrGongGong]

No way - I'm just a poseur

Much much louder (and I had earplugs) than Motorhead were when I last saw them.
I'm too old for that now though it's Feldman all the way

[Beef Oven!]

Much much louder (and I had earplugs) than Motorhead were when I last saw them.
I'm too old for that now though it's Feldman all the way

As a sufferer of tinnitus (quelle surprise!) I only catch the ffff passages in Feldman!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Anyone with a personal anxiety about the effects of loud noises faces a social dilemma if someone books them a ticket without consulting them. Do you investigate, and then decline to attend if you find that there will be noises too loud for you? Or do you politely accept the ticket despite the loud noises it entails?

However, if someone suggests booking for you, you could investigate whether there will be loud noises and then politely decline their offer, citing your anxiety.

Get real, Mr HG.

As often as not, the organisers of events "requiring" sound amplification rarely consider the sensibilities of the likes of you and me.

Examples include:
Vue cinemas
Several West End theatres
Small theatres throughout Britain, who employ sound "experts" whose aim is simple - to boost the sound to the maximum level that does not result in the worst kind of feedback
Organisers of Big Sings for primary school children, accompanied by rock bands that drown out the actual singers, and then continue playing excessively loudly during the toilet break. It's an unrecognised form of child abuse, often causing great distress; the victims have no choice but to attend.

[Dave2002]

Much much louder (and I had earplugs) than Motorhead were when I last saw them.
I'm too old for that now though it's Feldman all the way

Perhaps I need to remember to take earplugs - though that could be inconvenient, as not every part of a play/theatrical production is deafening. Hearing the dialogue is also helpful.

Unlike some others round here, in my younger life I generally avoided pop music "gigs', which would at least have kept the volume levels down somewhat. Most classical concerts don't get to the same extremes.

I think the quality of the equipment being used now is much higher than 20-30 years ago, and can give much higher sound levels. Unfortunately, although the sound may be higher quality, the high levels are surely much more damaging.

I did see the film Tommy in Leicester Square when it first came out, and that was loud. I think my ears were were ringing for some time afterwards. Generally I think medical opinion is that this is not a good thing. There have been various views on this over the last few decades, but I think that some doctors who deal with hearing have noted that many young people have hearing problems, possibly connected with high noise levels, either in the environment, of from headphones, and these problems are similar to problems experienced in the past by much older people.

We are not simply discussing minor issues, but the possibility of real harm in some situations. There is no need to trivialise this.

[Beef Oven!]

Perhaps I need to remember to take earplugs - though that could be inconvenient, as not every part of a play/theatrical production is deafening. Hearing the dialogue is also helpful.

Unlike some others round here, in my younger life I generally avoided pop music "gigs', which would at least have kept the volume levels down somewhat. Most classical concerts don't get to the same extremes.

I think the quality of the equipment being used now is much higher than 20-30 years ago, and can give much higher sound levels. Unfortunately, although the sound may be higher quality, the high levels are surely much more damaging.

I did see the film Tommy in Leicester Square when it first came out, and that was loud. I think my ears were were ringing for some time afterwards. Generally I think medical opinion is that this is not a good thing. There have been various views on this over the last few decades, but I think that some doctors who deal with hearing have noted that many young people have hearing problems, possibly connected with high noise levels, either in the environment, of from headphones, and these problems are similar to problems experienced in the past by much older people.

We are not simply discussing minor issues, but the possibility of real harm in some situations. There is no need to trivialise this.

I don't think MrGG or I are trivialising this issue. I for one have badly damaged hearing on account of too loud rock gigs from the age of 13 and headphone abuse.

Earplugs are definitely helpful in this matter, and I'd recommend getting into the habit of taking them with, whenever one goes to a public performance. They don't have to be used, if not required.

[MrGongGong]

I think it is definitely NOT a trivial thing at all
I'm often warning youngsters about how if you damage your hearing it doesn't get better unlike breaking your arm.
I do think that the problem isn't confined to amplified music, and in some ways the dangers are greater for orchestral players than people at rock gigs. If you spend you life sitting in front of someone playing the trumpet then you will loose some of your hearing. Many orchestral players wear earplugs these days (the kind that attenuate without muffling) and most orchestras have folks with hearing damage. It's not necessarily the absolute db level that's dangerous but the cumulative effects.

[Dave2002]

I don't think MrGG or I are trivialising this issue. I for one have badly damaged hearing on account of too loud rock gigs from the age of 13 and headphone abuse.

I agree that neither of you are.

[Beef Oven!]

I agree that neither of you are.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I invested in these a few years ago, and have been helped by them.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alpine-MusicSafe-Filter-Plugs-Musicians/dp/B000VO8PR0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1424209538&sr=8-1&keywords=alpine+ear+plugs

[Dave2002]

(slow on here tonight, innit?)

We could move over to the whisky thread!