Does poor sound quality put you off live music?

Offset

I went to see Terrorvision at the Electric Ballroom in Camden on Saturday.  Because of where I live, I don't get to see live music as frequently as I'd like so I was looking forward to this.  I was a big fan of Terrorvision back in the day as well.

Unfortunately, their set was spoiled for me by the sound.  I couldn't make out any individual instruments although I could hear the vocals - but they were just superimposed over a wall of noise as far as I was concerned.  They were energetic however and Tony Wright was bouncing all over the place dressed in a bright pink suit.  I went with two mates and one of them and I left before the end as that wall of noise got quite tedious.  My other mate saw the end of the gig on the first floor and said the sound was considerably better.  Hmmmm.  However, he went to see Level 42 at the Cambridge Corn Exchange last week and he said the sound was absolutely atrocious - so bad in fact he and his wife decamped to an adjoining bar to avoid the assault on their ears.  They decided they would only go to that venue again for an acoustic or spoken word performance.

Sound quality obviously depends on a number of factors - the type of music being played, the acoustic qualities of the venue, the quality of the PA/setup and the skills of the sound engineer.  But with 2023's technology, it can't be that difficult to get decent sound quality - can it???

Saturday was an expensive evening - travel to and from London, gig tickets, meal beforehand, beers etc etc etc.  And although I enjoyed seeing my old mates, I'd have happily skipped the gig and chewed the fat with them somewhere instead which I never thought I'd hear myself say.  I have an increasing (albeit small) list of venues I'd seriously think twice about visiting again due to sound issues (eg, Cheltenham Town Hall).  By the same token, there are others where the sound has always been consistently good (eg, The 100 Club).

mrkb

I saw Rival Sons at the Cambridge Corn Exchange a few weeks ago and the sound mix was great - so probably differences are due to touring equipment and the mixing engineer skills rather than the venue.

EricTheWeary

I came to accept shit sound as part of the package at the Utilita arena (as I can sometimes get cheap tickets I go a few times a year). But then Joe Bonamassa clear as a bell, Genesis pretty much perfect sound anywhere in the room. Last act I saw there The Chicks sounded great, even the support act did and that never normally happens Whilst I get that some venues are more difficult than others equally getting it right is something that some artists are more willing and able to invest in than others. So I think it is largely inexcusable for a name band to have shit sound these days. I appreciate that my examples aren't very rawk but I don't see why the same principles don't apply. 

theatreanchor

Yes, it does ruin the experience completely - because you are there for the music and not just to look at a band 200ft away amongst a group of sweaty humans and drink overpriced beer. 

mo6020

I like the Electric Ballroom - the sound in there's normally alright. 

In answer to your original question, yeh, I actively avoid large venues because the sound is almost always crap. I actually schlepped up to Manchester from London to see Gaslight Anthem in the O2 Apollo rather than Wembley Arena on their last tour.  

mrkb

theatreanchor said:

Yes, it does ruin the experience completely - because you are there for the music and not just to look at a band 200ft away amongst idiots holding up phones, a group of sweaty humans and drink overpriced beer. 

FTFY

sweepy

Volume ruins live music for me, last year went to see Steve Hackett in Aylesbury. The first set was fine, nice separation of instruments and just the right volume whereas the second set was an unlistenable nightmare, way too loud, turning it into a harsh mush 

theatreanchor

mrkb said:

theatreanchor said:

Yes, it does ruin the experience completely - because you are there for the music and not just to look at a band 200ft away amongst idiots holding up phones, a group of sweaty humans and drink overpriced beer. 

FTFY

Hehehehe. I didn’t want to moan too much! 

stickyfiddle

It doesn't stop me going but it definitely makes it less good. I do think part of it is sheer decibels as shows are engineered by guys either wearing really chunky earplugs, or who have gone deaf from years of doing it, but either way they are acclimated to high volume and don't realise that knocking 3db off the whole thing actually makes it way better for all parties. Coldplay at Dingwalls in 2021 was a perfect example - a great show but just so earsplittingly hilarious and sounds *heaps* better with earplugs in. 

The typical arenas & stadiums are also usually dreadful irrespective of volume levels. Old theatres & mid-size outdoor places are my favourite, usually - that sort of 5-10k size place. 

S56035

Yes, it's terrible when it's bad.  Went to see the Artic Monkeys years at at the O2 arena and all you could here was bass.  Went to see them at the Emirates in the summer and the sound was awesome, every instrument clear as a bell.  It's very annoying when it's not good.

Supportact

sweepy said:

Volume ruins live music for me, last year went to see Steve Hackett in Aylesbury. The first set was fine, nice separation of instruments and just the right volume whereas the second set was an unlistenable nightmare, way too loud, turning it into a harsh mush 

Same for me. I find that too much volume just confuses the sound for me. I now always take my set of custom molded earplugs to gigs. I originally got them for on stage use but they really do improve things for me as a listener. 

ROOG

Poor quality less so but excessive volume yes. The last gig I attended was stupidly loud and I had forgotten to bring ear plugs.
I spent the vast majority of the gig with my fingers stuck in my ears as discreetly as possible!    

I tried standing half in the hall and half in the adjacent break out space but the two way foot traffic just got on my nerves.

Not my idea of fun, but lesson learned always pack ear plugs. 

roberty

Supportact said:

I now always take my set of custom molded earplugs to gigs. I originally got them for on stage use but they really do improve things for me as a listener. 

Me too. I've started wearing them everywhere though. Gym, supermarket, etc lol

Quite lucky in Bristol to have a few small-to-mid sized venues with excellent sound. The big places can be very hit and miss, it really depends on where you're standing

I notice all this stuff, seen hundreds of bands, it takes a lot for me to enjoy myself these days lol

stickyfiddle

Supportact said:

sweepy said:

Volume ruins live music for me, last year went to see Steve Hackett in Aylesbury. The first set was fine, nice separation of instruments and just the right volume whereas the second set was an unlistenable nightmare, way too loud, turning it into a harsh mush 

Same for me. I find that too much volume just confuses the sound for me. I now always take my set of custom molded earplugs to gigs. I originally got them for on stage use but they really do improve things for me as a listener. 

Exactly. I usually only take my lightest filters (ACS Pro 10s in my case) but that often helps a huge amount 

ROOG

roberty said:

Supportact said:

I now always take my set of custom molded earplugs to gigs. I originally got them for on stage use but they really do improve things for me as a listener. 

Me too. I've started wearing them everywhere though. Gym, supermarket, etc lol

Quite lucky in Bristol to have a few small-to-mid sized venues with excellent sound. The big places can be very hit and miss, it really depends on where you're standing

I notice all this stuff, seen hundreds of bands, it takes a lot for me to enjoy myself these days lol

I resemble this last remark

thecolourbox

Gigs usually cost me twice as much to go to as my other half usually wants to come with (but then doesn't usually enjoy it), so when the sound is bad and i've paid over the odds then yes it puts me off, so i don't really bother going to many now. Whether at proper name venues or more local venues with new acts etc, as I just can't be bothered when there are enough concert films I can watch from the comfort of my living room with nice sound quality (and further adjustable by me if required), without annoying people around me and with a nice cup of tea easily available

Offset

roberty said:

Quite lucky in Bristol to have a few small-to-mid sized venues with excellent sound. The big places can be very hit and miss, it really depends on where you're standing

We saw Glenn Hughes in Bristol a couple of years back at the O2.  Superb sound and a brilliant gig.  The friend I went with saw him a few months later at Cheltenham Town Hall.  Absolutely appalling sound and Hughes seemed to know it as his enthusiasm was decidedly lacking when compared to Bristol.

Offset

mrkb said:

theatreanchor said:

Yes, it does ruin the experience completely - because you are there for the music and not just to look at a band 200ft away amongst idiots holding up phones, a group of sweaty humans and drink overpriced beer. 

FTFY

Yep, the twats with phones further detracted from my evening.

fretmeister

The trend for overbearing bass and kick drum is a nightmare. It's just all mushy with no definition.
And it's often far too loud to the point that it causes distortion in the ears.

Just backing it all off a little would be so much better.

Danny1969

I’ve been to some gigs that were too quiet, ZZ Top and the Stones certainly were for my taste. There’s all kinds of reasons why the sound can be bad but s lot of it boils down to budget and whether the artist gives a shit. I’ve seen Roger Waters at the O2 and Wembley Stadium and both gigs sounded amazing .. really clear quad sound and you could hear everything with detail.
Some smaller venues, say less than 500 cap  with house PA and FOH engineer can be hit and miss with bartenders covering FOH duty if they have to .. 

At the big end the sound is showfiled so once the act is line checked and the PA is EQ’ ed to the space it should sound OK and certainly does at Victorious fest most years in Portsmouth 

Philly_Q

I don't go to many gigs nowadays so maybe, for all I know, sound systems have generally improved.  At the many rock and metal gigs I went to in the '80s and '90s, I'd say the sound quality was generally pretty bad (and way too loud), but I guess I didn't really expect anything different. 

Worst experience (as I've mentioned a few times before) was Judas Priest at the Hammersmith Apollo, it was so loud and distorted that by the end of the gig my ears had given up and I could only hear a bass rumble with the occasional high pitched wee-wee-wee bit which was Halford screeching, or a guitar solo.  After that I started wearing earplugs to gigs.

When I went to see New Order recently the sound was fine, I'd say, and not too loud either.  But it's a different type of music from most of the shows I've ever been to.