We had to bail out of a gig* early last night because the volume was just too much. I’m no stranger to loud gigs, but that’s why I have tinnitus and I’m keen to avoid it getting any worse thanks. After 40 minutes we were edging further and further back, but even by the doors it was clear that the volume was increasing and the only sensible thing to do was leave or face possibly permanent consequences. Does anyone use ear protection at gigs? And is there such a thing as ear plugs which reduce the volume while still allowing you to enjoy the music?
Side topic, what’s the most punishingly and pointlessly loud gig you’ve seen and heard? AHEM! I SAID …(etc.)
* It was British Lion at Colchester Arts Centre. BL is the side project of Iron Maiden main man Steve Harris** and they were playing a warm up gig prior to some festivals around Britain and Europe. Metal was my gateway drug to music, but the only stuff I listen to now is occasional nostalgic visits to the songs I loved in my mid-teens, Maiden among them. I liked the idea of seeing an old hero who usually plays to tens or hundreds of thousands in shows he reaches in his band’s own 747 at a gig for a few hundred in a small, deconsecrated church.
The music was pretty good, and certainly heavier than I expected from the YouTube vids I’d watched beforehand. Apparently a lot of fans found BL’s first album and gigs a bit tame, and they have responded with a sound not unlike 80s Iron Maiden, albeit with only one lead guitar and no pantomime theatrics. But man, it was loud. A couple of times I was puzzled by what I thought were bits of paper falling from the roof, until I realised it was paint being shaken off the church ceiling.
** Fact of the day. Steve Harris’ middle name is Percy.
I got just those very things for my kids when we went to Latitude this year. I tried them out (they came with spares) and they were really good.
I have exactly the same problem – tinnitus I don’t want to make worse. I have some ear plugs which I wear for loud gigs. They have 3 different filters you can put it which help balance up the sound/completely muffled thing but they’re not perfect by any means. Also my left ear is clearly a weird shape – they fit perfectly on the right but not the left. A mate of mine is a drummer who had some tailor made and he says that makes a huge difference – no leakage and they are proper frequency based filters rather than just blocking your ear ole to a greater or lesser extent. Im thinking about going this route. On my motorbike I wear billy basic foam disposables which work fine too TBH, especially if you lick them first (old biker trick). I’m currently not convinced the filters ones are any better than the basics.
A mate of mine has some of the ones which have a built in string to put round the back of your neck which are quite practice for gigs where you’re putting them in and out a fair bit to chat etc. I’m thinking about trying them on the basis that they probably aren’t any more efficient but at least they’re more practical. These…
TinkSky 10 Pairs of Soft Silicone Corded Ear Plugs Reusable Hearing Protection Earplugs (Blue) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00K2PHGIM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_rBWEzbG42PB0Q
Working on noisy building sites, you tend to get offered those foam disposables. For some reason I could never get them to stay in my ears. Then on one site they were giving out flanged silicone plugs with a string connecting the pair. Easy to insert (once I’d learned the wet-them-first trick, mentioned above) and very effective. I still have a pair I use to stop water getting in my ears in the bath. Haven’t tried bringing them to any gigs as I think they’d block the sound too much.
The first time I saw Albert Lee & Hogan’s Heroes play was in a small-ish back room of a pub near Harrow. For the size of the place, they were ridiculously loud. Everyone in the audience seemed to gravitate to the back of the room, as far from the speakers as possible. I also saw Johnny Dowd and Jim White’s “Hellwood” project once at The Mean Fiddler in Charing Cross Road. I was standing near the back and the bass was resonating through the floor up my body into my chest. It was a quite unpleasant sensation.
I use them for rehearsal studios. There’s nothing quite like the noise of a six piece band including drums all bunched up with limited space and unlimited wattage!
Any earplugs designed for musicians will do what you want – attenuate the volume without affecting the frequency range. When I took up drumming again after a break of a few years, earplugs were the first things I bought, even before new sticks. It really does make it more enjoyable when your ears aren’t ringing for days after playing.
These are ones I use (https://www.acscustom.com/uk/products/hearing-protection/universal-fit), available on the tax dodgers site.
I have these, and some others (that I’ve forgotten the make of) which are very similar: some in guitars’ cases and a pair stored in my keyring.
They do the job pretty well.
I want to get some for sleeping in – any views? I think the sticky out bit might not work so well if you’re lying down?
I find they are too small, I can barely get the tip of my little finger in.
These are superb. I bought them for clay shoots and subsequently discovered they allow you to listen to Explosions In The Sky playing live (shatteringly loud) and miss nothing. All the distortion: gone. All the finesse: still present. Ace, and only twenty sovs or thereabouts.
https://www.auritech.co.uk/universal-fit-earplugs/shoot/
The loudest band I ever heard live was Golden Earring. I had no idea anything could actually BE that loud, and I had ringing for two days afterwards. Scary loud.
To be fair they warned you in advance
my loudest….Ace of Spades, motorhead tribute, surprisingly.
Running Horse nottingham….normally a blues venue but the odd full rock gig.
this particular night the band sported double Ampeg bass stacks, double full Marshall stacks…two 100 watt heads per stack….and a full double kick drum kit.
A crazy (and fun) setup for a pub with a capacity not much larger than a decent sized lounge.
the drummer received a cheer after climbing through his kit to reach his stool, such was the cramped “stage”.
the soundcheck had punters running..and laughing..from the room.
Why are gigs so loud? I too, have tinnitus, I blame The Who and particularly Pete Townshend, his guitar was incredibly distorted at Deeside Leisure Centre 1981. I wonder if anybody has ever sued a band for hearing loss.
Dave Lee Roth was sued in the late 80s by a female fan citing hearing damage.
I remember the case was thrown out quite early with the judge ruling quite bluntly “if its too loud…one is simply too old”.
I think it is the venue that allowed the volume that is responsible……..