Azrael LenGraden
Lake Of Fire
Undoubtedly, KISS (w/Vandenberg and Heaven) at the UIC Pavilion in 1984... LICK IT UP tour....120,000 watts so I've been told... never have my ears rang for days like that...
speaking of earplugs, what's the loudest and quietest band you've heard?
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drmetal8
Graphic Design
If it's too loud, you're too old! Loudest for me is still to this day Motorhead at the Masquerade in Atlanta in 1997. Brutally loud even with cotton in my ears. But for some reason, not too loud...just fucking right! 
I definitely recommend ear protection also. Being hard of hearing isn't cool. You never get that hearing back.
I definitely recommend ear protection also. Being hard of hearing isn't cool. You never get that hearing back.
James
Member
The loudest was easily Malmsteen opening for Maiden in '86 or '87, I think ("Somehwere in Time" tour). The radio ads were yammering about however many hundreds of thousands of watts of sound that Maiden was bringing, but that damn Yngwie solo at the end of his set was the most annoyingly ear-piercing shit I've ever heard in my life.
The quietest show was Rite of Strings at an outdoor amphitheater...I was sticking all my empty (glass) beer bottles under my chair, and quickly ran out of room...when I went to try and stick another one under my chair, I knocked over all the other empty bottles in a chain reaction from hell...you could definitely hear the commotion of glass bottles falling over and rolling down concrete steps drowning out Stanley Clarke's stand-up bass solo...if you were at that show, I'm sure you're thinking "oh, YOU were THAT GUY" because EVERYONE heard it
The quietest show was Rite of Strings at an outdoor amphitheater...I was sticking all my empty (glass) beer bottles under my chair, and quickly ran out of room...when I went to try and stick another one under my chair, I knocked over all the other empty bottles in a chain reaction from hell...you could definitely hear the commotion of glass bottles falling over and rolling down concrete steps drowning out Stanley Clarke's stand-up bass solo...if you were at that show, I'm sure you're thinking "oh, YOU were THAT GUY" because EVERYONE heard it
J-Dubya 777
It NEVER ends
3 loudest shows I ever saw (in order)
1) Van Halen - Women & Children First Tour - Chicago Amphitheater 1980(?)
2) Motorhead - Aragon Ballroom - 1982
3) Ac/DC Highway To Hell Tour - Aragon Ballroom 1979
Started wearing hearing protection after the Motorhead show....
Quietest would be some of the acoustic Keneally stuff I've seen & taped over the years...
1) Van Halen - Women & Children First Tour - Chicago Amphitheater 1980(?)
2) Motorhead - Aragon Ballroom - 1982
3) Ac/DC Highway To Hell Tour - Aragon Ballroom 1979
Started wearing hearing protection after the Motorhead show....
Quietest would be some of the acoustic Keneally stuff I've seen & taped over the years...
Being loud makes sense for bands like Manowar and Motorhead.
It makes no sense for bands with a lot of subtleties in the music. I've heard Nightwish keeps it reasonable, many other bands could stand to do the same thing.
It makes no sense for bands with a lot of subtleties in the music. I've heard Nightwish keeps it reasonable, many other bands could stand to do the same thing.
Troy the nomad
Actually I've resettled
How has no one said Evergrey at PPI? Nothing else is even close for me in almost 30 of concert going.
nomisofsiman
Member
KingsGene
God of Thunder
loudest - Scorpions/Iron Maiden/Girlschool at Alpine Valley in WI.
quietest - George Winston (solo piano) at Orchestra Hall in Chicago.
quietest - George Winston (solo piano) at Orchestra Hall in Chicago.
Spiderpact
West Bench White Trash
Definitely for me as well! I caught this show in Phoenix at the Cricket Pavillion and I couldn't believe how loud Motorhead was!
Another one that was unruly loud was Anthrax on the Maximum Rock Tour in 2000. That was probably my first real metal gig.
The quietest I can remember was probably when I saw Dimmu Borgir on the "In Sorte Diaboli" tour. The mix was perfectly balanced, and really very mild volume wise. I was standing with my brother and a buddy on the gate and I remember being able to talk with eachother throughout the entire thing.
DTJeff
I Am My Nation
Trans-Siberian Orchestra this past April was ridiculously quiet. Only show I've ever been to where I felt incredibly awkward for singing along, because I was as loud to the people near me as the person on-stage. I guess it's because they feel the need to keep the sound down for all the elderly folk and kids they attract, but damn, I was actually upset that it was so quiet. It's like... this is it?
Iced Earth at The Trocadero in 2008 was one of the loudest shows I've ever been to. Man, I think my hearing was fucked up for like 3 days after that show. Ridiculous. And I'll throw in another vote for Yngwie - different show, in 2006, but yeah, way too loud (though the venue is know for that), and some of the solos were just headache-inducing.
Iced Earth at The Trocadero in 2008 was one of the loudest shows I've ever been to. Man, I think my hearing was fucked up for like 3 days after that show. Ridiculous. And I'll throw in another vote for Yngwie - different show, in 2006, but yeah, way too loud (though the venue is know for that), and some of the solos were just headache-inducing.
I listen to my Ipod at a pretty high volume. if I listen for more than an hour, I have a small ringing in my ears that lasts about 30-60 minutes.
If a show is louder than that, it's dangerous. Metal should be enjoyable, it should be raucous, but it shouldn't be to your ears what smoking is to your lungs or crack is for your brain.
If a show is louder than that, it's dangerous. Metal should be enjoyable, it should be raucous, but it shouldn't be to your ears what smoking is to your lungs or crack is for your brain.
Ministry take the cake for the loudest without any competition. I went to the Worcester date of their farewell tour (which was a part of NEMHF over here) with two friends - I had brought earplugs, they had not. Though it was loud, I was able to enjoy the Ministry set absolutely fine, while they had to spend the set with their hands over their ears.
For quietest, this might be cheating, but the Draco and the Malfoys acoustic show last September.
For quietest, this might be cheating, but the Draco and the Malfoys acoustic show last September.
Bryant
Mr. Sleepy
I think the loudest was Ratt.... don't remember if it was Invasion or Dancing tour, but mid-80's. I walked in front of their rows and rows of the many "W" style cabinets they had and the bass drum was hitting so hard I felt it in my chest. It was almost scary.... like giving me heart palpitations.
Quietest was probably Infectious Grooves opening for Metallica on the "Black" tour. I really had a hard time hearing Mike's vocals. It was an outdoor concert though.
Bryant
Quietest was probably Infectious Grooves opening for Metallica on the "Black" tour. I really had a hard time hearing Mike's vocals. It was an outdoor concert though.
Bryant
Loudest - Motorhead opening for Maiden and Dio at the Garden in 2003
Quietest - Paradise Lost opening for Nightwish at Nokia in 2007.....So quiet that I fell asleep!
Quietest - Paradise Lost opening for Nightwish at Nokia in 2007.....So quiet that I fell asleep!
the quietest metal show ive been to was when we opened for Sonata Arctica at the Haven in orlando. This place is like a bit smaller than the local in GA. It seriously sounded like someone was just listening to a cd that was just turned up a little louder than normal bar volume. And the balance of the mix was actually flawless. fantastic show!
nailz
Member
drmetal8
Graphic Design
Originally Posted by drmetal8
If it's too loud, you're too old!
I definitely recommend ear protection also.
Sorry, just being enthusiastic. Just because you like it loud doesn't mean you shouldn't protect your ears too.
If it's too loud, you're too old!
I definitely recommend ear protection also.
Sorry, just being enthusiastic. Just because you like it loud doesn't mean you shouldn't protect your ears too.
mëtålspëd
Umlauts ist Krieg
Loudest was probably Pantera back in 95/96 on TGSTK tour. The quietest was probably Riverside at NEARfest 06?. It was loud, but the notes were so succinct. It was amazing.
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