Too loud, walked off

[police squad]

I was doing a gig with the blues/rock band yesterday

We only usually do one a year but the BL decided to do a warm up gig in what was a great venue but.

They've taken the carpet out

3 Guitarists

stupid Bose PA right behind me

I had my ACS custom moulds in and by half way through the 2nd set it was hurting my ears

The guitars just kept turning up and up

During a dreadful rendition of Heroes by Bowie I signalled to the BL that I couldn't hear and it was too loud

H e wound the song up early and I said I'm done.

It's loud, it's hurting me

and I walked off stage

 

I'm not a diva but I actually feared for the hearing I have left

I'm still fumimg this morning

[Steve Browning]

Don't blame you in the slightest. 

[Lozz196]

Think you made the right choice, if volume is painful whilst wearing ear protection then that’s way too loud. 

[zbd1960]

If you're wearing protection and it is that loud, then that is seriously wrong. People need to take this more seriously. I'm extremely wary of loud environments, which is why I have an app with an SPL meter on it. OK it's not 'accurate' since a proper reading requires measuring distances etc., but it's a useful guide. 

[casapete]

You did the right thing, well done. 

 

I’ve recently left a blues rock band, mainly because the stage levels were ridiculously loud.

Gigs which should have been very enjoyable were becoming significantly less so for me,

and my hearing is far more important. 

 

[JapanAxe]

I would hate to be put in that position but yes, good call. There have been a couple of bands where my decision not to accept an offer to join has been based partly on their excessive volume.

[Dan Dare]

Smart move. Leave them to go deaf and don't join them.

[paul_5]

I would have walked at ‘blues/rock’, or if not then, then definitely at ‘3 guitarists’! 😄

[Hellzero]

Reminds of a rehearsal with a band I just joined...

 

I just stopped playing during it and sat on my amp, waiting, until they noticed it.

 

I told them they were way too loud as I couldn't even hear myself and they replied "Hey, it's stoner music!"

 

I simply replied: "Farewell!" and I left.

 

We remained friends, but they all are deaf by now...

 

So good move and decision @police squad !

[Beedster]

Good call, far too many guitarists - many with damaged hearing making things worse - are either in search of a Townsend-esque visceral high, or because they don't understand audio/acoustic, ramp up their levels to compensate for poor EQ/positioning. I got in the firing line of an Tele through an AC-30 recently, my ears were ringing for around 4-hours!  

 

[EliasMooseblaster]

Your ears will thank you!

 

I don't understand why people still think it's clever or impressive to be painfully loud - especially given how easy it is to be loud these days with modern equipment. Unless you're at a Sunn O)))) gig, I don't imagine most audiences enjoy it either.

[Sean]

If it's not a band where you can have a sensible discussion about things like volume, then it's not a band to be associated with. 

 

I was approached to join a band that I'd seen play live a couple of times and politley turned them down because they always played way too loud.