I went to see Paramore and hated the sound...

[Jigster]

had the fortune (or mis) to take my son to see Paramore at National Indoor Arena last night in Brum - ok, so they're not a bad band, if that's yr thing, but sitting there I just felt so let down with the sound - what is the point of a venue that big that all tone is lost, both guitars and bass were a generic mawl and the kick drum so overmic'd that it overpowered the bass..As for tone, i personally, and others on here I know dedicate our waking hours to the searching for the holy grail of tone, and I'm sure find it in a rich variety of places and venues, but somewhere like the NIA please tell me: what's the point?

- just hoping my band never makes it so big we have to play a hole like that to thousands of screaming teenagers :lol

[Cat Burrito]

I bet most of the audience didn't mind. I think it's the danger with the bigger venues. I've seen some great bands sound dreadful. I felt like a rock god when I first played The Marquee and that's a venue bands on my level will always struggle to fill.

I don't suppose Paramore play music for guys in their late 30s but I quite like them and think they are slightly above some of the other bands of the same ilk.

[karlthebassist]

I saw the Foo Fighters at Wembly stadium a few years ago and that must have been the most apauling sound I have ever heard at a gig. Worst possible venue. The reflections from the back of the stadium made the whole thing sound like mush. Glad I didn't pay for the tickets!

[Jigster]

i suppose I came away thinking, (had plenty of time to think btw cos took 90 mins to get out of car park) and i guess it's easy to say for me cos I won't play ever anywhere that big, but it feels like the ultimate compromise for a musician: sacrifice tone for scale and audience and whatever else playing huge venues gives you..oh yeah, cash.

[arsenic]

I actively avoid the NIA, as I have never seen a band there that has had an overall good quality sound.

I really do not see the point of doing fewer shows to larger audiences at these types of venue, when the experience is marred by the terrible acoustics coupled with poor mixing/engineering.

Then they have the audacity to charge extortionate prices for the privalige.

Oh! how I miss the days of the Birmingham Odeon as a live venue - never heard a bad band there - unless you count some of the dreadful support bands that played, and then it was usually down to porr songs/musicianship

Edited December 12, 2009 by arsenic

[OldGit]

Paramore sound fairly mushy on their live videos on their website as well though .. However..
"Sem100 says:
Which concert is this video from? Is it last night's Birmingham one? best gig ever!"
So maybe there's more to teenage adoration than the sound

None of these huge venues are any good for sound. Must be a real challenge for the sound crew.
I saw level 42 in Cardiff St Davids hall. Sat right behind the sound desk and the sound was appalling. Likewise I was glad I didn't pay for the tickets but everyone else seemed to be enjoying it.

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Used to love the small venues. When in the day ,'Hammy O' was the biggest metal bands played.
Then,in the late '80s more artists started using arenas like Wembley Arena etc.
(Sorry ,can only speak from the London area)

What I've noticed about the bigger venues: Wembley arena has improved . The sound .The staff etc.
It seems the more I go here ,the more enjoyment I get. (apart from the journey)

I hate outdoor gigs. Tho' it's nice that Twickenham Rugby ground do a handful now and again.
(and of course it's only up the road from me). Unless you are standing,or are seated very near the front,the sound is dreadful.
Wembley stadium: Better setup, facilities etc. but abysmal sound and hassle of travel etc.

The o2: Been twice . Both times this year for Metallica. Different places in venue.
First night , Highest place in the arena. If I sneazed ,I'd have been dead after falling from a great height .
Could almost touch the ceiling. Great Sound tho', and I could see them.

2nd night: Standing,great sound . Saw everything.
Just don't bank on there being a jubilee line whenever a good band plays there.

Looking forward to Rammstein at Wembley arena in Feb.......

[TommyK]

I went to this Gig and thought it was bloody good! Granted Bass drum was too loud but guitars sounded pretty clear from the standing area, and she totally nailed the vocals IMHO.... seriously loud too.

Funnily enough i went to the NIA with my wife and her sister to see Pink a couple of months back, (Sitting up high then) great show but the sound wasn't great (really quiet and muffled) sitting up there, suppose if you are near the back, it is a fair old way from the stage really..

Get near the stage and jump around with the young uns!

[Rayman]

The Smashing Pumpkins were the worst. I've seen hundreds of bands over the 30 or so years I've been going to gigs, but I was really looking forward to seeing them @ the Manc Apollo, and they were dreadful. A mate of mine had warned me that they would be terrible after he'd seen them before, and he was right.

[ashevans09]

[quote name='arsenic' post='682346' date='Dec 12 2009, 05:32 PM']I actively avoid the NIA, as I have never seen a band there that has had an overall good quality sound.[/quote]

Too true. They mauled Stevie Wonder

[thinman]

Like Jigster said, it seems some engineers compress the bass to death and shove up the 80Hz band a load so that there's just this generic loud bass sound devoid of any tone. Sounds impressive to many punters maybe but lacking in character to me.

Edited December 13, 2009 by thinman

[nash]

i saw them in the CIA tonight. awesome gig. but at the very back its like a bass trap but i got to the middle and i could hear everything

[Basska]

I work in the Glasgow Barrowlands right down in the pit (the front of the stage for those who don't know) and every band I see there suffers with that same problem. It's always good down where I am sound wise, probably because I have ear plugs in and can hear everything on the stage, but I know that if you go back to the sound desk (even when the venue is full) it sucks major BLEEP. 8 years ago or even 5 years ago I wouldn't have said that. But these days it's painfully true. I reckon it's the PA's and the engineers that are being used these days.
I say that because, I bet you the light show was good.


Chris

[iamapirate]

I hate it when the sound isn't what you like. You'd think that the guys at the back would have training in how to do live sound properly...

[longtimefred]

if only everyone could afford to use Metallica's sound crew!

Have seen them at Wembley and Sheffield Arena and the sound for both was incredible.

But that does bring me to a point of unjustified gig politics and sound. Why is it at the big shows that the support bands have to sound "worse" than the headlining band. Both times i went to see 'tallica, Machine Head were supporting and i love them, but the sound was just gash to be polite! It's so unfair on support bands that this crap happens and it sucks. Sorry for the thread hijack..

[Rich]

I saw Rush at the NEC in 1989 and couldn't hear the bass. Not a single note.
Saw them there again on the R30 tour, and the sound was brilliant for such a barn of a venue.
I saw Yes at St. David's Hall in Cardiff a couple of years back, we were towards the front on Chris Squire's side and all I could hear for much of the gig was his backline thundering away... when he jumped on the bass pedals, I thought I was going to lose a filling. On my way back from a 'comfort break', I paused by the desk to see how it sounded... oh it was lovely. A perfect mix of everything. I wish to god we'd been sitting up there rather than down the front.

[stingrayfan]

[quote name='BurritoBass' post='682325' date='Dec 12 2009, 05:15 PM']I think it's the danger with the bigger venues.[/quote]
+1 I try to go to smaller places now. Went to see Shed 7 on Sunday at the Bristol Academy. Great small venue and the sound was really good. Band were on top form too. Great energy and musicianship. Great tunes too. Recommend catching them before they finish the current tour.