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Valhalla
- FB Fan -
Germany
80 Posts |
 Posted - 11/11/2003 : 15:08:36
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I saw Frank Black today live in Duesseldorf, Germany. Don't understand me wrong - the show was excellent and I love the music !!! But, I wonder why they (and rock bands in general) play so loud !? If they would have played *half as loud*, the songs would sound much better ! Then you would hear much more of the nice melodious songs. I am accustomed to listening to acoustic guitar (I play classical guitar). I read that Frank stopped to play "Black Letter Day" in Barcelona, because the sound engineer said that the sound was not loud enough. I can't understand this. I know, you would say "loud music rocks", but if music is too loud, than it sounds just like noise. Frank, please, next time play not so loud. What do you think ?
Andre |
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mun chien andalusia
= Quote Accumulator =
Italy
2139 Posts |
Posted - 11/11/2003 : 15:14:30
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i think that loud music is cool but it may ruin some songs.for example show me your tears is not an album to be played at extremely high volumes but cult of ray would probably loose a lot of it's beauty played low.
 join the cult of errol\and you can have a beer\without having to quit smoking
www.munchienandalusia.too.it
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Cheeseman1000
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Iceland
8201 Posts |
Posted - 11/11/2003 : 15:17:25
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I have to agree, and you're right, its not a popular argument. However, if things are too loud, the sound just turns to one big mush, and when dynamics are as important as they are in FB's music, this ain't good.
Also, (and now I sound about 50 years older than I actually am) it really can't be that good for your ears. My ears were ringing for three days after London, especially as I was stood right next to the left speaker stack. Good thing I answer phones in my job with my right ear!
 "I have joined the Cult Of Frank/And I have dearly paid"
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Little Black Francis
> Teenager of the Year <
3648 Posts |
Posted - 11/11/2003 : 15:54:49
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| last FB show I saw in January I think my ears rang for almost an entire week... |
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realmeanmotorscutor
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1764 Posts |
Posted - 11/11/2003 : 17:17:57
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saw FB in NY last year and it was terrible. The sound was God awful but people told me it was just that one show and that his sound is usually better. Dunno, have to go again to find out for myself.
 "I joined the Cult of Popeye / The CoF required my good eye" |
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fumanbru
* Dog in the Sand *
Canada
1462 Posts |
Posted - 11/11/2003 : 17:23:38
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twat's that you're saying? i cunt hear you. i've got an ear infuction. ya, not a popular statement but i thought the same last time i saw frank. the first 2 times i saw him in 96 and 98 i thought the volume was at a good level, but the last show in winnipeg was too loud for myself and the mrs. and my friends tell me that i do say "what" way to often. the loudest concert i saw was metallica about 12 years ago. great show but my ears rang for about a week.
 "I joined the Cult of Frank/ and I got a free t-shirt with this dude on it." |
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fumanbru
* Dog in the Sand *
Canada
1462 Posts |
Posted - 11/11/2003 : 17:25:49
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good title by the way valhalla. i love that tune. i wish i could see him play that song live. maybe the catholics could open with it- at least it would give the audience fair warning.
"I joined the Cult of Frank/ and I got a free t-shirt with this dude on it." |
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bedrock_barney
= Cult of Ray =
United Kingdom
871 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2003 : 05:47:56
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I'm convinced I did some kind of damage to my ears when at Uni. I saw a lot of bands over a 4 year period. Worst culprits on the decibel rating were Motorhead (not surprisingly!). Saw them at Nottingham Rock City, stood off centre and had buzzing noises for 3 or 4 days after.
I therefore went from a gig a week to a gig a year post Uni and actually haven't seen a live band since about 1994!! I have taken stock though and cannot avoid gigs forever. Going to see The Dandy Warhols this month (in Nottingham again) and will use ear plugs to protect the ole lug holes. Hope I'm not spotted or I'll be thrown out for being sad and old. |
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benji
> Teenager of the Year <
New Zealand
3426 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2003 : 06:15:26
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why not just take earplugs to gigs?
ya might not use them, but just in case.
i took them along to the 2 mogwai shows in London recently, as they have the reputation of being extremely loud, but i actually didn't require them, as the volume was acceptable - loud but acceptable...but then the band has actually made a concious decision (well maybe the soundman) to turn the volumes down from their previous tours....
i thought frank was loud, but i didn't have any problems with it though.
i like it loud. |
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panoply
- FB Fan -
Germany
29 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2003 : 07:01:43
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cologne without earplugs was wonderful, but too loud
i thought of "i want to hear the holy ramage, i donīt mind a little ear damage"
he didnīt play that song so yesterday i went to dusseldorf with earplugs it was much better without losing intensity of the show
safe your ears friends!
"happiness is a word for amateurs" |
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the swimmer
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1602 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2003 : 07:38:45
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quote:
Originally posted by panoply
cologne without earplugs was wonderful, but too loud
i thought of "i want to hear the holy ramage, i donīt mind a little ear damage"
he didnīt play that song so yesterday i went to dusseldorf with earplugs it was much better without losing intensity of the show
safe your ears friends!
"happiness is a word for amateurs"
As someone with Tinitis...I say heed his words (and rattle my chains a la Jacob Marley ) |
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Brackish Girl
~ Soul Eater ~
Ireland
1750 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2003 : 11:59:59
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i agree. even though i'm only a young one, i was a bit blown away when the boys started up in vicar st. maybe i shouldn't stand in the front row.
 "I joined the Cult of Trippy/...what was i singing again???" |
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apl4eris
~ Abstract Brain ~
USA
4800 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2003 : 12:12:15
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quote:
Originally posted by the swimmer
As someone with Tinitis...I say heed his words (and rattle my chains a la Jacob Marley )
You too huh? My ears have been ringing for almost 5 months now. It's driving me nuts - I can't stand to be in a silent room anymore. However, I never seem to remember to bring the earplugs to a show, and at the FB show I saw last summer at Little Brother's, Columbus, I was pretty darn close to the cabinets out of some punk force of habit. Dum Dum Dummy. :(
 "I partied with the Cult of Frank / Bob ate all the dip" |
Edited by - apl4eris on 11/12/2003 12:13:25 |
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Perhaps
- FB Fan -
133 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2003 : 12:40:03
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| I wonder if it is gig-specific or mood-specific. I have been too a lot of FB shows, some of which were extremely loud, some not as much? |
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blarg007
= Cult of Ray =
USA
493 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2003 : 15:15:48
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quote:
Originally posted by apl4eris
quote:
Originally posted by the swimmer
As someone with Tinitis...I say heed his words (and rattle my chains a la Jacob Marley )
You too huh? My ears have been ringing for almost 5 months now. It's driving me nuts - I can't stand to be in a silent room anymore. However, I never seem to remember to bring the earplugs to a show, and at the FB show I saw last summer at Little Brother's, Columbus, I was pretty darn close to the cabinets out of some punk force of habit. Dum Dum Dummy. :(
"I partied with the Cult of Frank / Bob ate all the dip"
aaahhhh bob -i just wanted mr. dobbs on my post too...
i've been lucky evry show i've seen of the catholics the sound was
sweet.
this web site should challenge the sub-genius site to some
raquet ball or something.
r |
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spoon
- FB Fan -
45 Posts |
Posted - 11/13/2003 : 11:49:32
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Well the most recent FB shows in Chicago have been at the Double Door (previously they were at the Metro). Good sound and good volume but eventually the engineer suffered from what we call "fader creep"...by the last quarter of the show the house sound was LOUD. But really you should always have some ear plugs when you goto see live (rock) bands...heck napkins/TP will do in a pinch.
However, this did not even come close to Pixies' shows. They were real loud. REAL LOUD.
I remember the last two at the Riviera....Pixies on stage jammin and puuufff...the lights and PA sound dies! They tripped the circuit breakers...wow! They stopped playing and it came up in a couple of seconds. Happened two more times and He looked pissed. One more and I felt he would have stopped the show.
The second Riv show (not quite a year later) they (Pixies, promoters, the Riv or all three) had a semi trailer on Lawrence Ave. that was basically ADDITIONAL POWER for the stage!
That last show had my ears ringing for 3 or 4 days (the left one for a week) for sure....no exaggeration either...days. Those were the loudest I've ever been to.
And though this is crossing over from another thread, the crowd rocked....mashing, screaming endlessly, middle-mosh pit and all, with TONS of energy. I dont see that in crowds anymore. Shame really.
spoon |
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peter radiator
= Cult of Ray =
USA
653 Posts |
Posted - 11/13/2003 : 13:07:36
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I wear earplugs to EVERY show I see, and have for several years. I even wear them many times for solo shows by acoustic singer/songwriters. Anything that is amplified through a PA has the potential to damage your high-end hearing, even if it doesn't seem that loud at the time.
What I have found by doing this is that my hearing is significantly better than most of my friends of the same age who see shows as often as myself.
When I suggest to them that they do the same, most of them say something like "I tried earplugs once, but they felt weird and it was bothering me, so I took them out." These are the same people who spend the next couple of hours after a concert complaining to me that their ears are ringing.
There is a bit of a learning curve with foam earplugs. You really have to use them several times to get comfortable with how they work and the benfits they provide. The typical yellow cylindrical kind actually filter out most of the tinny cymbal noise and high-end guitar wash that covers up the vocals. Most of the time, as soon as I put them in, I can hear the vocals at least twice as clearly as without them. That's reason enough for me.
For further encouragement, dig this: Frank and his bandmates wear earplugs at a great many of their shows, and they're BEHIND the PA speakers.
Another reason why some of the shows seem ungodly loud may have to do with the band's equipment. The last time I saw them I was in the front row, standing right in front of Frank. Both of his guitar amps were about 12 feet from my face, pointed square at me. I was actually behind the PA speakers, and was hearing the vocals out of his floor wedge.
Frank uses twin Vox AC-30's. Those amps have a very recognizable sound, but the only way to acheive that classic Vox tone is to turn them up almost to the max. Once you get any lower than about 8 on the volume knob, the tone suffers greatly. Using that kind of a setup in a small theatre or big club works fine, but most of the venues The Catholics are playing lately are small and often cozy rooms. That kind of a rig can be a bit much for a dive bar. The only way i stood it was by using the plugs. My girlfriend was right next to me and she falls squarely into the "these don't fell right" camp.
Her hearing was shot for the next few days.
Ideally, Frank should probably ratchet down his gear a bit and find a smaller amp that can approximate something close to the Vox tone, then keep a moderate stage volume and let the PA do the work for him.
Then again, telling serious guitar players to turn down or ditch their preferred setup is a little like asking a young mother to leave her newborn baby with a crackhead in the parking lot of a grocery store.
It doesn't usually happen, and when it does, it probably shouldn't have.
~ Peter Radiator
"Real music is out there and real people are making it." ~ Webb Wilder |
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blarg007
= Cult of Ray =
USA
493 Posts |
Posted - 11/14/2003 : 10:38:59
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quote:
Originally posted by spoon
Well the most recent FB shows in Chicago have been at the Double Door (previously they were at the Metro). Good sound and good volume but eventually the engineer suffered from what we call "fader creep"...by the last quarter of the show the house sound was LOUD. But really you should always have some ear plugs when you goto see live (rock) bands...heck napkins/TP will do in a pinch.
However, this did not even come close to Pixies' shows. They were real loud. REAL LOUD.
I remember the last two at the Riviera....Pixies on stage jammin and puuufff...the lights and PA sound dies! They tripped the circuit breakers...wow! They stopped playing and it came up in a couple of seconds. Happened two more times and He looked pissed. One more and I felt he would have stopped the show.
The second Riv show (not quite a year later) they (Pixies, promoters, the Riv or all three) had a semi trailer on Lawrence Ave. that was basically ADDITIONAL POWER for the stage!
That last show had my ears ringing for 3 or 4 days (the left one for a week) for sure....no exaggeration either...days. Those were the loudest I've ever been to.
And though this is crossing over from another thread, the crowd rocked....mashing, screaming endlessly, middle-mosh pit and all, with TONS of energy. I dont see that in crowds anymore. Shame really.
spoon
...kinda like in that frankenstein movie where the dr. has
to send up the power rods to harness the electrical storm
energy...'more juice!, we need more juice!...
r |
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blarg007
= Cult of Ray =
USA
493 Posts |
Posted - 11/14/2003 : 10:41:49
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...thats FRANKenstein to you fella..
(picture john wayne saying it)
i didn't join a cult / Hale Bopp had the market cornered |
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BrendanT
= Cult of Ray =
Canada
907 Posts |
Posted - 11/17/2003 : 14:42:58
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There has only been one moment when FB&C's seemed too loud for me and it was surprisingly Frank's vocals. Six Sixty Six and John The Revelator. Thought I was about to fall over.
Ear plugs are definitely the way to go.
I worked in a factory for years and wearing ear plugs actually made my hearing so acutely accuruate it was amazing.
Strummer-man
I had me a vision!
It's step, hip, step, pivot! Are you trying to piss-off the volcano?! |
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