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LOUSY SOUND AT LIVE CONCERTS

I went to a concert at Bank America Pavillion in Boston last night. I saw Tedeschi and Trucks, and The Black Crows. A terrific concert; The Tedeschi and Trucks Band was especially terrific.

Unfortunately, these bands sound better in my living room than at this beautiful, outdoor venue.

Many venues have extremely poor acoustics and/or poor sound systems. The music is often terribly distorted, details and nuances of the instrumentals and voices are lost. The sound presents as a congealed distorted mess. The art of these incredibly talented musicians cannot be fully appreciated without clear sound. Listening to music in these crappy venues is like looking at masterpiece paintings in dimly lit museums with dirty glasses. The colors, details and brush strokes are indistinct. The artistic genius cannot be fully appreciated. The Comcast Center in Mansfield, MA., Fenway Park and The Boston Garden are just as bad as The Bank Of America Pavillion, if not worse.

I am frustrated with these venues that cannot provide great sound to accompany the great music. What is the sense of attending live concerts if the sound quality sucks. Does anyone else share my frustration?
matjet
foster_9
1,638 posts
 
08-01-13: Brf
Outdoor and stadium venues always suck for music.

Most of the time, but not every time.
Pink Floyd, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH, 1988; A Momentary
Lapse of Reason Tour

The sound was thunderous, crystal clear, and chilling. It was
an incredible outdoor musical event. Definitely great sound.
lindisfarne
511 posts
 
Not only is the sound at most live shows horrific but the people who go to concerts seem to have zero interest in anything but dancing, chatting, texting and the like. Last show I saw was Dylan. I took my kids to see the icon. My kids are all under 15. The shit-heads directly in front of us starting dancing as soon as the man hit the stage. I asked them to please sit and let my kids see the show. They told me to fuck-off. Nice upbringing. Sound stinks, the audience stinks, I'm so done.
77jovian
422 posts
 
Some events are so special, I just suck it up and go, even knowing I'll be disappointed in the sound and the crowd. Less so every year, though (hmm, Bruce Hornsby at Red Rocks? I'd have to see that). I still go to bluegrass festivals, where the performances, sound and vibe are usually outstanding, but I avoid most rock shows now; too loud, crappy sound, croud too obnoxious. It surprises me that so many excellent musicians seem to care so little about their sound. Last year I complained to Tommy Emmanuel's manager that the sound was so loud and distorted I couldn't make out the best parts of his playing. She shrugged and said that nobody else has complained. It's pretty bad when a single acoustic guitar drives you out of the room. Seems to be the state of the art.
rockadanny
1,226 posts
 
77 - wish i had a dollar for every time i've heard that. What a dumbass reply! Proves the manager is deaf as well.
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
Interplay of several factors. Stadium and other large venues almost never built w acoustics in mind. Sometimes they are acoustically "impossible". Each venue is different w different problems. Some venues have their own sound re-inforcement so the performer is not in control. Some acts don't really care.
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