Why does rock concert sound suck?

@hartf36

I saw the Stones on that same ’81 tour in Dallas and I was very let down by the poor performance... it was not a strong show.

Later in ’88 or 89 I saw them on the Steel Wheels tour in Cleveland, and that was a great show, and the sound was good too... in Cleveland Stadium!  I saw The Who and Neil Young at that venue I think '89 and the sound in that stadium for both of those bands was good, at least where I was sitting.

I think maybe ’81 the Stones were too coked up to care, and they came off as a bunch of posers.

I passed on their most recent tour, though, because ticket prices made me sick...

Ok where to start the place where the show is yes ,absolutely, but also the sound engineer. Where you seat is also counts depending if its indoors or out doors The last shows I have seen 2 were at Jones Beach and outdoor arena. I saw the Outlaws and Lynard Skynyrd we were standing at the VIP bar which is off to the side and like 12 rows from the stage.Sounded Great.Saw Chicago there was just to the side of the stage and 10 rows back sounded Great.But I saw Deep Purple and Alice Cooper there in 2019 was upstairs in front row.Alice was good sounding, Deep Purple sound terrible, the lead singer voice was to low you couldn't hear him,so we left,that had to be the engineer fault.At Bridge port another smaller outdoor place sat 9th down just off center,LoverBoy,REO Speed wagon,Styxs all sounded good,loud but good.The loudest I can remember was Robin trower at the Paramount in Huntington NY,indoor place old movie theather.Sat upstairs but was very close to the stage and he blew,my ears out.OMG.Should of had earplugs.But way back in 1972csaw YES,King Crimson and the stars were  Procol Harum,and sat 8th row and they were Loud then you too the MTA subway home and if you couldn't hear then it was a great show I was 20 back then now I'm 70.Saw Santana at the Fillmore East I'm 1970 just after Woodstock and they were loud.but sounded great.Saw Elton John at MSG in 1976 sat right behind the stage sound was good.Saw David Bowie there Diamond Dogs tour sound was Good.ELP sound GOOD sat about 24 rows from the stage.Saw Kiss in 1972 they just started at a small club in Sunnyside, Queens NY they were loud and almost burned the place down.Saw them at the old Palladium on 14 st NYC.Sat in balcony they were,loud abs felt the heat from Gene's flames ,lol.Saw Allmans Brothers there in 1972 and they sounded great 12 row back.i saw alot of shows there all over the place sound was always good.But I say it's the Sound Engineer that makes the biggest adjustments. 

Good topic.  I say it is the sound board person.  I attended an outdoor concert a couple of years ago.  Cheap Trick, Heart, Joan Jett.  Sat dead center about 20 rows back.  Cheap Trick was a total mess--could hear NO vocals, the guitars were a smear, and the bass was non musical, only gut-thumping.  Then came Joan.  PERFECT sound mix, dynamic range, was like listening to the recordings live.  Then came Heart, one of my fav bands.  Again, a total mess--vocals, which are obviously their strong suit, were not intelligible, the band mix was terrible, and there was no definition of the instruments, just a wall of loud noise.

SAME PA system, SAME board, terrible mixing.

Saw Steve Miller band a couple of years ago indoors.  SUPERB sound.

Went to an indoor concert not long after for a famous female vocalist.  HORRIBLE sound, no vocals that could be distinguished, and a terrible mix of the band.

I would agree that the sound board person is at fault.  I refuse to attend any more live concerts, and I have seen almost everyone since 1962--I keep the ticket stubs and remember them.  Good ones--Beatles outdoors, Stones both inside and out, Hendrix indoors twice, etc,. etc., etc.  Even the Dick Clark Caravan of stars outdoors in Raleigh in 1964 was excellent with over a dozen DIFFERENT acts including Gene Pitney and the Supremes--totally different sounds.  Great sound from equipment that was NOT digital or advanced.

Great topic, I have been to dozens of shows and thought the same. One puzzle was Pitchfork where a band that should sound good - Spiritualized I had to put in the earplugs (recommended) that tame the high end. Rock also seems mixed in mono, but all is in the hands of the soundboard. That day Noname and Earl Sweatshirt, however,  both sounded sublime. One live and one DJ mix but I think they just had the right soundboard people. I also experienced a real Jamaican Soundsystem in Porto, that was the greatest sound ever (look it up, a mountain of speakers all specially tuned). Sheer power, but not really loud. You could stand right next to the speakers and they would suck the air in and out of your lungs. Sheer bliss, but rarely went over 88db. I measured it. Lots of bass though and super tight bass which is likely why big venues suck for way too much bass cancellation. This was outdoors btw which probably helped. Also a clue. If anyone came near, they started dancing. Couldn’t help it. In big concerts, watch. No dancing, normally the sound just isn’t groovy.