...and do you think it permanently damaged your hearing? For me Motorhead at Brixton last year was in my opinion too loud. I don't mind a high level of volume but it was so distorted as to become inaudible.
Other than that Airbourne at Hammersmith, Metallica at the O2 and Dio at the Astoria left my ears ringing for days. Plus AC/DC at Wembley Arena but then again I was right next to Angus's amp which was obviously turned all the way up to the max.
They say that The Who at the Valley is up there as one of the loudest gigs ever, anybody on here go?
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loudest for me was brixton academy aswell, though it was chemical brothers playing. came out for a bottle of water up in the gallery bit and the floor was bouncing up and down as i was standing waiting to be served... now ive been to that place a lot for live gigs over the years but never have i felt that happen to such an extent!
big who thread on here already somewhere tommy, pics, and other sorts of chat about that day mate as your interseted. dont ask me where though?
AND MY HEARING IS FINE THANKS!!! ;o)
Pete Townsend is pretty much deaf now. I read an interview the other day with Roger Daltrey where it was mentioned. Daltrey's going to be touring Tommy without Townsend.
Metallica at Wembley in June 2007 was awesome too.
Megadeth at Brixton was pretty cool too.
Going to Primus at Brixton next week so expecting something similar to happen then.
I was there .. great gig, and the first time out, if I remember correctly for Bad Company and Humble Pie with the late great Steve Marriot and Peter Frampton. I was up on the terrace, opposite the stage which was located in the old cricket club stand. The sound was excellent though i guess it was LOUD nearer to the stage.
This was the first time I can recall a band using pre recorded loops in a live performance .. Baba O'Reily and Wont get Fooled Again. I'd seen the Whgo years before at the old Witchdoctor Club in Catford when their repertoire was mostly old Beach Boys numbers and early stuff like Can't Explain.
There were a lot of others acts there that day but Bad Company, Humble Pie and the great Who were the standouts. It was a great day, lovely weather, I was young and with great friends and a beautiful (ex) girlfriend ... them was indeed the days.
pantera at the town and country club in 93 i remember being particularly damaging. great gig though.
My missus bought me a meet & greet package for his show at the 02 in a couple of weeks for my birthday.
Not the loudest overall but the worst my ears have ever been was after seeing The Troggs at the Crypt in Deptford in the early 80's. Although ACDC at Wembley ran them a close 2nd.
A band called The Truth at the old Marquee Club in Wardour St in about1985. Prob cos we were right up against the stage.
Couldn't walk straight afterwards.
That was also the hottest.
FOR THOSE ABOUT TO ROCK - FIRE!!!!
Deaf as a post for hours after that.
The Nolan Sisters for me, the Odean Woolwich was rocking.
Was grounded for the Who concert, but could hear it from my bedroom window.
Hendrix and Cream (different dates) at Bromley Court Hotel. But that place was sooooo small that everyone who played there was L O U D
The Who, the night they closed Lewisham Odean. Early '80s.
These kids nowdays have never heard loud.
As I mentioned on a post a week or so back, Hyde Park is rubbish.
Like a transistor radio on a beach.
VM, I also saw Motorhead at the Marquee. I think it was a fan club gig, which my friend was a member, in around 1983. I seem to remember that I could not hear anything straight after the gig and I could hear a high pitch noise for a couple of weeks after.
Great story Hawksmoor. Still on The Clash, not a particularly loud stadium gig, but I stumbled into their last ever (not of course the original line-up) in the Olympic stadium in Athens, supported by among others The Cure who did a superb set. Fearing the worst because of the Cut The Crap backdrop we were treated to a fantastic night with loads off the first three albums and plenty of dear Joe's wayward ramblings.
At about 2.30 in the morning, with stage lights out and encores done I was working my way to the exits in front of the massive speaker stack when I was blown off my feet by a very loud White Riot. They'd crept back on against all stadium regulations. Still reckon it was the small venues / too loud systems that have really taken their toll though. My hearing seems particularly poor when commentators are telling me how special the atmosphere is at Anfield because I can rarely hear a bloody thing!
Mine was also at the Cliffs: Echo & The Bunnymen. Not just for the volume but the high pitched screeching too. I can't remember just how long afterwards my ears rang for.
I read a story once about a kid who, hoping to see the show without a ticket, sneaked into a venue before a Deep Purple gig. Whilst he was in there he heard foosteps so he hid underneath the stage. The footsteps turned out to be stagehands who, not knowing he was there, shut the door on him. He remained locked underneath the stage for the whole gig, but never heard anything again.
Status Quo - Lewisham Odeon 1976....very loud.
Went to the second Who gig at the Valley, loud for an open air gig, but not as loud as their indoor gigs. The laser show on Baba O'Reilly was the main memory (delayed by the numpties who climbed the floodlights during the day and messed up the mirrors that the lasers bounced off).
Chap I work with saw the Who at Portsmouth Guildhall in the 70's, it was so loud he was deaf for 3 days. No wonder Townsend is mutt n' jeff.
Meatloaf at the NEC 1995 ish.....2 1/2 hours non-stop, Bat out of Hell etc etc. so loud and ears were 'whistling' for a good 24 hours afterwards.
Groundhogs at the Old Lycem Ballroom in the Strand......again early 70's (1972 I think).....now that was rocking!!!
Vinegar Joe (lead singer was Elkie Brookes) and supporting was a certain Mr D Bowie (had never heard of him then).....this was at the Avery Hill Teachers College student hall and it was early 70's......beer was somthing like 30p a pint.......very small venue and a cracking night.....couldnt hear (or walk due to alcohol consumed) for days......still remember all these years later.
I went to see Air at a music festival once held in a large marquee it was pretty difficult to be too far away from the stage. The warm up band was a Japanese noise outfit called Cornelius who's music consisted of industrial levels of feedback. The next day I was somewhat mutton jeff.
The other loud gig I remember was Spear of Destiny way back. A mate was a big fan and insisted we stand in front of the stage.
I have hearing damage and tinnitus due to hundreds of gigs, nowadays i see people wearing earplugs at shows over here.
I did see stoner rock legends Sleep a couple of weeks ago, they were shockingly loud but the show was outdoors so the noise dissipated a bit.
Yep, My Bloody Valentine are the winners. Saw them a couple of years ago for their reunion gig at the Roundhouse. They were handing out free earplugs as you went in (which I foolishly declined!) I stood too near the front as well, went almost deaf in my right ear for a while and had tinitus for weeks after
The encore had about 10 minutes of solid feedback thrash which sounded and felt like the Space Shuttle taking off. Its the loudest thing I've ever heard. Jets, bombs, rockets... none of them have been louder than My Bloody Valentine!
was out of my tree that night. what a weekend that was.