Who controls the gig volume in bars/pubs?

[Killing Floor]

Right on! It's not up to me, either. And I'm keeping it that way.

But I think the question is: Who does decide the volume?

Lemmy?

 

[PigBoy]

The drummer.

 

[AmpHandle]

The drummer .02

 

[tele_savales]

I'm having a hard time accepting "the bartender needing to hear orders" line of logic, because at every club and medium to large size venue I've been to the FOH guy BLASTS the living hell out of whatever music he's into between bands when everyone in the venue is lined up to buy drinks. Way louder than the bands. Always.
I've had the power cut on my band during our first song, I've argued with sound guys, I've been told to use brushes, but I've never had any bartender tell me my band was too loud, and I've never had anyone tell me my band was too loud after the show. I do know that everyone in the club made way more money than I did even though my band packed the bar. Maybe that's why we got asked to play again even tho we were "too loud"

 

[4pickupguy]

Yup Blowtorch nailed it. It’s the drummer. If a band ain’t moving some air they will sound weak and anemic every time. Not painful loud, but, if its ain’t moving air, it ain’t moving butts.

 

[Tele-beeb]

From a listener/patron point of view… the best ‘bar/event’ bands I have heard, sound full at a volume where the patrons can talk (loud if necessary,) but not yell… that’s annoying.

 

[2HBStrat]

This one is mostly for gigging musicians out there but, of course, anyone is welcome to chime in.

Just got back from Savannah where I visited several bars in which the live music was so loud that there is no way anyone could have any sort of conversation in there. In fact, some of them had the music so loud that you could barely have any conversation standing outside the bar. That got me wondering what the appeal of that kind of volume is in places like those. It's not a concert, it's a bar where you drink/eat and there happens to be live music there. You (normally) don't go to places like that to jump up an down to the music all night or get your teeth knocked out in a mosh pit or rock out in any other way.
What is the appeal of eating dinner with friends and not be able to talk to them at all the whole time you are there? Isn't that what concerts are for?
Who has the final say in the overall volume/loudness of such gigs? Is is the performer/band? The bar manager? Owner? Customers?
Not complaining; there are plenty of places that don't do that so I could just go there instead (and I did). Just genuinely curious.

It SHOULD be the bar owner who determines the volume of the band(s). If all of the bands that you experienced in Savannah were, to you, too loud, I think it's fair to say that that's how the bars wanted it.

 

[cyclopean]

This one is mostly for gigging musicians out there but, of course, anyone is welcome to chime in.

Just got back from Savannah where I visited several bars in which the live music was so loud that there is no way anyone could have any sort of conversation in there. In fact, some of them had the music so loud that you could barely have any conversation standing outside the bar. That got me wondering what the appeal of that kind of volume is in places like those. It's not a concert, it's a bar where you drink/eat and there happens to be live music there. You (normally) don't go to places like that to jump up an down to the music all night or get your teeth knocked out in a mosh pit or rock out in any other way.
What is the appeal of eating dinner with friends and not be able to talk to them at all the whole time you are there? Isn't that what concerts are for?
Who has the final say in the overall volume/loudness of such gigs? Is is the performer/band? The bar manager? Owner? Customers?
Not complaining; there are plenty of places that don't do that so I could just go there instead (and I did). Just genuinely curious.

Bars are where i see a fairly large percentage of the music that i see, and I definitely see people rocking out and I definitely see people moshing.

Why would you go see live music if you just want to talk over the band? And conversely, why would you want to play somewhere where people are going to talk over you?

 

[cyclopean]

Were we usually play they installed a decibel meter facing the stage. I think it’s a county thing now and they want 100 max.

I didn’t notice it until the last set but we got up to maybe 110.

There’s no reason for music to be overly loud.

Depends on the music. For a lot genres, too quiet is anemic and disappointing.

 

[cyclopean]

At the venue where I used to work, it was 90dB before I turned on the PA system.

Bars are often awful acoustic spaces. No bar owner will spend any money on noise abatement, or even furnish the room with any soft things. It's probably in a converted storefront or warehouse, with concrete floors, concrete or brick walls, and a metal ceiling. "Industrial Chic" decor isn't stylish, it's just cheap. The only absorptive surfaces in the room are the customers. It's a sonic minefield.

There’s a bar i go to all the time that has thick curtains covering the back of the stage.

 

[loudboy]

It's not a concert, it's a bar where you drink/eat and there happens to be live music there.

This is the crux of the biscuit.

If a venue wants to serve food/drinks and have people hang out and converse, they should book appropriate acts - acoustic solo/duo, or just play canned music. Full bands are loud, and are there to draw the attention of the crowd.

This has caused ridiculous amounts of friction in the past 15 years or so, and is a problem with no viable solution.

I do know that everyone in the club made way more money than I did even though my band packed the bar. Maybe that's why we got asked to play again even tho we were "too loud"

If the house is full, and the cash register is ringing, I have never been told to turn down.

 

[Masmus]

I was helping my kid who was involved in a high school "battle of the band" at an old theater in my hometown. We were setting up equipment on stage when an old gentleman named Lee came out of the projection room at the back of the theater for a band meeting with the various band kids.

Lee sez, I got a VU meter and a big red switch in my little room here and if any you guys get over 100db I'm gonna throw the big switch that supplies power to the stage. So kids, don't get too loud!

I not sure if Lee had either of those two devices in the projection room but his point was made and the kid's bands all behaved themselves.

Many years ago several high school bands pulled their money and rented a large PA from me for a battle of the bands at their high school. We had enough volume to get the local police called to the school and told us to turn it down. After the police left the Vice Principle came over and asked why we turned it down, I told him about the cops and he said to turn it back up because the kids liked it. About an hour later we were shut down and I realised the VP wanted a shorter night. It's funny the kids hired me, the VP told me the volume the school wanted but ultimately the cops got the final say on the volume.

 

[wulfenganck]

the drummer


it's always the drummer

This is what I say to people complaining about the volume (we tend to play at rather low volumes). If the drummer uses sticks, there is a certain minimum level of volume.

 

[bgmacaw]

 

[Old Deaf Roadie]

Well, I am Old DEAF Roadie for a reason. If you needed 105 db in a field, I was your guy. I thought I needed to feel the kick through the floor and my chest, and felt a sense of accomplishment if they were complaining about the volume in the next town over, like the City of LeClaire, IA did when we supplied racks and stacks for SRV on the Davenport Levee. Of course, sound does travel quite nicely up a river valley... Looking back on that culture, I am thankful for my boring venue gig day after day.

 

[ClashCityTele]

Even the small bars around here have a separate bar and a music room (where you can still order drinks).
People treat going to see a band as a gig, not drinking in a bar that just happens to have a band in the corner.
All the gigs are well advertised. If you want a quiet drink, go to another bar.

 

[tele_savales]

If the house is full, and the cash register is ringing, I have never been told to turn down.

That's a bingo.

 

[bgmacaw]

According to a recent thread here, isn't the important thing in a bar for the patrons to be able to hear what's going on in the sportsball game that's on the big TV behind and above the tiny stage?

 

[mfguitar]

I always thought the bass player is responsible for the volume wars. Although drums contribute somewhat. if it was only the drums it would not sound all that loud. When we perform at a place with house sound they almost always push the bass and drums to over-the-top levels. They also have the house sound (during breaks) louder than the band, which really does not help the band. On most nights I control the sound and try to be aware of people if they are yelling at each other. When I was young I thought you could be loud as long as you were good, I think differently today.

 

[David Barnett]

I have found that DJs are often LOUDER than many of the bands that play the remaining clubs.

...and no one ever complains.