Given my limited time using my PAS, the horror stories I've been told of the behavior of several prima-donna sound engineers by a close friend - and professional musician (who uses a PAS as well) - and the number of excessively loud musical events I've attended - and left early because of the excessive volume levels - I'm convinced the above statement is correct.

Recently, our duo played a local charity event. Before I had my PAS, unfortunately. We arrived to the event but was not allowed to set up our equipment. We had to use the house system which, if you didn't know otherwise, would have had you believe - just from the sheer size of the installation - that we were about to go on stage at Shea Stadium. This system was huuuuuge!

And loud? Loud was an understatement. Unfortunately we had little control over it. The sound engineer was positively obnoxious. Would not listen to any of our requests to turn things down. At one point I thought we had everything set up just fine but, once we started in with our first number, the sound guy's hands went for those volume sliders and just proceeded to have a field day with the volume levels!

We were the lone acoustic act. After us came the heavy rock bands. The place cleared out real fast after we got off. Not because the other music was bad. Far from it. But because it was simply much too loud. While it was gratifying to know that we were one of only two acts to be asked back, it also came as no surprise to me that the other acts were not. They were all good acts. They were simply too loud. The charity organizer heard from many of the attendees about the excessive sound levels. The 'sound guy' ruined their performances in my opinion.

I don't know what it is about these sound people that believe the sound has to be so loud that one cannot have a conversation with another individual not three feet away, without having to yell at said individual. But that's apparently the way it is much of the time.

I wonder what it's going to take for them to realize that, just because they know how to set up the equipment, doesn't mean they have the right to send everyone home half-deaf!

This past weekend our duo played a local bar. First time at this location.

The PAS performed perfectly...again.
No feedback...again.
The sound filled the room just nicely...again.
People could hold a conversation if they wanted...again.
Lots of compliments on the sound...again.
No one leaving half deaf! Lots of compliments, etc. I doubt I'll ever tire of hearing those kinds of comments and compliments.

And I doubt I'll ever play live music again unless I'm playing through a PAS system.

- StuartD, March 28, 2006 -

full thread here