[kj] OT: Loud Shows

[T.B.]

Some surprising bands make my all time loudest shows:

Foreigner 1982 Long Beach Arena, CA
Had 1st row seats  at the very end of the right hand side directly in front 
of huge arena filling speakers. Wasn't into the band at all but since my 
buddy did have front row seats when the band was at their very peak of 
popularity during the "4" tour, I went to the show. However, the sound was 
so fucking loud where we were at and since our heads were turned to see the 
middle of the stage so our right ears faced the speakers, after about an 
hour we were in such pain, we had to leave.  On the way out, we gave our 
ticket stubs to two girls sulking in the lobby because they'd lost their 
tickets and couldn't get back to their nosebleed seats.

A very similar situation happened again a few years later for Bruce 
Springsteen at the LA Coliseum in '85 during his Born in the USA tour where 
I had front row again way off to the right side directly in front of about 4 
stories of stacked monitors.

Sound Barrier/Max Havok/Loudness 1985 at the Country Club in Reseda, CA
Probably the worst, most painful concert I've ever seen. They packed a full 
arena PA system into a 1000 person club (Country Club in Reseda, CA) for a 
showcase gig right after they released their first Engrish language album 
around '85 I think and it was excruciatingly loud.  It was kind of funny 
watching all these suit n' tie industry dorks stuffing pieces of napkins in 
their ears and leaving with tears in their eyes.  I know this particular 
show cost me a percentage of my hearing because in my line of work at the 
time (aircraft mechanic) I would get my hearing tested every 60 days and it 
dropped significantly the test after this show.

Motorhead/Wendy O' Williams 1985 or '86 (Orgasmatron tour) Santa Monica 
Civic, CA
This show was painful not just because it was louder n' hell, but because 
the venue was a big concrete box, sound bounced around and amplified the 
high frequencies making for a painfully ear ringing show.

Goldie/Jane's Addiction 1997 San Francisco, CA
Goldie's set was basically brain mashing rave music for about an hour 
straight.  It was so fucking loud we had to go hang out in one of the 
restrooms for most of his so-called set.

Bonus... Killing Joke 2003 LA, CA
Pretty fucking loud, especially Geordie's ringing, feedback drenched guitar 
that night but by Y2K, I think my hearing is so far gone that I can happily 
stand next to Lemmy's pa system and be lulled to sleep.

T.B.