I've been thinking a lot about how live music and especially live electric music is plagued by bad sound mixing. To the point where the music that was intended is so far removed from what is blasting through the speakers, that what could be a fun night just turns into a torture chamber for deafness. People enter a room and together watch their dreams of a good show die along with their hearing. Until people get a clue, which i'm guessing will never happen, shows will get bigger and badder. It will be videos and downloads that will be the way to enjoy music, not to suffer at the hands of sound engineers. It's possible venues have figured out that if they make the music so loud that people can't hear themselves talk or think, that they'll buy more beer and make more money. And it might be word from the office telling the soundperson to ruin the show, on purpose.

Every band should have their own sound person. Even if it's someone to set the final levels and oversee that the show isn't a total waste of everyone's time given that the volume doesn't permit the music to be heard right.

If I see another stack of PA's shaped like a dinosaur's spine up in front of a live stage....anyway, it's a bad sign when you see more that two PA's gracing the sides of the stage.

It's one thing when the band chooses to set their amps loud to make a certain sound or play with feedback. it's quite another when it's processed through an even bigger sound system ( almost always unnecessary) and EQ'ed beyond all recognition. What once maybe sounded 70's and heavy, might come out sounding late 80's or worse still- current.

I think, now that I've seen David Bowie and Iggy Pop perform, I'm good. I don't need to go back to hall of darkness and have my sense of hearing stripped from me.