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Joe Bonamassa Forum → Show Reviews and Set Lists → Audio/FOX Theater Tucson 2/22/2011
The show was Killer for both Joe and the band. My date, myself and another couple up close felt as though the sound system/volume overwhelmed the venue. Sorry Joe but turn down the volume on your next visit please. Couldn't hear/understand the lyrics. We will be getting tickets to see if you have!!
Great show otherwise!
BLUUUZ
How about stating your age? I am beginning to believe to many older folks are going to shows where their hearing loss (deny all you want, but it as very likely if over 30) affects their perception, real and imagined. I readily admit there are times, usually at the start of his shows (almost historically), where it can be trying to follow along, even knowing the material. I also cannot
hear all but the quietest portions of Bird On A Wire (EDIT: I could not at 2010 shows, heard it fine in San Diego and Las Vegas this week, sorry I slipped there, Warren 
) and being too close of late to the front, the other encore of the Just Got Paid medley lyrical portion...but I care not. DO NOT turn the volume down in most cases. The music is too exciting to be chamber music!
Rock ON & Keep the Faith,
Rocket
EDIT: I also need to qualify that in SAN DIEGO, ONLY, I could not hear the vocals on Just Got Paid, and the reason was I was RIGHT up against the stage filming sideways, and right directly in front of Carmine's new 8x12 Gallien-Krueger stack that packed tons of low end punch.....I will put that video up on YouTube and you'll see and agree that POSITION made it that way. REGARDLESS, it is awesome viewing and hearing the music in that video!
"
How about stating your age? I am beginning to believe to many older folks are going to shows where their hearing loss (deny all you want, but it as very likely if over 30) affects their perception, real and imagined. I readily admit there are times, usually at the start of his shows (almost historically), where it can be trying to follow along, even knowing the material. I also cannot hear all but the quietest portions of Bird On A Wire and being too close of late to the front, the other encore of the Just Got Paid medley lyrical portion...but I care not. DO NOT turn the volume down in most cases. The music is too exciting to be chamber music!
Rock ON & Keep the Faith,
Rocket
Tell em' Rocket. Keep the volume up!!! If anyone saw The Black Keys last weekend in Vegas, you'll appreciate the meaning of loud!! There are always ear plugs for those that cant handle it. As long as the music isn't distorted, Bring on the volume!!!
Doug
After two surfer's ear surgeries with grafts for ear drums, and flight deck service next to jet fighters for 2 years, I have significant hearing loss. TURN IT UP JOE! 
Rick
I was at the Tucson show. We made a high speed run from Phoenix and were back at work the next day. This was my first time one of Joe's shows. I did see him at the 2010 Crossroads in Chicago. I have seen a LOT of other artists, but I have to say that I may have seen a better individual performance, but if I did, I do not remember it. Joe came out and HAMMERED it for over 2 hours! Being an older Who fan, I particularly liked the
Too loud is too loud... to the individual...why should anyone have to walk out out of a venue with their ears ringing for the next 8 hrs? It may not be a Joe show specificlly but many a band through the years would freely admitt they had the music louder then necessary for the enjoyment of the masses.
I've been attending rock, jazz and blues shows for 38 years and do not doubt that I have lost some hearing (my wife says I have lost ALOT of hearing...selectively) but loud is loud - it becomes a personal thing. Take Hampton Beach last fall, granted we were 4 feet from the stage but the second Joe cranked it I commented to myself "Why so loud?"
I have musical friends with 30% of their hearing - sad. But it is like other bad habits - they knew what they doing to their ears over the decades and now are paying for it.
I readily admitt I bring ear plugs to every show- you never know! I usually try to stay away from them but I will use them. I want to hear Joe till I am a geezer!
bottom line...subjective subject!
If it's too loud, isn't that what earplugs are for? It should be understood that these types of concerts are going to be loud.
I go to drag races once in awhile. They are loud and I know it. Take the earplugs with me to dampen the sound and protect the ears.
FYI you can get ear plugs that reduce the dB level across the frequency spectrum more evenly than just foam or wax plugs - so you don't distort the music by cutting out more of the highs than the lows. For example
http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er20.html
I have several pairs of these; they're not that expensive, and work well.
I have never used ear plugs, but they are a good idea. I do remember a AC/DC gig many years ago at the Marquee..... my ears were ringing for many hours after..... but i'd also seen a gig of a lifetime. Would i wear ear plugs in the future.... it does make sense! 
I've been going to concerts for nearly 35 years now and I've seen more bands than I can remember. Joe's shows are NOT what I'd call loud by any measure.
If anything it's a bit underwhelming volume wise. The good thing about that is that you can hear everything. It's not a distorted mess.
If you are sitting right up front of course it's going to be fairly loud, especially in front of the PA collums. If it weren't, the people in the back or upstairs would all be bitching that it needs to be turned up. You've gotta fill the room and I think in the Joe shows I've seen that is what they are doing.
I don't know if age comes into play or not. I am one of the younger amongst those I've seen at the shows. I do remember a post by someone saying that their husband was unnerved by the show opening Iron Maiden's 2 minutes to midnight. Reading this I had to wonder what generation he grew up in??
As someone else stated too loud is too loud if that is one's perception. I'm just thinking that you haven't been to too many rock concerts if you think that Joe Bonamassa is loud. Just this young guy's opinion
I was 6th row Center for the Tuscon show the only part was loud and odd was the Dio Intro 2 minutes to midnight. I thought the show and the sound was great. I did put cotton in my ears but I do that at any show that I go to now just because I want to keep my hearing for as long as I can. Playing guitar for 20+ years has taken a toll on the ear drums. But honestly the show wasn't the loudest I have ever been to. I thought the sound was very good.
I was 6th row Center for the Tuscon show the only part was loud and odd was the Dio Intro 2 minutes to midnight. I thought the show and the sound was great. I did put cotton in my ears but I do that at any show that I go to now just because I want to keep my hearing for as long as I can. Playing guitar for 20+ years has taken a toll on the ear drums. But honestly the show wasn't the loudest I have ever been to. I thought the sound was very good.
Joe's intro is Iron Maiden and not the late great Ronnie James Dio. The voice you heard was Bruce Dickinson. No biggie, just setting the record straight
I almost always take earplugs to concerts nowadays. As a concert photographer, I'm frequently right at the front of the stage, and over the course of lots of gigs it DOES damage your hearing. I do have the decibel reducing earplugs, which reduce the volume across the tonal range (not a lot, but enough to make the sound comfortable) and it actually improves my enjoyment of a show. In fact I find it easier, wearing earplugs, to detect if the singer is in key, or the guitarist plays a bum note etc (not that Joe ever has a problem with either of those), because my ears aren't overwhelmed by volume.
I don't think Joe's concerts are particularly loud - certainly I've heard a LOT louder. However, ironically one occasion where I did have a problem with the volume of Joe's guitar was at the Royal Albert Hall show. The sound there is notoriously patchy, and in my particular seat (way up at the back) it was so loud it physically hurt my ears. And it was one of the few occasions when I didn't bring my plugs 
Marty
Loud is certainly site specific. A recent show here at San Diego House of Blues with Grace Potter left us with ringing ears for a day! I recall Foghat in a stadium venue with 10 KW of amps and a 30 foot wall of cabs. That defined LOUD!
Rick
Big E wrote:I was 6th row Center for the Tuscon show the only part was loud and odd was the Dio Intro 2 minutes to midnight. I thought the show and the sound was great. I did put cotton in my ears but I do that at any show that I go to now just because I want to keep my hearing for as long as I can. Playing guitar for 20+ years has taken a toll on the ear drums. But honestly the show wasn't the loudest I have ever been to. I thought the sound was very good.
Joe's intro is Iron Maiden and not the late great Ronnie James Dio. The voice you heard was Bruce Dickinson. No biggie, just setting the record straight
Forgive him, for he knew not whom he heard, it was the cotton in his ears that protected, yet infected his detection of the true perception of the singer's imutable voice!
Just kidding around Big E! And if you did NOT have the cotton in your ears yet.....that explains whynyou weren't hearing what you thought you were- you hearing is actually improved with the attenuation (this can be an actual fact for some)!
Rock ON & Keep the Faith,
Rocket
"Forever Young wrote:Big E wrote:I was 6th row Center for the Tuscon show the only part was loud and odd was the Dio Intro 2 minutes to midnight. I thought the show and the sound was great. I did put cotton in my ears but I do that at any show that I go to now just because I want to keep my hearing for as long as I can. Playing guitar for 20+ years has taken a toll on the ear drums. But honestly the show wasn't the loudest I have ever been to. I thought the sound was very good.
Joe's intro is Iron Maiden and not the late great Ronnie James Dio. The voice you heard was Bruce Dickinson. No biggie, just setting the record straight
Forgive him, for he knew not whom he heard, it was the cotton in his ears that protected, yet infected his detection of the true perception of the singer's imutable voice!
Just kidding around Big E! And if you did NOT have the cotton in your ears yet.....that explains whynyou weren't hearing what you thought you were- you hearing is actually improved with the attenuation (this can be an actual fact for some)!Rock ON & Keep the Faith,
Rocket
Nothing to forgive at all. Twas an honest mistake is all
You guys are funny, I should hang out on this side of the board more often,! HA I usually stick to the gear page.
Yea I always mix up Dio and Iron Maiden. I am going to post a review on my blog about the show this weekend with pics from the Meet and greet before hand as well. I didn't have cotton in my ears for that! HA
My full review of the show here
http://www.customshopmusic.com/reviews/ … and-greet/
Joe Bonamassa Forum → Show Reviews and Set Lists → Audio/FOX Theater Tucson 2/22/2011
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