Porcupine Tree blows my ears out last night

[Dave_G]

PT played here last night.

It was loud as hell, thank god I had earplugs. I took 'em out a few times.

This band is a hard rock band for sure. I wouldn't call it prog!

They played almost all of the last 2 studio recordings.

Steven Wilson is a skinnyy little guy but is in charge and can play guitar great, he was barefoot and hyper.

Very good band.

Dave

[richmon]

How was the crowd? This was their first time in Atlanta, wonder if there's enough support to make em come back.

I've seen PTree five times, in 2001, only 50 people showed up, but they played their arses off.
The next four times have been sellouts, fortunatly that means they include Philly on every tour - only problem is I've moved to Baltimore and they don't swing bye here.

The last two concerts have been plaugued by bad sound, both times it's been at this old burlesque theatre, so it could be the venue's fault. Maybe they use the house PA ?

Anywave, inquiring minds are wondering how the crowd and sound quality was.

[Troy]

I've heard more complaints about the sound with this band . . .

I thought they sounded fine in SF, but I'm half deaf anyway.

But I still say earplugs are for pussies. What's the point? May as well stay home then.

Glad you liked it Dave, though you seem a little subdued about it.

You're lucky Fripp didn't open.

[Dave_G]

Yes I wear earplugs because the noise hurts me ears! I'm a wuss anyhow so there!

Wink wink nudge nudge.

The crowd was great, very enthusiastic, I was suprised, maybe 300 or 400 people there, we all had to stand, I was 10' or less away from SW except when I went to get a rum and check the sound elsewhere.

The sound was way better towards the back. The bass, where I stood most of the time, was gawd awful. VROOM BOOM BOOM etc., not good.

Overall the sound q. was merely acceptable. You could barely hear the keyboards.

SW said they are coming back later this year w/ a different set of songs. This was basically all new stuff.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching him. He's unique.

Fired me up to see live stuff again. (missed Devo the other day, sob, boo hoo)

But to be honest this gig was no where as good as a Musical Box concert.

Dave

[-Jar-]

But I still say earplugs are for pussies. What's the point? May as well stay home then.

Well if I didn't use ear protection for all the shows I've been to I'd be deaf by now.

It's that high frequency guitar sound.. leaves your ears ringing for days.

I always used a wad of tissue. Lets enough sound through that I don't feel all trapped inside my head, yet it blocks out the high frequency stuff.

[C-Z]

Ask Pete Townshend about not wearing ear protection - no wait, you can't because he can't hear you.

I like my ears too much to subject them to 2-3 hours of contiuous damage. I take 'em out for songs I really like, or for more acoustic sections. I just don't think they need to turn it up to such numbing levels where you hear distortion more than the notes.

I remember an Edgar Winter concert in the 70s and it was so distorted that I did not even know they were playing Frankenstein until they got to the drum solo.

Dave - how's it going? I was hoping you would see PT in Atlanta. I look forward to their return trip to SD and a different set ot tunes for variety.

[ForeverAutumn]

Hey Dave, I'm glad you got to see that show. I missed them this time around, but I'm keeping my eyes open for a fall repeat.

I often think, as I'm standing in the midst of a very loud show, that I wish I'd brought ear plugs. I was suprised when I went to see The Shins, how many of the kids there were wearing plugs. And that show wasn't even loud.

The loudest show I've ever been to was The Tragically Hip at Massey Hall in Toronto. The venue is known for it's great accoustics. My ears rang for three days afterwards. No exaggeration.

[Troy]

Earplugs:

Ok, I remember back in the 70s seeing shows that were so loud as to be painfull. CZ's Edgar winter experience is familiar. I recall Ted Nugent being about the loudest concert I ever attended. The volume alone almost made me puke. I remember one Santana show for being brutally loud too. Of course, I had my head literally INSIDE the PA at an outdoor festival. Ears ringing for days was common, even for bands that were acoustic for large parts of the set like Jethro Tull.

But I tell ya, PT, they just weren't THAT loud, gang. It wasn't that bad. I haven't been to a concert in 20 years that was painfully loud the way those 70s shows were. Yeah, I know, maybe I'm not seeing the super loud bands anymore, but I think that it's just a trend that MOST bands have followed.

Most bands are much more conscious of the ramifications of extreme volume, especially in today's smoke free, always wear a helmet, ligitious, ultra PC environment. I see earplugs as just another example of the pussing out of America.

YMMV

[Dusty Chalk]

I haven't been to a concert in 20 years that was painfully loud the way those 70s shows were.

That's because you're deaf.

Most bands are much more conscious of the ramifications of extreme volume, especially in today's smoke free, always wear a helmet, ligitious, ultra PC environment.

Nope, you're wrong about that. Either that, or you live in California, because around here, the sound people are just as inept as they were back then.

I see earplugs as just another example of the pussing out of America.

Said in his best DeNiro NYr accent You talkin' to me?

[Finch Platte]

I see earplugs as just another example of the pussing out of America.

YMMV

You're weird.

fp

[C-Z]

You're right Troy, PT was nowhere near as loud as the 70s arena BS that rung my ears out. After a old Black Sabbath show in Chicago's Loop (Master of Reality tour), one of the elevated loop trains went by right above me and I did not even notice hearing it.

But I am a bit sensitive about my hearing because I like tunes so much, and I am actually attempting to make my living these days utilizing my ears and eyes, so I am probably a bit paranoid and overly careful.