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In terms of a major arena or concert hall, probably Deep Purple on the "Burn" tour. I saw Zep in 1970 and they weren't even close volume wise. In fact, the level was quite comfortable. Aerosmith was loud, but sounded terrible. I've never seen Metallica, Motley Crue, G&R or any of the other 80's metal bands live, so I can't comment.

In any venue, though, it would have to be The Ramones. I saw them at a dinky little place in E Lansing, MI call Dooley's in 1977. They played solid with no let up for 1-1/2 hours and by the end the volume was deafening. Seriously, my ears didn't stop ringing for 3 days after. I considered going to a doctor because I thought I had permanent damage like Pete Townsend.

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The loudest and the worst concert I've been to....KISS...Gardens Auditorium 74. This is a very small venue and they were cranked up as if they were playing the Coliseum. When my kids were younger , I took them to many a thrash metal show and none of them were anywhere near as loud as that

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In terms of a major arena or concert hall, probably Deep Purple on the "Burn" tour. I saw Zep in 1970 and they weren't even close volume wise. In fact, the level was quite comfortable. Aerosmith was loud, but sounded terrible. I've never seen Metallica, Motley Crue, G&R or any of the other 80's metal bands live, so I can't comment.

In any venue, though, it would have to be The Ramones. I saw them at a dinky little place in E Lansing, MI call Dooley's in 1977. They played solid with no let up for 1-1/2 hours and by the end the volume was deafening. Seriously, my ears didn't stop ringing for 3 days after. I considered going to a doctor because I thought I had permanent damage like Pete Townsend.

I agree with you about Deep Purple - they, along with the Keith Moon era Who were probably the loudest bands I had seen live in large venues. For smaller venues, I think that, at least in my experience, Black Flag and the Buzzcocks played at a volume that was more deafening than the Ramones. My husband and I have suffered some damage to our hearing and we blame it on our concert-going years and our propensity to stand too close to the stage. There were many times that we left a show and, like you, our ears would ring for days afterwards.

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I considered going to a doctor because I thought I had permanent damage like Pete Townsend.

You really don't need a doctor for that. Probably just a secure location for certain media would protect you.

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I remember the 'Heavy Metal Holocaust' (awful title) at Port Vale in 1981 was very loud - I'm sure it broke some UK record or something. Motorhead headlined over Ozzy (with Randy Rhoads), Triumph, Mahogany Rush, Vardis & Riot. There was a bloody riot when the punters realised no alcohol was on sale. The following year I saw Motorhead again indoors and my poor ears were ringing for days afterwards.

Fast forward to December 2007 - I was pleasantly suprised by how loud the Zeppelin O2 gig was - the sonic power really doesn't come across on the DVD; they were brutal.

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Green Day in 1996. After the dust settled from the Dookie explosion they went back to playing small theaters for a minute but continued to use a stage full of stadium sized gear. I kid you not their back line was so freakin' huge there wasn't 10 feet of stage left for them to stand on. It was so loud I could see my shirt move as the sound waves passed me.

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I remember the 'Heavy Metal Holocaust' (awful title) at Port Vale in 1981 was very loud - I'm sure it broke some UK record or something. Motorhead headlined over Ozzy (with Randy Rhoads), Triumph, Mahogany Rush, Vardis & Riot. There was a bloody riot when the punters realised no alcohol was on sale. The following year I saw Motorhead again indoors and my poor ears were ringing for days afterwards.

Fast forward to December 2007 - I was pleasantly suprised by how loud the Zeppelin O2 gig was - the sonic power really doesn't come across on the DVD; they were brutal.

Glad to hear you say that, haven't heard it described like that before. I would have been pleasantly surprised too (if I had gone) because "the louder, the better" for me. Getting blown off your feet, or out of your seat, is half the fun of rock concerts. And I can say that because I haven't attended enough to go deaf LOL.

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My Top 5 Loudest Concerts/Bands are:

1. MY BLOODY VALENTINE @ the Roxy, Hollywood Feb. 2, 1992

Easily the LOUDEST show I've experienced...it wasn't even close; the

other shows were all plenty loud, but it was only at this show where I

literally feared for my health...during the last song, a 25 minute "You Made

Me Realize" complete with a sheer wall of feedback break in the middle, I

thought my ears were gonna bleed. The sound was literally a PHYSICAL force

punching you in the gut and frying your brain...IMMENSE...BEAUTIFUL...a sound unlike

any other I have ever heard in my life. I can only hope they are just as loud

on their comeback tour later this year.

2. DEEP PURPLE @ Long Beach Arena April 15, 1973

3. MOTORHEAD @ Hammersmith Odeon, London March 28, 1982

4. THE WHO @ LA Forum Nov. 22 & 23, 1973 and Anaheim Stadium March 21, 1976

5. RAMONES @ the Roxy, Hollywood Aug. 12, 1976

Next on the list would be any of the Led Zeppelin shows I saw...especially the

1973 and 1975 tours, as there was no acoustic set to give you a break.

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Speaking strictly in terms of decibels I would have to say Page/Plant at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh on July 1st 1998. It seemed to me Jimmy's dial was set to 11 on a 10 scale and

he delivered one massive monster riff after another. 20,000 people were decapitated that night. It was absolutely awesome.

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In terms of a major arena or concert hall, probably Deep Purple on the "Burn" tour. I saw Zep in 1970 and they weren't even close volume wise. In fact, the level was quite comfortable. Aerosmith was loud, but sounded terrible. I've never seen Metallica, Motley Crue, G&R or any of the other 80's metal bands live, so I can't comment.

In any venue, though, it would have to be The Ramones. I saw them at a dinky little place in E Lansing, MI call Dooley's in 1977. They played solid with no let up for 1-1/2 hours and by the end the volume was deafening. Seriously, my ears didn't stop ringing for 3 days after. I considered going to a doctor because I thought I had permanent damage like Pete Townsend.

My brother saw Zeppelin in 1970, and Deep Purple in 1972, and he has always told me the exact same things. Zeppelin sounded great, not too loud; Purple used a small sound system, cranked everything way up and sounded like shit.

I think the loudest band I've ever heard was an Icelandic one, in fact. HAM (1988-1994). When you entered the venue it was like bumping into a fucking wall. Jesus, they were loud. :lol:

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Deep Purple in .....'83? '84? Shit, I don't know, but it melted my brain and I was going "What! What?" for days. Saw Green Day a couple of years ago and didn't think it was as loud. Saw Tool and thought small animals were running by my legs but it turned out my jeans were vibrating.

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The Black Crowes- Thibideaux Civic Center

AC/DC- U.N.O. Lakefront Arena

Ted Nugent- Riverside Centroplex Baton Rouge

My ears felt like they had cotton in them for ten hours

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Some of the louder shows i've been to:

Scorpions - probably the loudest I remember. they set some record back in the eighties for the loudest concert going.

Yngvie Malmsteen - ears rang for days. I was worried i would not come around.

Alice Cooper with Kane Roberts in 1987. Oh my God. Kane is incredible. I was very close to the stage. Other shows were probably louder, but since I was right in front of the speakers.....

The zep reunion show was extremely loud also. but still not loud enough.

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Slash's Snakepit was louder than AC/DC, who they were opening for.

Velvet Revolver was loud as hell, but I was right up front.

Slash has gotta be losing his hearing.

Tool shows have always seemed like a good volume, but my head always rings after their shows. Lotsa earth shakin drums and riffs, I suppose.

The Mars Volta is pretty loud, too.

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