Blow your head off!

[Strider]

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 can concur with your brother's statements, Otto.

Zeppelin were loud, but never PAINFULLY so, although Bonzo made sure you felt him in

your gut...but Purple in 73 were brutal.

What made Zeppelin unique to me, and still does to this day, is how their drums

sounded in concert...most concerts you go to and the drums are just a booming

presence with no real tone or crispness. You might hear a snare hit or cymbal

crash cleanly now and then, but the bottom end is usually a sludgy mess, especially

if it's one of those speed-metal bands with a drummer with two kick-drums.

Bonzo was a different story, which makes sense as it was Zeppelin's drum sound

on their studio records that immediately set them apart from the pack when they

first arrived...I don't know if it was the way they mic'd his drums or the way Bonzo

tuned them or just some magic alchemy of the band...but you HEARD the drums at

a Zeppelin concert better than at any other rock concert of the time. Bonzo had a

snare sound like no other and you could always tell when he was hitting the floor

toms or the rack tom or the bass drum...it was loud, but a well-defined loud, with

crispness and clarity.

Anyway, just to ammend my top 5 from above...the next 5 loudest bands I've seen

would be:

Earth

Sunn O)))

Acid Mothers Temple

Mars Volta

Manowar

[alwizard03]

I saw Deep Purple in NY in '73 too. I think our paths must have crossed more than a couple of times at concerts in '73.

Proably so

[Jarlaxle 56]

Surprisingly enough, Robert Plant and The Strange sensation, even though I've seen metal acts play in smaller venues, I wasn't half deaf after any other concerts. Maybe it's just a sign that my tolerance has increased? Since RP was my first ever concert....

[The Rover]

Zeppelin was probably the loudest. I rmember the "77 tour loudness best becasue that was the last tour I got see them perform.

Loudness is good in that the people in the back of the hall get socked.

But Loudness just for the sake of loudness is no big deal to me.

I always put tissue paper in my ears to adjust for loudness.

But I avoid sitting near the speaker arrays, anyways.

[Gainsbarre]

loudest gig I ever went to was Electric 6 at The Zoo, in Brisbane, it was so loud that, without ear plugs, the sound was distorting in my ears. Their front of house mix was really shit too

[eternal light]

THE WHO @ Anaheim Stadium March 21, 1976

Slash's Snakepit

Those were rather loud ones. Fortunately Anaheim Stadium is outdoors so the sound has more room to reverberate, but Slash's Snakepit was indoors with pulverizing decibels.

[GAC64]

Metallic & Ozzy at ~ Long Beach Sports Arena.

Deep Purple also at Long Beach. Both in the mid 80's

[chef free]

Mahogany Rush, 1978, 3/4 full Winterland with all male audience, plaster falling from the ceiling, three encores and WAY TOO LOUD!!!

My ears rang for three days, I could not beleive it when I woke up on the third morning!

[The Bomber]

Preston Reed,not the loudest gig i've ever been to but it was ONE DUDE up on stage for two hours with just an acoustic guitar and a tTINY amp but it was powerful and it was a small venue so it caught me off guard.

Have a listen to Preston:http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=356ViUx1Ktc

He wasn't the loudest,but he felt like it,he plays drums,two lead guitars,rhythm guitar,bass and keyboards all at once on his guitar!The effect is amazing and fries your brain from amazement and volume.

The Thin Lizzy reunion gig didn't feel loud,but my shit came out liquidated for two days after.

[jimmie ray]

most concerts you go to and the drums are just a booming

presence with no real tone or crispness.

That's for sure! I really have no feeling of anticipation of what the drummer is going to do at most shows, or care for any soloing, however short. The group I enjoy the most has no drummer during most of their sets, although they have a decades long reputation as one of the loudest bands. I would have loved to hear Bonzo live, though - that's something to anticipate, greatly...

[Rorer714]

When I saw Jimmy and The Crows I was in the 12th row in front of the stacks on the left side of the stage in Raleigh.Those three guitars blew my head off,I swear that my ears were bleeding Awesome show though!!!

[Babs]

Saxon at the NewYork Theatre in Vancouver 1984? ish

[ally]

Saxon at the NewYork Theatre in Vancouver 1984? ish

Whoa !!! That must have been ear bursting in that venue

[danelectro59]

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.

That reminds me. About 5 years ago I went to a concert that featured about 10 bands, Good Charlotte, The Vines, Billy Corgan's other group (can't remember the name) and a few others.

The group that blew me away, literally, was The Used. They were freakin' loud and, like you, my pants were moving like i was in a wind tunnel. It was a strange feeling.

[Zepaholic]

Johnny Winter and Roy Buchanan. Roy in a 800 seat venue and Johnny in an arena. We're talking permanent damage here...

[Footsteps of Dawn]

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.

Holy crap, that had to have hurt! Speaking of Green Day, when I saw them they were really loud, but who was even louder was the opening band, The Living End. Their bassist had an acoustic bass, and holy sheeit - the bass was so loud and deep that my chest was actually hurting from the vibration. It was at an outdoor amphitheater, but I was right up next to the stage, so that didn't help. Some of us whiny girls were begging them to turn it down.

Godsmack was super loud, too. My friend and I were shouting at each other after the show got out. We turned up the radio to what we thought was a normal level, and then we stopped to get something to eat. When we got back in the truck, the radio sounded like it was blasting because we'd regained some of our hearing. Yikes.

[Hotplant]

What was that?

It's hard to say, since so many were ear bursting. But I do believe Pink Floyd may have forever changed my hearing. The first time I saw them, my ears were ringing for days. The second time I dropped a hit of LSD25 and was stoned for two days, and actually my hearing was like amplified the next day, I could hear crumbs dropping on the floor from my gf's kitchen, we were in the basement.

Whoa, what a night!

[Ady]

KISS - Wembly Arena, 1999

My ears were still ringing three days later.

[bigstickbonzo]

Slash's Snakepit, 2000.

So loud, I couldn't distinguish many of their songs from one another. We booed the singer outta the Spectrum that night, he wasn't too thrilled with the crowd in Philly anyway. I felt bad for Slash, but his tone was terrible. Afterwards, I asked my friend if they had played any GnR and he said they had just played Mr. Brownstone. I didn't even notice because it was that loud.

Thank Christ AC/DC came on and saved the evening, although they are arguably the loudest I've ever seen, but fuckin' kick ass live.

[JethroTull]

Around 1998 The Dictators played a show at Coney Island High in NYC. (It's a bar, not a high school) They hadn't played a show in a while and it was a bit of a coming out party. It was my first 'tators show since 1986. They might not have necessarily been the loudest, but I positioned myself directly in front of Ross the Boss. I really thought I did permanent hearing damage. Won't do that again unless I am wearing ear plugs. Shit were they good, including a cover of a song by The Blues Magoos the name of which escapes me. Another cover, Sonic Reducer by The Dead Boys.

[JethroTull]

I swear, not only am I a douche bag, but I am king of the thread killers.

[Suz]

I swear, not only am I a douche bag, but I am king of the thread killers.

If you're the king, I'm the queen

[JethroTull]

If you're the king, I'm the queen

Thanks. It's just something I've noticed and it bothers me. I think I tend to rub chat board users the wrong way. Either I come across as a know it all, people don't get my sense of humor or maybe it's my jethro tull name. I haven't been here a lot lately due to home computer issues and VERY busy at work and I've considered just bailing out. Let's ask Evster2012, he always ignores me.

[Suz]

Thanks. It's just something I've noticed and it bothers me. I think I tend to rub chat board users the wrong way. Either I come across as a know it all, people don't get my sense of humor

Let's ask Evster2012, he always ignores me.

ME, TOO! Except it doesn't bother me.

[Angel With A Broken Wing]

What was that?

It's hard to say, since so many were ear bursting. But I do believe Pink Floyd may have forever changed my hearing. The first time I saw them, my ears were ringing for days. The second time I dropped a hit of LSD25 and was stoned for two days, and actually my hearing was like amplified the next day, I could hear crumbs dropping on the floor from my gf's kitchen, we were in the basement.

Whoa, what a night!

Hotplant, I would have so loved hanging with you back in the day, I think we could have been good friends. Well we still can. Give me a call if you ever come to seattle!

Thanks. It's just something I've noticed and it bothers me. I think I tend to rub chat board users the wrong way. Either I come across as a know it all, people don't get my sense of humor or maybe it's my jethro tull name. I haven't been here a lot lately due to home computer issues and VERY busy at work and I've considered just bailing out. Let's ask Evster2012, he always ignores me.

I know what you mean Jethro, I feel ignored sometimes too. But when I stop to analyze it I don't take it personal because it seems the majority of posts are one-sided comments, know what I mean? It's mostly the flamers or the ones with really strong personalities (either way, good or bad) who get the most attention. It's that way with all Message Boards not just this one. And in life too, for sure. I'm the middle child of 5 so am comfortable (and usually prefer) being ignored. So where do you fit in the birth order? Only child? eldest? youngest? It might be tougher for you. But hang in there, I enjoy your posts.