[kj] OT: Loud Shows

[Robert Cashour]

-----Original Message-----

>From: Leigh Newton <angrytomhanks at yahoo.com>

>Sent: Jun 9, 2007 12:08 AM

>To: "A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!)" <gathering at misera.net>

>Subject: Re: [kj] OT: Attn Skinny Puppy Fans

>

>It stands to reason that the loudest shows you've seen were all electronic in some way. You can just push and push the levels and still have them sounding clean. I remember the show I saw on the last Skinny Puppy tour as being pretty damn fucking loud. One of the loudest I've ever seen. The Melvins show I saw in 2000 was probably the loudest rock show I've ever seen. I saw them a few weeks ago at the Festival du Musique Actuel in Victoriaville, Quebec but they didn't really push the volume to the limits that time. It was still mindblowing, nonetheless.

>

>Leigh

>

I worked at a small nightclub near Washington, D.C. and I worked with a guy who mixed for The Melvins. When he was at our club, he was mixing for Shine who then became Spirit Caravan--real doom metal stuff (the guitar player Wino was in Saint Vitus and appears on the Probot sideproject of Dave Grohl). Chris was always pushing the P.A. system to the maximum and he wanted more. The bass player started to bring TWO Ampeg SVT cabinets which he would stack on top of each other sideways!

But that didn't come anywhere near touching Napalm Death who I rented sidefills and a drumfill for (all refrigerator sized). It was so loud, I was shouting at the techs at the end of the show because I was so deaf. Needless to say, I don't miss the death metal scene at all. 

The lighting guy for Spirit Caravan was the head lighting guy at the 9:30 Club, and he told me that the Meat Beat Manifesto/Prodigy show was the loudest show they've ever had as they were using every cabinet. I was at that show, but I don't remember it being painful. I was frightened to see Curve (again--9:30 Club) as the song "Superblaster" is about them wanting to be the loudest band on earth, but again, not so bad.

I think Godflesh not being able to get into the states on the Skinny Puppy "Last Rights" tour was probably a blessing, as they had quite a reputation for volume and feedback. And it's probably a good thing I've never seen The Jesus & Mary Chain or My Bloody Valentine back in the day as they had reputations too.

Most regulated, best sounding, and overall mindblowing show in my opinion (again 9:30 Club)? Bauhaus on the Resurrection Tour.