Rant: Loud Bars - Page 2

one of the main reasons i hardly ever go to bars and clubs any more.

Wether it be a bar or a concert, whatever, loud volume will just sucks all fun out of being there.

It ain't loud until you feel yours boys shakin'.

I also hate loud bars - I don't really see the point of having music blasted in my ears when I'm trying to hang out with friends. For the OP - you should try Brickskeller in DC, it's one of my favorite bars. Incredible beer selection, lots of seating, and it's very quiet. Only drawbacks are it smells a little funky and the service can be laughably bad at times. But you can't have it all .

I've learned to tolerate and accept the existence of loud bars. What bugs me is if that bar/pub has an attached restaurant and that section also gets the super loud music. There are a few bars in my area with great food, and what would otherwise have been a great atmosphere to have a quick meal with my friends. Except that the music plays so loud you can barely hear yourself talk.

That sucks. I stopped going to bars I like with "HardRock" because I thought that I might be developing a "selective hearing disorder" as everyone else seemed to be able to converse, but I couldn't filter out the background noise enough to communicate with anyone. But your event was supposedly to facilitate communication? Really sucks.

That's another solution.

I can see changes coming in the more "litigious" countries

This a huge problem. Between the dB levels at even neighborhood bars and the levels at which people listen to portable audio, we are looking at a massive epidemic of hearing-impaired 30 and 40-year-olds within the next decade.

The abuse of portable audio is the responsibility of the user, in my opinion, but the insane levels at many bars are the fault of the folks managing the venues. I live in a neighborhood full of bars, lounges and clubs, and there are times when I will bounce through four or five of them before I find one where the sound doesn't rattle my brain around in my skull.

I agree that part of the problem is that volume = drink sales, but there are other factors as well. If the bar is singles/dating oriented, people ironically welcome an excuse not to have good conversation. Better to shout cliches at each other ("Oh! I LOOOVE this band." "Yeah, me too!!") than to have to come up with something intelligent to say. They're too nervous, and it's too much work, anyway. So bars that want the affluent, young singles crowd typically keep the music just below the threshold-of-pain level.

Another problem is the ongoing arms race in audio fire-power. When I was younger, most places would have either just a juke, or a modest sound system that simply couldn't shake the walls. Now it seems that every bar I walk into has a formidable rack of equipment, prominently featuring a stack of power amps with enough juice to drive a stadium PA. Worse yet, in most cases the bartender or a manager is in charge of the volume control, with no preset limit on how loud things can get. As the place gets crowded, the din of conversation starts to compete with the music, so the volume gets bumped. So people talk (scream) louder. So the volume gets bumped. So people talk (scream) louder...and so on.

It's amusing to me that I am writing this, since I love loud music, in its place and in moderation. But as I have gotten older, and my tinnitus has gotten louder, I have become less and less willing to have my hearing damaged in silly bars and clubs where I don't even like the music.

One final thought, that I haven't seen expressed yet in this thread:


EAR PLUGS

Any chain pharmacy should have a section in the ear-care aisle with a selection of earplugs. Choose a pair that offer significant attenuation (the attenuation value should be plainly printed on the packaging.) A good set of plugs should set you back no more than $10 or so. Then carry them with you, and use them!! If you are worried about hearing the music or the conversation around you, seek out plugs designed for musicians, that attenuate sound evenly across the freq spectrum, allowing you to hear what is going on without sacrificing your ears.

Thats when you start to order beers and pour them on the floor/in sinks. Just to make a point. I just called a party foul on myself in my head. lol.

Quote:
Originally Posted by St3ve:
It is irritating if you are staff too, particularly in night clubs. Nowadays you are offered earplugs. Which is all well and good, but then you can't hear what is being said by customers. I worked behind the bar in a nightclub as a student and I would leave work with my ears ringing.

Obviously you missed St3ve's post, or my quoting him, before you posted.

I'm chuckling to myself that you would be so censorious as to point that out. Actually, I read the entire thread, carefully. The reference in the previous post was to plugs offered to staff at the venues. My suggestion was that patrons of the venue should bring their own plugs, for their own protection.

I totally agree. Loud bars suck. I don't really understand how people really enjoy these disaster zones. I mean, is this supposed to be fun? But yes, there are people out there who find this kind of garbage to be entertaining. But I suppose if you are 21 or 18 (depending on your country) and can legally drink, any bar will be fun.

This is what I do: I usually avoid these bars and go to the more upscale bars like the bars you would find in the 4 star hotels or at the high end restaurants. Usually, the crowd is older, mellower and better quality drinks. Plus, the music thats played is more suited for me like jazz type of stuff. The disadvantage though is that the drinks tend to be more expensive but I go less often. Also I totally avoid bars on Saturday nights which is the worst service usually. Have a nice bottle of wine at home instead with some fine cheese and grasshoppers.

I agree. If I feel like drinking in a public place I usually go to a restaurant that has a bar. Much more enjoyable...

Well I don't know about bars, but I rarely go to a concert where the volume is tolerable. I always bring earplugs.
I personally think that there should be better laws about audio levels, because at some point it's disruptive and is dangerous to your hearing.

I don't think anyone has mentioned frat parties. They have the exact same noise problem as bars. When I was a freshman, I went to frats on the weekends thinking it would be a good place to socialize, drink beer, and meet some people. Nope. I remember the first party I went to. I walked in and I was blown away by the noise. I couldn't believe people were listening to music that loud. And as for the socializing, well, unless you count rubbing up against each other, no social interaction could happen because of the noise. DrBenway is right, the high volumes degrade the conversation to what can be shouted to a person standing right next to you.

Needless to say, I don't go to frats anymore, and have had no interest in going to bars since turning 21.

It was just the way you blew up the font, in all caps, in bold italics, on a line by itself, that seemed to point out that you missed that "one final thought, EARPLUGS!"

But that's a good point about patrons bringing their own, and the fact that bar management aren't the only ones that have access to drug stores and can pick up a pair, lol.

But you gave me an idea, Doc. Now I know what to do with those clear silicone custom Etyomic tips that I'm not really using these days; maybe it's time to get back into the swing of things downtown, so thanks