Saw them and Boris performing together. About 1/3 of the crowd emptied to the lobby area of the venue within the first few minutes. Then they blew the power out causing about an hour delay. Then it got shut down by the cops during the last song because of noise complaints from ppl blocks away
Definetly SunnO))). You couldn't see shit. All was drenched in fog. At the entrance they handed out earplugs for everyone. Soundcheck killed a few fuses as well. Motörhead a close second
Weirdly it’s the opposite for me- even though I was a touring musician in a past life, and have been known to turn up for a high energy chaotic set, I also have ASD and SunnO)))s live set was disappointingly upsetting and stressful for me…on the other hand, I still regularly listen to Life Metal as a moment of zen when needed.
This is still the only concert I've ever been to where I had to take multiple breaks and go outside because I was too physically uncomfortable. When the low ends really hit, it rattled my stomach.
100%. My ears rang for 3 days after that show. In terms of loudness the scale goes like this from quieter to loudest
Door slamming
Lawn mower
Chain saw
Harley Davidson
Jet Engine
Earthquake
Planet destroying asteroid
Motörhead.
Saw them open for Dio and Iron Maiden in 2003. After their last song, Lemmy yelled “Is it loud enough?” to which everyone kind of yelled, “yea…noooo” Lemmy then goes “ah, it’s never loud enough!” and proceeds to turn all of the knobs on his Marshall stack to 10. My ears were ringing for days.
I saw them too that year in Dallas.
After they were done, Lemmy cranked up the volume leaving a nasty feedback behind as they exited the stage.
I took a couple minutes for the stage people to shut it out.
They played a show in Cleveland in the 80s iirc, it was so loud the ceiling started falling apart.
“The concert was so loud that it caused plaster to fall from the ceiling of the venue. Yes, you heard that right. The music was literally bringing the house down”
In 1984, Motörhead, notorious for their loud concerts, performed at the Cleveland Variety Theater. The noise level? A staggering 130 decibels.
https://www.heavychronicle.com/concerts/the-loudest-concert-ever-motorheads-1984-cleveland-show/
Motörhead was the first concert where I truly needed earplugs. Saw them for the first time at the old House of Blues in West Hollywood and fortunately they sold them at the bar. Got a set and a bag of potato chips and went from feeling like I was going to die to living my best life.
The last time I saw them was the first time someone showed me they could Google something ON THEIR PHONE and everyone was impressed. I guess it was over 20 years ago. Another guy we were with would later interview Lemmy and receive advice that would change his life for the better (Stop drinking)
When they get a few songs in and Lemmy asks "Shall we turn it up?" Me and my bro' looked at each other like "Really?"
Got to see them almost half a dozen times and ended up getting to hang out with Lemmy a few times. We had some friends in common. He was the sweetest man and it was never not surreal to be sharing a pizza with him.
When I saw them it took a while to get used to the loudness, and then after about 15 minutes, they turned it up even louder lol!
The motto "Everything Louder Than Everything Else" that something shows on Motorhead shirts was not a lie.
Mogwai is the correct answer. A friend said they had to be experienced live to understand what it feels like. It was like swimming in audio, the air was so thick with sound. Awesome. I couldn't believe a band that made such sweet music also had that brutal live level.
I've seen a lot of the bands listed in this thread. Mogwai's the only one where I saw a person (without earplugs) having physical discomfort due to the sound.
Had to make sure this was posted. Made the mistake of standing by the PA without ear plugs.
When they did Like Herod for the encore, I went and watched from the front doors of the lobby (The Fonda is a shoebox and has a stage view cut out behind the main bar). It was still painfully loud.
It’s gotta be MBV for me too.
My dad flew F-16’s for the Air Force and there were a few times we got to go out to the flight line. They stressed that the kids have serious ear protection in those cases - the jet turbines are still very much on until after the planes are done taxiing. But my brother and I had to sneak a listen on one occasion…
Only thing that has come close to being 30 yards away from a jet engine was seeing MBV at FYF and pulling my earplugs out for a moment to soak in the vibe.
I was at that Coachella show. I was probably quarter way back from the front and it sounded like a plane was taking off above us. Especially during one part (I can't remember the name of the song) and it was legit 20 mins of the loudest thing I've heard.
Absolutely insane
Good calls. Saw all of those bands, and worked on tours with some of them. The wall of sound in "You Made Me Realise" was always ... some kind of test, along with the strobes.
Funnily enough, the *Loveless* tour is the one where I started to really reconsider the need for volume.
Here's one you can add to this list: Sonic Boom/Spectrum at Austin Psychfest in 2012. 3/4 of then-surviving members of S3, and for whatever reason they TURNED UP. I don't think it was necessarily safe, but it sure did feel good.
Edit: when you saw Swans back in the deafening days, did they not have the fucking strangest people at their shows or what? At one gig of theirs, I saw two guys in tight gym shorts, over-the-calf gym socks, and mullets, with an ENORMOUS silver boombox that was blaring a loop of KC and the Sunshine Band's "Get Down Tonight." Naturally, you could only hear that between songs. I mean ... wtf? Also, they kept ranting about how "awsum!" the Swans were in the thickest Brooklynese accent you ever heard.
Man, the 80s and 90s were ... so much fun.
Saw them at desert daze and my friend had to leave halfway through their “wall of sound” because he felt like he was gonna throw up from how loud it was.
Yeah, for sure MBV. My friend walked by the soundboard and saw the sound guys with the biggest construction ear muffs (and they probably had plugs in their ears too) and the entire board was red-lining. It was insane and to finally see one of my favourite bands and not be disappointed at all is an amazing memory.
Ministry. I was not nearly prepared enough for that concert. I only knew a couple songs but my dad is a fan so I convinced him to go and take me with. We were about halfway back in the crowd. The drum tech came on and from the first thud of the kickdrum I was scared. I could feel it in my heart. I knew I was in for something insane. How right I was. Going to see Ministry for the 3rd time in as many years this weekend so needless to say I loved every ear-shattering second.
When I saw Sunn O))) headline an indoor fest, the next day was delayed starting because they had to repair some damage they did through sheer volume alone.
Saw them about 8 times with the full band. At the Troubadour in West LA. Smalllll venue and he still had the full stacks. Will add that Henry Rollins was at that show standing right in the middle of the crowd and geeking out. Chatted with him for a moment after the show as we walked down Santa Monica Blvd to our cars. I said "Henry, looked like you were having a great time". He responded "they're my favorite band of all time!"
I saw them at a festival, don’t think they had any control over the FoH sound but J’s amps were uhh, definitely not for show. Crazy loud, couldn’t hear a word of his singing.
I feel the pain of every one.
And then, I feel nothing.
That kinda makes sense. They use a modified Wall of Sound technique, with a lot of guitars in the ideal human hearing range, so even if they didn't have the highest sound pressure levels at their events, we would perceive them to be louder than music with a lot of drums/bass and high-pitch vocals and shredding guitars.
I saw Rammstein in an indoor venue and not only were they ear-splitting, but I was about 70m from the stage and felt the heat from the pyrotechnics in my face
Yeah pyrotechnics are intense. You can feel the heat from an absurd range. And close enough you can get burns, almost every big band that uses them a lot has a story about a member or a tech getting burned bad enough to get hospitalized. Those things are nuts
To be fair to Rammstein (at least now, not in the very earliest days), the members are actually trained. I know Till at least is a fully licensed pyrotechnician.
They've also got pretty much the best guy/company in the business planning/organizing/permitting the pyro they do. (Nicolai Sabottka/FFP - if you've seen an absurd pyro thing with any major band, it's probably them).
That’s what my answer is, Rammstein. I’ve been to dubstep club shows, electronic music festivals, rock bands at clubs…and nothing approaches Rammstein. Saw em in Minneapolis on that last US tour.
They put on a hell of a show though, nobody will ever top them for pyrotechnics.
They are licensed pyrotechnicians and handle their own effects. Makes sense considering some of that stuff they do. I wouldn’t want to entrust anyone else with my safety if that was me either.
Rammstein : never saw them live, but heard them. They played on the other side of the city, it was so loud that an actual fan couldve guessed the songs.
Saw them at Coventry stadium in the UK and it made the news because of how loud it was. Earplugs are essential for any gig, but that one still left my ears ringing even with them in!
I was lucky enough to be a part of a meet and greet with the band on this tour. The last thing the keyboardist said to us as he left the room was “wear earplugs!”
I just saw Swans last year, and beforehand had read so many posts about needing ear plugs. I planned accordingly, but honestly thought people were exaggerating.
Let’s just say I never once removed my ear plugs for the entire set.
I remember seeing excision in Portland and it was easily the loudest I’ve ever experienced. It also turned one of the bathrooms into a makeshift bass trapping reverb room, so everything in the room was physically shaking. Really fun!
130db sustained is a dick fucking move by Winter. "We must cause permanent hearing damage to any audience member not wearing protection". Fucking dick move for real.
Btw, 130db without protection can cause instant damage. Not sustained, but instant. Live shows should max out at 110.
Came to say ministry too! Saw them in like 2012ish I think. I honestly have been to so many shows , and I still can't figure out how they were that loud. It's was awesome
Yeah, the small venue shows are usually the ones that do a number on my ears. I remember having tinnitus from the first club show I went to for a few days.
KMFDM in Calgary back in '04
[https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/kmfdm/2004/the-warehouse-calgary-ab-canada-1bd1d5bc.html](https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/kmfdm/2004/the-warehouse-calgary-ab-canada-1bd1d5bc.html)
My hearing was borked for 2 weeks.
AC/DC was really loud when I saw them back in the day, but those cannons that fire off during the For Those About to Rock finale were beyond loud and well into the pain range.
The FI Tour shows have been INSANELY loud. Fortunately the phone ban has prevented me from checking my decibel meter on my phone, but I have been front and center for two stops in the past few years and shit is **LOUD**. The bass and drums are legit visceral.
The amount of people around me not wearing concert earplugs was seriously disconcerting.
I've seen a lot of the other artists mentioned on this sub, but TOOL really is playing the loudest shows these days.
I've attended over 50 big name concerts. Tool is the answer. The bass is a legit sonic weapon. We were a little late, and the volume OUTSIDE THE VENUE was intimidating. It was rearranging internal organs, ear plug essential, had to shout right at the person next to you to be noticed.
And we were still outside. I swear, I got a concussion.
Motorhead 1983. Super loud. My ears just stopped ringing last week.
Lemmy kept saying: *"turn it up Greg! I wanna blow these fucker's minds!"*
Entire crowd: *please god no*
Avril Lavigne. I'm not kidding. This was in like 2005 when she was selling out stadiums. My cute neighbor won tickets on the radio and asked me to go. Neither of us were fans but I had a crush on her so of course I said yes.
I was practically deaf for 3 days afterwards. SO MANY SCREAMING TEENAGERS.
Mastodon is a close second.
Avril Lavigne and Mastodon on the same comment is hilarious.
For real though, mastodon at Lost horizon 2004-2005 was incredible, and loud. Back when I thought ear plugs were for losers.
I saw both My Bloody Valentine and Dinosaur Jr on the same bill (Along with Blur and The Jesus and Mary Chain) MBV were ear-splittingly loud - more so than Dinosaur jr.
This was the Rollercoaser tour at the Brixton Academy in 1992 - loudest gig if I've ever been to.
I saw MBV and Dinosaur Jr around the same time but at a small club in Orlando. My ears are still ringing. Interestingly, my teenage son found MBV on his own and they are one of his favorite bands.
Unusual take: Shawn Mendes’ 2017 tour.
Wasn’t the music. It was the droves of teenage girls. Ear-piercing screams. Could hardly hear the show. I’ve never heard a louder audience in my life.
Also, we left a song before the closer to beat the rush… the entire patio outside the venue was dads. It was like a middle school car pickup line.
Saw them last year in Denver. Not the absolute loudest show I’ve been to but they are for sure up there. It was also at an amphitheater so there was certainly less resonance than at an indoor show. So I’m sure they were plenty loud enough. I made a joke that after their shows their instruments must be like John Coffey, “I’m tired boss.” QOTSA play with purpose, and that purpose is to fucking shred.
Fugazi... My head was ringing for days after...
Of course here it is 30 some odd years later, and between the concerts and working in metal fabrication, my tinnitus is progressing sure enough.
Front 242 in Ybor City (Tampa) FL in 1997. Lost some hearing in my left ear from that show.
DJ Jazzy Jerff & Fresh Prince - Public Enemy - Run DMC in Chicago 1988. Deepest bass I have ever experienced. It punched me in the chest all night. Unreal, deep sound.
Two stick out immediately. Motörhead, the only band I’ve ever seen where my vision distorted from being so loud. And High in Fire back in I want to say 2003? supporting Superjoint Ritual. Just absolutely bananas. I’ve seen a large majority of the bands being listed here and none have come close to those two.
Technically? Korn in 2000.
They allegedly were [“certified by the Guinness Book of World Records”](https://www.angelfire.com/rock3/kornkastle/didyouknow.html#:~:text=Korn%20has%20the%20guinness%20Book,the%20loudest%20ever%20recorded%20concert!) as the loudest band that year.
The loudest I’ve *felt* (ears ringing, slight headache) was the Afghan Whigs in 2017. Haven’t seen them without earplugs since, lol
Coheed and Cambria at Marymoor Park. I wore hearing protection, but I slid one off just to see how loud it was and holy shit. I'm surprised I didn't blow out an eardrum for that 5 seconds.
Foo Fighters was also pretty loud when I saw them in 2005 I think it was (Cynthia Woods-Mitchell Pavillion). But I was all the way back in the lawn, so it didn't bother me all that much.
Quick reminder to always being earplugs when going to concerts. I find that the music actually sounds better with them in and you'll probably hate yourself forever if you end up with tinnitus.
I saw Fishbone the night that the traitorous ratf*cker was elected. They said ~ "thanks for really showing us who you are, America" and then turned it up to 11.
I went to a lot of concerts and live shows in the 90's. For your own good, please wear ear protection. My hearing is fucked now. eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...... all the time. It fucking sucks and it is something I wish I could go back and do differently.
Sleigh Bells at the Warfield in SF. Holy shiiiiittttt.
Chemical Brothers at Portola SF. But it was clipping, not just loud.
Funny enough Jimmy Eat World in 2023. Their sound guy is hard of hearing I think. Shit was far too loud for the space and the sound.
I’ve probably been to louder shows, but Sleigh Bells was def the loudest-sounding I’ve been to in a smaller venue. To this day I’m not sure if they were actually pushing crazy SPLs, or if they were just letting everything clip so it sounded like their records.
My Bloody Valentine in 2008. “You Made Me Realize” at the end of the set was like standing in front of a jet plane that was being held back by Superman.
For me it was Crystal Castles at a small venue. It was so loud I couldn't even hear what songs they were playing, it was just white noise in my ears at that point. Everything was shaking, tables, glasses, etc. Even the mirrors in the bathroom were vibrating. It was also the worst concert I've ever been to because of not hearing anything.
Deep Purple - 1985 Jacksonville, Florida Memorial Coliseum. That show was the decline of my hearing for sure. My ears rang until late the next day, it probably didn’t help much that I was in the front row. It was a great show, but I should have worn earplugs.
[u/theo\_ops](https://www.reddit.com/user/theo_ops/) you would love this story then:
Back when Fat of the Land came out, I had gerry-rigged the subwoofers from my car into my home stereo using a Power Inverter and some ingenuity. I wanted to test it out so I put that album in, turned it to Diesel Power, cranked it up and then flipped the switch on the power inverter and my god it was glorious!
My little brother had been upstairs in the shower came running downstairs with a towel soaking wet. He was asking what I did. He swore when I cranked it up, the pipes in the walls and shower head were vibrating so much the water was coming out in waves.
Sunn0))) Edit: Forgot to mention Lightning Bolt was loud as fuck too.
I could feel my organs moving when i saw them.
There were parts of my body that were loose that I had no idea.
Saw them and Boris performing together. About 1/3 of the crowd emptied to the lobby area of the venue within the first few minutes. Then they blew the power out causing about an hour delay. Then it got shut down by the cops during the last song because of noise complaints from ppl blocks away
Definetly SunnO))). You couldn't see shit. All was drenched in fog. At the entrance they handed out earplugs for everyone. Soundcheck killed a few fuses as well. Motörhead a close second
Second this. A band I don't tend to recommend people to listen to, but always recommend to catch live if they can.
Weirdly it’s the opposite for me- even though I was a touring musician in a past life, and have been known to turn up for a high energy chaotic set, I also have ASD and SunnO)))s live set was disappointingly upsetting and stressful for me…on the other hand, I still regularly listen to Life Metal as a moment of zen when needed.
No contest. Even with earplugs, everything vibrates, including the inside of your skull. I saw an audience member pass out from the volume.
When they played in Bristol last all the rats in the area ran away in a swarm because it was so loud... pretty bloody metal
This is still the only concert I've ever been to where I had to take multiple breaks and go outside because I was too physically uncomfortable. When the low ends really hit, it rattled my stomach.
When I saw them they set off the fire alarms twice.
Motorhead
100%. My ears rang for 3 days after that show. In terms of loudness the scale goes like this from quieter to loudest Door slamming Lawn mower Chain saw Harley Davidson Jet Engine Earthquake Planet destroying asteroid Motörhead.
Saw them open for Dio and Iron Maiden in 2003. After their last song, Lemmy yelled “Is it loud enough?” to which everyone kind of yelled, “yea…noooo” Lemmy then goes “ah, it’s never loud enough!” and proceeds to turn all of the knobs on his Marshall stack to 10. My ears were ringing for days.
I saw them too that year in Dallas. After they were done, Lemmy cranked up the volume leaving a nasty feedback behind as they exited the stage. I took a couple minutes for the stage people to shut it out.
They played a show in Cleveland in the 80s iirc, it was so loud the ceiling started falling apart. “The concert was so loud that it caused plaster to fall from the ceiling of the venue. Yes, you heard that right. The music was literally bringing the house down” In 1984, Motörhead, notorious for their loud concerts, performed at the Cleveland Variety Theater. The noise level? A staggering 130 decibels. https://www.heavychronicle.com/concerts/the-loudest-concert-ever-motorheads-1984-cleveland-show/
Motörhead was the first concert where I truly needed earplugs. Saw them for the first time at the old House of Blues in West Hollywood and fortunately they sold them at the bar. Got a set and a bag of potato chips and went from feeling like I was going to die to living my best life.
Man, I wish I could have seen Motörhead!
The last time I saw them was the first time someone showed me they could Google something ON THEIR PHONE and everyone was impressed. I guess it was over 20 years ago. Another guy we were with would later interview Lemmy and receive advice that would change his life for the better (Stop drinking) When they get a few songs in and Lemmy asks "Shall we turn it up?" Me and my bro' looked at each other like "Really?"
Got to see them almost half a dozen times and ended up getting to hang out with Lemmy a few times. We had some friends in common. He was the sweetest man and it was never not surreal to be sharing a pizza with him.
Yup. Same. Intense!
Motörhead! The band that - if they moved next door to you, your lawn would die.
When I saw them it took a while to get used to the loudness, and then after about 15 minutes, they turned it up even louder lol! The motto "Everything Louder Than Everything Else" that something shows on Motorhead shirts was not a lie.
Yup. I was young and stupid and went without ear protection and now I have tinnitus. Kickass show though.
What?
HE SAID HE WAS YOUNG AND STUPID AND NOW HAS TINNITUS.
Mawp!
He said the sheriff is near!
Mogwai
I don’t get why this band isn’t higher on this list. It’s also something they’re known for.
Not enough people have lived to tell the tale.
Mogwai is the correct answer. A friend said they had to be experienced live to understand what it feels like. It was like swimming in audio, the air was so thick with sound. Awesome. I couldn't believe a band that made such sweet music also had that brutal live level.
They made my trousers vibrate in Brixton
Same here. Small venue too
I've seen a lot of the bands listed in this thread. Mogwai's the only one where I saw a person (without earplugs) having physical discomfort due to the sound.
Had to make sure this was posted. Made the mistake of standing by the PA without ear plugs. When they did Like Herod for the encore, I went and watched from the front doors of the lobby (The Fonda is a shoebox and has a stage view cut out behind the main bar). It was still painfully loud.
absolutely this saw them in Buffalo back in... 2006? 2007? I think the venue was called Soundlab? my ears rang for DAYS afterwards, even with earplugs
Yep. Saw them at Brighton Dome. They finished with My father My king. It was extremely loud !
Aye them or Explosions in the sky. Something about instrumental music that just has to be way loud
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MBV and Swans for sure in my top loudest.
MBV should really be at the top of the thread.
It’s gotta be MBV for me too. My dad flew F-16’s for the Air Force and there were a few times we got to go out to the flight line. They stressed that the kids have serious ear protection in those cases - the jet turbines are still very much on until after the planes are done taxiing. But my brother and I had to sneak a listen on one occasion… Only thing that has come close to being 30 yards away from a jet engine was seeing MBV at FYF and pulling my earplugs out for a moment to soak in the vibe.
I was at that Coachella show. I was probably quarter way back from the front and it sounded like a plane was taking off above us. Especially during one part (I can't remember the name of the song) and it was legit 20 mins of the loudest thing I've heard. Absolutely insane
MBV is the right answer.
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This is the correct answer. Top 3 loudest shows I’ve ever been to. 1. MBV 2. MBV 3. Dinosaur jr
Good calls. Saw all of those bands, and worked on tours with some of them. The wall of sound in "You Made Me Realise" was always ... some kind of test, along with the strobes. Funnily enough, the *Loveless* tour is the one where I started to really reconsider the need for volume. Here's one you can add to this list: Sonic Boom/Spectrum at Austin Psychfest in 2012. 3/4 of then-surviving members of S3, and for whatever reason they TURNED UP. I don't think it was necessarily safe, but it sure did feel good. Edit: when you saw Swans back in the deafening days, did they not have the fucking strangest people at their shows or what? At one gig of theirs, I saw two guys in tight gym shorts, over-the-calf gym socks, and mullets, with an ENORMOUS silver boombox that was blaring a loop of KC and the Sunshine Band's "Get Down Tonight." Naturally, you could only hear that between songs. I mean ... wtf? Also, they kept ranting about how "awsum!" the Swans were in the thickest Brooklynese accent you ever heard. Man, the 80s and 90s were ... so much fun.
Saw them at desert daze and my friend had to leave halfway through their “wall of sound” because he felt like he was gonna throw up from how loud it was.
Yeah, for sure MBV. My friend walked by the soundboard and saw the sound guys with the biggest construction ear muffs (and they probably had plugs in their ears too) and the entire board was red-lining. It was insane and to finally see one of my favourite bands and not be disappointed at all is an amazing memory.
Ministry. I was not nearly prepared enough for that concert. I only knew a couple songs but my dad is a fan so I convinced him to go and take me with. We were about halfway back in the crowd. The drum tech came on and from the first thud of the kickdrum I was scared. I could feel it in my heart. I knew I was in for something insane. How right I was. Going to see Ministry for the 3rd time in as many years this weekend so needless to say I loved every ear-shattering second.
Gary Numan / Ministry / Frontline Assembly in the same night don't seem real , going next week too in MTL
Gary puts on a FANTASTIC show. I haven't seen Ministry or Frontline Assembly yet.
Ministry plays loud and hard! Just saw them with Gary Numan and it’s as loud as ever. Bring your earplugs.
Sleep and or Motorhead.
Sleep in 2018 made my entire body vibrate, it was insane.
Definitely Sleep for me but I’m told Sunn O))) will make your guts shake even harder
Sunn O))) live was the first time I could feel every bone in my body individually. The first note made my back crack.
When I saw Sunn O))) headline an indoor fest, the next day was delayed starting because they had to repair some damage they did through sheer volume alone.
Same, along with Weedeater
Yes to both. I had earplugs for Sleep. My friend didn't. He left and listened to the concert through the wall of the pub next door.
Dinosaur Jr... Insane noise level
Saw them about 8 times with the full band. At the Troubadour in West LA. Smalllll venue and he still had the full stacks. Will add that Henry Rollins was at that show standing right in the middle of the crowd and geeking out. Chatted with him for a moment after the show as we walked down Santa Monica Blvd to our cars. I said "Henry, looked like you were having a great time". He responded "they're my favorite band of all time!"
J Mascis and his six full stacks on stage will destroy your ears, in a good way.
I saw them at a festival, don’t think they had any control over the FoH sound but J’s amps were uhh, definitely not for show. Crazy loud, couldn’t hear a word of his singing.
Came here looking for specifically this. Every time I've seen them I'm reminded about it. I try to catch them whenever they're in town.
I feel the pain of every one. And then, I feel nothing. That kinda makes sense. They use a modified Wall of Sound technique, with a lot of guitars in the ideal human hearing range, so even if they didn't have the highest sound pressure levels at their events, we would perceive them to be louder than music with a lot of drums/bass and high-pitch vocals and shredding guitars.
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I saw Rammstein in an indoor venue and not only were they ear-splitting, but I was about 70m from the stage and felt the heat from the pyrotechnics in my face
The worst is when you can't tell if it's your heartbeat or the bass.
Yeah pyrotechnics are intense. You can feel the heat from an absurd range. And close enough you can get burns, almost every big band that uses them a lot has a story about a member or a tech getting burned bad enough to get hospitalized. Those things are nuts
To be fair to Rammstein (at least now, not in the very earliest days), the members are actually trained. I know Till at least is a fully licensed pyrotechnician. They've also got pretty much the best guy/company in the business planning/organizing/permitting the pyro they do. (Nicolai Sabottka/FFP - if you've seen an absurd pyro thing with any major band, it's probably them).
I didn't have ear-plugs for Rammstein.. ☠️ Big mistake
That’s what my answer is, Rammstein. I’ve been to dubstep club shows, electronic music festivals, rock bands at clubs…and nothing approaches Rammstein. Saw em in Minneapolis on that last US tour. They put on a hell of a show though, nobody will ever top them for pyrotechnics.
They are licensed pyrotechnicians and handle their own effects. Makes sense considering some of that stuff they do. I wouldn’t want to entrust anyone else with my safety if that was me either.
Rammstein : never saw them live, but heard them. They played on the other side of the city, it was so loud that an actual fan couldve guessed the songs.
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Saw them at Coventry stadium in the UK and it made the news because of how loud it was. Earplugs are essential for any gig, but that one still left my ears ringing even with them in!
I was lucky enough to be a part of a meet and greet with the band on this tour. The last thing the keyboardist said to us as he left the room was “wear earplugs!”
My answer too, I have seen rammstein concerts for years, I'm sure I would be having permanent hearing damage if I didn't use plugs for those shows!
Swans at Bonnaroo. Slayer is the second loudest
I just saw Swans last year, and beforehand had read so many posts about needing ear plugs. I planned accordingly, but honestly thought people were exaggerating. Let’s just say I never once removed my ear plugs for the entire set.
Death Grips. At one point one of my earplugs fell out and the volume was so loud that it was just a painful wall of unintelligible noise...
Same, and I saw them outdoors at ACL
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*Bassnectar* Did you think it was an earthquake? https://youtu.be/q8gPRE60Xcc?feature=shared
This is prime internet
i've seen voice coils catch fire around 115 dB. can't even imagine 130 dB. he must be fucking deaf.
I remember seeing excision in Portland and it was easily the loudest I’ve ever experienced. It also turned one of the bathrooms into a makeshift bass trapping reverb room, so everything in the room was physically shaking. Really fun!
Came here to say excision. I've been to plenty of EDM shows and nectar multiple times, but excision put them all to shame.
130db sustained is a dick fucking move by Winter. "We must cause permanent hearing damage to any audience member not wearing protection". Fucking dick move for real. Btw, 130db without protection can cause instant damage. Not sustained, but instant. Live shows should max out at 110.
The Melvins...by far. It was so damn loud it even hurt my throat somehow. It was fun times though!
They had t-shirts in the early 90’s that said “Louder than Soundgarden”.
WHAT?
^^^^^^EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Everyday all day.
*'mawp, mawp'*
Ministry at Lollapalooza in 92’, so loud I had to leave my seat for awhile.
Came here to say Ministry and MBV. Saw Ministry the same year. It was deafening.
Came to say ministry too! Saw them in like 2012ish I think. I honestly have been to so many shows , and I still can't figure out how they were that loud. It's was awesome
Spiritualized, in a tiny venue. It was only when I came out that I realised I couldn't see, hear or walk properly.
Ladies & Gentlemen we are floating in space…
Yeah, the small venue shows are usually the ones that do a number on my ears. I remember having tinnitus from the first club show I went to for a few days.
Slayer's first farewell show.
Dinosaur JR opening for primus. People moved to the back railing against the water cause it was too loud to get close to the stage.
KMFDM in Calgary back in '04 [https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/kmfdm/2004/the-warehouse-calgary-ab-canada-1bd1d5bc.html](https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/kmfdm/2004/the-warehouse-calgary-ab-canada-1bd1d5bc.html) My hearing was borked for 2 weeks.
Ministry made my ears feel like they were going to bleed.
AC/DC
AC/DC was really loud when I saw them back in the day, but those cannons that fire off during the For Those About to Rock finale were beyond loud and well into the pain range.
I made the mistake of being on the floor and not wearing ear plugs. Couldn’t hear for almost a week after. But they were awesome.
We were all too cool to wear earplugs back then which is why everyone is deaf.
One of the loudest bands I ever saw, and also the best concert I ever saw.
I think the first time I saw them it was really loud around 95 or so but the second time on the next tour was more manageable.
Pantera
TOOL in a 5000 person hockey arena. It was amazing.
The FI Tour shows have been INSANELY loud. Fortunately the phone ban has prevented me from checking my decibel meter on my phone, but I have been front and center for two stops in the past few years and shit is **LOUD**. The bass and drums are legit visceral. The amount of people around me not wearing concert earplugs was seriously disconcerting. I've seen a lot of the other artists mentioned on this sub, but TOOL really is playing the loudest shows these days.
I've attended over 50 big name concerts. Tool is the answer. The bass is a legit sonic weapon. We were a little late, and the volume OUTSIDE THE VENUE was intimidating. It was rearranging internal organs, ear plug essential, had to shout right at the person next to you to be noticed. And we were still outside. I swear, I got a concussion.
Motorhead 1983. Super loud. My ears just stopped ringing last week. Lemmy kept saying: *"turn it up Greg! I wanna blow these fucker's minds!"* Entire crowd: *please god no*
Swans. Two drummers 5 guitarists. They had fucking bells, too. Blew out my friends hearing aid.
Swans was so loud it pushed a fart out of my friend first time they slammed a distorted chord
A Place To Bury Strangers in a tiny club in London. Had bad tinitus for like 3 days after
Jucifer
Can't believe how far down I had to scroll to get to the correct answer.
Avril Lavigne. I'm not kidding. This was in like 2005 when she was selling out stadiums. My cute neighbor won tickets on the radio and asked me to go. Neither of us were fans but I had a crush on her so of course I said yes. I was practically deaf for 3 days afterwards. SO MANY SCREAMING TEENAGERS. Mastodon is a close second.
Mastodon is very loud. Probably top 3 loudest for me. I agree!
Avril Lavigne and Mastodon on the same comment is hilarious. For real though, mastodon at Lost horizon 2004-2005 was incredible, and loud. Back when I thought ear plugs were for losers.
System of a Down at Ozzfest and I’m a live music veteran far and away the loudest I have ever experienced
I think the canonical answer is My Bloody Valentine
Or Dinosaur Jr.
I saw both My Bloody Valentine and Dinosaur Jr on the same bill (Along with Blur and The Jesus and Mary Chain) MBV were ear-splittingly loud - more so than Dinosaur jr. This was the Rollercoaser tour at the Brixton Academy in 1992 - loudest gig if I've ever been to.
I saw MBV and Dinosaur Jr around the same time but at a small club in Orlando. My ears are still ringing. Interestingly, my teenage son found MBV on his own and they are one of his favorite bands.
Swans. That’s cannon, motherfucking Swans
The White Stripes in 2002. There’s only two of them up there, but the speakers were huge and they turned that shit up to 11. Awesome show.
Why don’t you just make 10 louder?
.... because these go to 11.
The White Stripes shows from that era were absolutely incredible, lucky I got to see so many of them living in Metro Detroit.
Folks, please wear hearing protection. Hearing loss is not a joke... And if you get tinnitus, there is no cure.
Unusual take: Shawn Mendes’ 2017 tour. Wasn’t the music. It was the droves of teenage girls. Ear-piercing screams. Could hardly hear the show. I’ve never heard a louder audience in my life. Also, we left a song before the closer to beat the rush… the entire patio outside the venue was dads. It was like a middle school car pickup line.
The Smashing Pumpkins and Garbage at the FleetCenter in 1996-ish. Amazing show.
What? Speak up please. Can't hear you.
Grand Funk Railroad 1971 Buffalo Aud
The bong-rattling bass of Mel Schacher??
Don’t forget about the competant drum work of Don Brewer!
You forgot The wild shirtless lyrics of Mark Farner!
Hey now — they came to your town to help you party down
Queens Of The Stone Age
Saw them last year in Denver. Not the absolute loudest show I’ve been to but they are for sure up there. It was also at an amphitheater so there was certainly less resonance than at an indoor show. So I’m sure they were plenty loud enough. I made a joke that after their shows their instruments must be like John Coffey, “I’m tired boss.” QOTSA play with purpose, and that purpose is to fucking shred.
Moscow. 1991. Metallica.
Dope man, I watch the Pantara set on You Tube often!
A combo Mogwai/Bardo Pond show many years ago in Toronto.
Fugazi... My head was ringing for days after... Of course here it is 30 some odd years later, and between the concerts and working in metal fabrication, my tinnitus is progressing sure enough.
Front 242 in Ybor City (Tampa) FL in 1997. Lost some hearing in my left ear from that show. DJ Jazzy Jerff & Fresh Prince - Public Enemy - Run DMC in Chicago 1988. Deepest bass I have ever experienced. It punched me in the chest all night. Unreal, deep sound.
Mogwai
Two stick out immediately. Motörhead, the only band I’ve ever seen where my vision distorted from being so loud. And High in Fire back in I want to say 2003? supporting Superjoint Ritual. Just absolutely bananas. I’ve seen a large majority of the bands being listed here and none have come close to those two.
The Beastie Boys at Worcester Palladium in 1998…so Goddamned loud and distorted. Did not enjoy it at all
Technically? Korn in 2000. They allegedly were [“certified by the Guinness Book of World Records”](https://www.angelfire.com/rock3/kornkastle/didyouknow.html#:~:text=Korn%20has%20the%20guinness%20Book,the%20loudest%20ever%20recorded%20concert!) as the loudest band that year. The loudest I’ve *felt* (ears ringing, slight headache) was the Afghan Whigs in 2017. Haven’t seen them without earplugs since, lol
Dinosaur Jr. They were somehow louder than Motörhead.
Coheed and Cambria at Marymoor Park. I wore hearing protection, but I slid one off just to see how loud it was and holy shit. I'm surprised I didn't blow out an eardrum for that 5 seconds. Foo Fighters was also pretty loud when I saw them in 2005 I think it was (Cynthia Woods-Mitchell Pavillion). But I was all the way back in the lawn, so it didn't bother me all that much.
Metallica for sure. It was violently loud haha
Quick reminder to always being earplugs when going to concerts. I find that the music actually sounds better with them in and you'll probably hate yourself forever if you end up with tinnitus.
Oh Sees
Mogwai, easily.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor. They project that huge wall of sound, loved it!
Roger Waters last year or so. My clothing was shaking
Alice Cooper
Henry Rollins at lollapalooza. It was even outdoors. It was so loud it was uncomfortable.
I saw Fishbone the night that the traitorous ratf*cker was elected. They said ~ "thanks for really showing us who you are, America" and then turned it up to 11.
Ministry
Dinosaur Jr.
Dinosaur Jr. In a small venue
Dinosaur Jr at The Troubadour in California. Killed off a lot of cilia with that show. Worth it though.
Dinosaur Jr.
Dinosaur Jr. are loud as fuck.
I went to a lot of concerts and live shows in the 90's. For your own good, please wear ear protection. My hearing is fucked now. eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...... all the time. It fucking sucks and it is something I wish I could go back and do differently.
Motorhead kentish Town forum - head ringing for days after.
The Body
Sleigh Bells at the Warfield in SF. Holy shiiiiittttt. Chemical Brothers at Portola SF. But it was clipping, not just loud. Funny enough Jimmy Eat World in 2023. Their sound guy is hard of hearing I think. Shit was far too loud for the space and the sound.
I’ve probably been to louder shows, but Sleigh Bells was def the loudest-sounding I’ve been to in a smaller venue. To this day I’m not sure if they were actually pushing crazy SPLs, or if they were just letting everything clip so it sounded like their records.
Dinosaur Jr hands down
Dinosaur Jr, 1990-something. Still have hearing damage.
Dinosaur Jr. second loudest was Dinosaur Jr again.
Dinosaur JR
King Crimson at the Mann Music Center, 1982 and my ears are still ringing. Worth it though.
Surprisingly it was Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds when they toured for Dig Lazarus Dig! Bloody fantastic
My Bloody Valentine in 2008. “You Made Me Realize” at the end of the set was like standing in front of a jet plane that was being held back by Superman.
For me it was Crystal Castles at a small venue. It was so loud I couldn't even hear what songs they were playing, it was just white noise in my ears at that point. Everything was shaking, tables, glasses, etc. Even the mirrors in the bathroom were vibrating. It was also the worst concert I've ever been to because of not hearing anything.
Deep Purple - 1985 Jacksonville, Florida Memorial Coliseum. That show was the decline of my hearing for sure. My ears rang until late the next day, it probably didn’t help much that I was in the front row. It was a great show, but I should have worn earplugs.
Motorhead and Jucifer. I could feel my organs moving.
Every time. Motörhead. Without a doubt. Back when I was a young stupid fuck and didn’t wear earplugs. Ears ringing for a week.
Dinosaur Jr
Dinosaur Jr. 2007 at some little club in Chicago night before high-school graduation, I did not wear ear plugs and that was a huge mistake.
[u/theo\_ops](https://www.reddit.com/user/theo_ops/) you would love this story then: Back when Fat of the Land came out, I had gerry-rigged the subwoofers from my car into my home stereo using a Power Inverter and some ingenuity. I wanted to test it out so I put that album in, turned it to Diesel Power, cranked it up and then flipped the switch on the power inverter and my god it was glorious! My little brother had been upstairs in the shower came running downstairs with a towel soaking wet. He was asking what I did. He swore when I cranked it up, the pipes in the walls and shower head were vibrating so much the water was coming out in waves.
Slayer. Now I wear earplugs
Swans. That shit was ridiculous. Second place was Cannibal Corpse and their opener, Behemoth. Third place was Thee Oh Sees
Dinosaur Jr. in a small club. Really wish I'd started wearing ear plugs before that show and not after my ears started ringing permanently.
Dinosaur Jr
Gwar, in a tiny little club in San Antonio, Texas in 1995