Obsession with Backround Music?

John Chiara

John Chiara

Senior
Jan 11, 2011
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Troy, NY
I started to really notice this back in 2006 when I ran a club. It seems some people 'in charge' of production go absolutely crazy if the Jukebox or stereo isn't on immediately upon the band last note. I wonder what they think is going to happen without annoying background noise for a few minutes. I am at some shows where the break music is almost as loud as the bands. I prefer a little aural downtime between acts. Anyone else?
 
John Chiara said:
I started to really notice this back in 2006 when I ran a club. It seems some people 'in charge' of production go absolutely crazy if the Jukebox or stereo isn't on immediately upon the band last note. I wonder what they think is going to happen without annoying background noise for a few minutes. I am at some shows where the break music is almost as loud as the bands. I prefer a little aural downtime between acts. Anyone else?
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I agree with you, and more and more it seems the background may be even louder and not even appropriate to the genre of the band.

Recently I was with a bluegrass band taking part in a songwriters series. The club manager kept putting on this dance stuff like to they play on weekend nights that was easily 15 db above our already loud show.

All I could hear was the distortion in the system as it was groaning to keep up.

I found a more genre reasonable CD in my car and once we put that on they tried to turn it up to the same volume.

Of course we also have a couple of places that make it seem outrageous when we ask for them to turn off the background music while the band was playing.
 
Re: Obsession with Backround Music?

Jay Barracato said:
I agree with you, and more and more it seems the background may be even louder and not even appropriate to the genre of the band.

Recently I was with a bluegrass band taking part in a songwriters series. The club manager kept putting on this dance stuff like to they play on weekend nights that was easily 15 db above our already loud show.

All I could hear was the distortion in the system as it was groaning to keep up.

I found a more genre reasonable CD in my car and once we put that on they tried to turn it up to the same volume.

Of course we also have a couple of places that make it seem outrageous when we ask for them to turn off the background music while the band was playing.
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Been there done that. In a number of clubs the "break music" (not even a DJ playing) was LOUDER than the band. WHY???

I have also had the "background" music played while the band played. The management asked me to keep the band at the same level as the "other music".

WHY-I asked? They said that not everybody wanted to listen to the band and with both playing they could "choose" what they wanted to listen or dance to!

DO WHAT???? Yeah-it is amazing what some people "think". Or is that "don't think?"

Oh well-it is THEIR club and and the band can choose to play there or not.

So just take the money and run-please and don't ask me to mix there again.
 
Re: Obsession with Backround Music?

The between set music doesn't really bother me that much. What I find really annoying is after the band finishes playing having to listen to something repulsive like "Closing time" or someone's personal dub step mix at full blast while you're trying to officiate the load out. Maybe 1 or 2 songs at low volume after the band is done and then everybody get the hell out, we've got work to do.

Oh and also having to hear 4 different pandora stations playing from everyone's phone in their pocket during rigging calls and load in annoys me.
 
Re: Obsession with Backround Music?

Tom Manchester said:
Oh and also having to hear 4 different pandora stations playing from everyone's phone in their pocket during rigging calls and load in annoys me.
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Why would you add more distraction to an already dangerous work area? That kind of crap is kind of an unwritten "no no" on gigs I've been on.
 
Re: Obsession with Backround Music?

I do a fall fair event inside a hockey arena, and these rink rat employees who are moping up after the event, crank heavy metal through the ominsphere system in the middle of the rink.... its awesome...NOT I asked if they would not have anything on until we leave... and I quote "well we had to listen to your shit all weekend!!" ugh... ok.... I'm going to have to sneak in the office at the start of the event this year in have the speaker lines mysteriously disconnect, until we're about to leave....
 
Re: Obsession with Backround Music?

Shane Presley said:
I do a fall fair event inside a hockey arena, and these rink rat employees who are moping up after the event, crank heavy metal through the ominsphere system in the middle of the rink.... its awesome...NOT I asked if they would not have anything on until we leave... and I quote "well we had to listen to your shit all weekend!!" ugh... ok.... I'm going to have to sneak in the office at the start of the event this year in have the speaker lines mysteriously disconnect, until we're about to leave....
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Metal wouldn't bother me, but those ice rink systems are usually the shits.
 
Re: Obsession with Backround Music?

I like a nice quiet as quiet can be for a load out. Has anyone ever done a complete tear down and load out with a fire alarm going off the entire time... LOUD! Actually it started maybe 15 minutes after the last band finished. Never had to plug my ears for a load out before.
 
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Re: Obsession with Backround Music?

I always loved finishing up a long corporate event in a convention area only to have one of the bay pigs grab the nearest wireless and jam it into the end of his iphone playing rap music d'jour through the house system. I'm with Mike. A nice audio free load makes for a much quicker load out.
 
Re: Obsession with Backround Music?

Ivan Beaver said:
I have also had the "background" music played while the band played. The management asked me to keep the band at the same level as the "other music".

WHY-I asked? They said that not everybody wanted to listen to the band and with both playing they could "choose" what they wanted to listen or dance to!
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This is the all time line. By this logic they should have every genre of music playing, and everybody choosing which to listen and dance to.
Love it. Business genius.
 
Re: Obsession with Backround Music?

Tom Manchester said:
The between set music doesn't really bother me that much. What I find really annoying is after the band finishes playing having to listen to something repulsive like "Closing time" or someone's personal dub step mix at full blast while you're trying to officiate the load out. Maybe 1 or 2 songs at low volume after the band is done and then everybody get the hell out, we've got work to do.

Oh and also having to hear 4 different pandora stations playing from everyone's phone in their pocket during rigging calls and load in annoys me.
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Nope on one or two songs. I used to think that the outro music was a good cue that the band was done, and the show was over.
Now I am of the opinion that there should be nothing after the band is done. The taste in your ears as you leave the arena is what you paid to see.
Not what I think is cool, and you should check this out too.

And hate, hate, hate, music on another system while I load out. Pandora on a phone hasn't happened at one of my load outs yet.
But then, it's usually just me.
 
Re: Obsession with Backround Music?

Shane Presley said:
... and I quote "well we had to listen to your shit all weekend!!"
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I think you should tell them that this is faulty logic, false equivalency.
I'm sure if you bring this up, they will say, OK, you are right, we will turn off our music.
Or not, sigh.
 
Re: Obsession with Backround Music?

Jack Arnott said:
Nope on one or two songs. I used to think that the outro music was a good cue that the band was done, and the show was over.
Now I am of the opinion that there should be nothing after the band is done. The taste in your ears as you leave the arena is what you paid to see.
Not what I think is cool, and you should check this out too.
Click to expand...

I've had artists management go apoplectic if there isn't music playing as soon as the encore is done. I get their reasoning, they want their artists OUT THE DOOR and don't want to risk the possibility of another encore call.
 
Re: Obsession with Backround Music?

Visited a club in Va -
My friend in the band says every band gets the "turn down - too loud" from management.
Then the sound guy/DJ puts on the break music - way louder than the band.
BTW, the venue has a decent sound system, but insists each band bring their own.
(sigh)
 
Re: Obsession with Backround Music?

Mike Caldwell said:
I like a nice quiet as quiet can be for a load out. Has anyone ever done a complete tear down and load out with a fire alarm going off the entire time... LOUD! Actually it started maybe 15 minutes after the last band finished. Never had to plug my ears for a load out before.
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Lol!!
We had show in my old place, 700 cap music hall...and during the headliner's set the fire alarms went off...and the band played for 20 minutes with the alarm blasting, firemen pushing through the audience,etc.
 
Re: Obsession with Backround Music?

John Chiara said:
Lol!!
We had show in my old place, 700 cap music hall...and during the headliner's set the fire alarms went off...and the band played for 20 minutes with the alarm blasting, firemen pushing through the audience,etc.
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With some forms of "music", the audience probably thought it was part of the show.

And also why some places have systems that cut the stage/sound system power when an alarm goes off.
 
Re: Obsession with Backround Music?

John Chiara said:
Lol!!
We had show in my old place, 700 cap music hall...and during the headliner's set the fire alarms went off...and the band played for 20 minutes with the alarm blasting, firemen pushing through the audience,etc.
Click to expand...


The alarm in the building must not have been connected to the outside world as the fire dept. never showed up. Someone thought after a three band night of rock pulling the fire alarm was a good idea!
 
Re: Obsession with Backround Music?

Out the door music helps hustle the crowd out and makes the ending of the show less awkward. I can't think of any concert I've been to recently that didn't do it.

Without it people would want to hang around and socialize after the show ends. Loud music encourages them to take their socialization outside and get out of the way of the folks doing the teardown. I would rather loadout with ear plugs in and the crowd outside than with quiet and a bunch of punters in the way.
 
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