Arena rock...

[DJBlueDrink]

Hey, is it me or do all concerts in arenas sound absolutely unintelligible and crappy? I went to Van Halen a few years ago, Metallica twice this year, and saw Dropkick Murphys last night at my school's "arena"(I'll let this one slide cuz the place is basically a huge glorified gym) and they all sounded awful. I expect a big reverb being in an arena and all but it seems like if your up at the stage your ears are just going to be killed anyway so its more about just being close over hearing, the back is just all boom and the middle is still no good.

How does one go about sounding good in an arena setting? Would more speakers spread across the room at lower volumes help to distribute the sound but not excite the boominess of the room as much? I love going to concerts but going to see bands and barely recoginizing songs that you've hear a million times kinda sucks. Is this all just part of the arena show experience and if I want to hear the music I should see bands at different venues?

[huub]

I've never heard an arena concert not sounding crappy..
But I've been told, it is possible to make it sound not crappy, and allegedly this sometimes happens in real life..

[fallforward]

I saw Dave Mathews on Friday here in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and the sound was really good. It was a little muddy in the low mid range, but most of all the details were there, the violin plucking cut through, the sax and trumpet details were all there. All and all it was an amazing show. A couple got engaged right behind me during the show!

DMB is a very dynamic band, and all of the dynamics were there, the set had a nice arc to it as the sound didn't hit you in the face right away, at one point early in the show it even felt a little quiet. I was sitting on the floor halfway back and could easily talk to my wife next to me. But as the show got going they cranked it up, but it never felt TOO loud.

I have seen the eagles in that venue as well and the sound was amazing. Maybe it's just a good place to see a concert?

[DJBlueDrink]

Originally Posted by fallforward

I saw Dave Mathews on Friday here in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and the sound was really good. It was a little muddy in the low mid range, but most of all the details were there, the violin plucking cut through, the sax and trumpet details were all there. All and all it was an amazing show. A couple got engaged right behind me during the show!

DMB is a very dynamic band, and all of the dynamics were there, the set had a nice arc to it as the sound didn't hit you in the face right away, at one point early in the show it even felt a little quiet. I was sitting on the floor halfway back and could easily talk to my wife next to me. But as the show got going they cranked it up, but it never felt TOO loud.

I have seen the eagles in that venue as well and the sound was amazing. Maybe it's just a good place to see a concert?

Could be just a good place. I mean the Grand Garden is a hell of an arena. It could also be that lighter music such as DMB, or the Eagles just works a little better in those venues cuz there's less mud to begin with. All I know is that all the times I've seen loud heavy rock bands in arenas its just been awful. Outdoor festivals and large theatre shows I've been to have been great though. Is there anyone here who does FOH in arenas that could add their perspective to it? I can't imagine it being an easy task. I mean when I saw Metallica in Jersey, the board was on floor level and being run by Big Mick Hughes, a guy who obviously knows his stuff, so there has to be something I'm not taking into account.

[JPeters86]

I saw Mark Knopfler twice in the Arena in Cologne. Not as large as most arenas but the sound was incredible.