Gentlemen, Gentlemen, .........I know is fun to play loud and "move the air" all we can; but aren't we beeing a little selfish here? Have you ever been on the other side of the picture, you know, in the audience, trying to convey a thought to someone else, but you can't because you can't hear yourself think, all due to the sound being "painfuly" loud? How about trying to enjoy your meal with just some music in the background?
Sometimes "air moves" for 4 straight hours during a time when people are not necesarily at a concert but to enjoy all the other things beside music that make an affair a fun place to be; things like the food, the ambiance, friends, telling some jokes they can hear. Hate to sound like a "party pooper" here but we, as musicians, can be a bit more considerate by being more sensitive of people's needs when they are out to have fun. This does not mean that, at sometime during the affair, musicians shouldn't play "loud"; but this should be done more selectivly towards the end of the affair, after everone is done eating, and done enough talking. So many times when I am a guest to an affair I here peoples' most frequent comment:....."everything was great, but the music was sooooo loud!" oops! I think I just revealed my age!
Mario

UD, Gunnar, Chico, Eric, Don.... I hope you still like me! ....Pleeeease.