http://www.metalinjection.net/edito...cessive-volume-at-live-shows-really-necessary
This is probably the only article I've seen on MI in all the years it's been going that has any credibility.
I remember our local used to have a sound meter that tripped at 127dB, trip it once get a warning, twice power off for fie minute, three times and the power to the stage went off for the rest of the night. If we got caught bypassing it we'd get in the shit and if the gigs went past 1:30am the neighbours complained. One gig we got warned at 117dB three times and the following day they venue got more than twenty complaints about excessive noise. The following week a pop diva with a high pitched voice, broke the 127dB barrier in warm up so they turned the meter off and let her play all night without it. She didn't get a single complaint about volume. Different music is always going to appear a different volume, but ear plugs are not a sign of weakness.