Please have a look at the poll on this link. I just got back from the show and i cant help but think that the sound quality at the Wembley show was very bad. I was extremely excited about this show, but I found myself wishing at times that they would finish the set with slow accoustic songs or just stop alltogether. Ed was quite pissed off about it at several occations.

Please click the link below to vote on my poll. I'd like to know what you made of the show.

http://mookiepics.blogspot.com/2006/11/ ... praha.html

Please don't be too negative on this post. I think the setlist was brilliant, but there was times when it would not have made a difference whether Mike was even there or not. I could not hear him in some songs.

Agree with you brother...

I couldn't quite believe how bad it was...Never heard Mike all night. Didn't notice Ed being pissed off about it though.

Such a great setlist, crowd etc etc

Sorry to disagree - I thought it was ok for Wembley. I was on the other side of Mike in N10 and could hear him pretty clear.

Around the second song or so, Ed looked slightyly upset, I took as him posssibly being in a bad mood. At stages he look to his left, at the tech guys and made gestures, and when they swapped mics for the first or second time, he shouted to the the guy from Cornwall somethings like "Can you hear that ringing sound?", the new mic picked that up very clearly. he had this look of dissaproval on his face when he picked up the cordless mic to go out to the corners of the stage. earlier his mic cord got stuck, and Stone had to untangle it for him.

There were stages when his voice sounded so drowned out by distortion and that incredibly high pitched sound that overshadowed the room at times, that i just stood there in disbelief. one of the things i enjoyed at Reading was the best concert audio I had ever heard, and now this. It was my fourth time at Wembley, and all the other act's sound was good or perfect.

I was about 3/4 from the front, on Stone's side. Even the crowd noise, had this high pitch over it, so maybe it was out of the band's control.

I'm very worried as I have this loud ringing in my ears that wont go away and I have never had it before.

Sorry for the rambling guys, I love PJ just as much as all of you, but I just need to get this out of my system.

i think the setlist ruled, but i didnt quite believe Ed when he said they are enjoying themselves. I am 6'8" tall and i reckon i was less than 15 meters from Ed, and I defenately saw him not beeing as happy as I have seen him in so many videos over the years. he was a little drunk when they started, and there was a few hints at his displeasure with the sound.

this was my 3rd show. first one was Reading. audio could not have been better, ever.

second one was Prague, and people sad then that the band, and many of the fans were not happy with the sound there.

i now find myself trying to cling on to the memory of the first two shows.

it was well worth going. next time i'll be uneasy untill they start playing. i might be too obsessed with sound by the time i see them again.

i think those little soft earplugs will help.

My sister saw Placebo in Wembley a few years ago. About the only she still talks about is how bad the sound was there.

In Munich and in Katowice Mike was 'silent' as well.

i don't know where you were situated, but from where i was (center seating just behing standing) mike was really clear. I havn't been to alot of gigs though so maybe i just didn't expect the same quality you guys did.

In München Mike was far too loud and shrill. I blame it on his new amp.

at least they didn't play earls court - the sound there can be worse than terrible.

From what I could tell eddie's problems were with his in ear monitor - he wouldn't know what the front of house mix sounded like anyway.

I was up in S9 (level with the sound desk) and it was CRYSTAL. Very loud, but my ETY ER20 plugs dealt with that. I could hear all the instruments and clearly hear the vocals. Matt's kick-drum was awesome.

Mind you, the last gig I attended was the appalling noise that was Muse at Wembley Stadium on Saturday. They played an amazing show (obviously no-where near as good as Pearl Jam (PJ=musicianship, Muse=showmanship). However the stadium and the Everyman crowd sucked the life out of them. The rubbish acoustics then killed them stone dead.

Hi guys.

You might have read my post on the sound issues at the Wembley show. If so, please go and have a look at my blog. I posted a few photos and a few things from the show that I scanned. There is a few messages to people I met there and a request for photos of the show (my camera was confiscated).

http://mookiepics.blogspot.com/

Thanks

Mook. I enjoyed looking at your blog and the photos. Seriously mate, get some ER20 plugs. http://www.audiorelief.co.uk/shop/produ ... ucts_id=31

The crap sound quality may have had somethin to do with the bands equipment getting damaged in Venice. At alot of these festivals, the bands' gear is set up in advance backstage for a quick switchout between acts and I'd bet theirs was there ready to go when the storm hit. And when something goes wrong with your personal gear, it's hard as hell to fix if you're not somewhere in which you can just fuck around with it to find out what's wrong. Someone even mentioned in another thread that Matt's kit looked different. They may have been playing with some borrowed gear.

The sound was NOT crap. I can assure you. I am the type who bitches when the sound is rubbish. At home I listen on Sennheiser HD650s. For me, live rigs have a lot to live up to. Last night delivered.

If I want good sound in a venue (and I am standing) I head for a spot in front of the sound desk. The front barrier in front of the bass bins (and way under the main speakers) is not your best bet. In seats it can be pot luck. Great in one spot, bad ten feet away. However Wembley Arena is renowned for great acoustics for a venue of its size:

From wikipedia
'The arena is London's busiest music venue and the second busiest in the UK (the MEN Arena in Manchester is busier) in terms of ticket sales. The arena seats a maximum of 12,300 for concerts and although not the biggest of London's arenas (see for example Earls Court), it is regarded as having the best sound quality and the best backstage amenities for touring music acts.'

thanks, i might just do that.

It sounded fine to me all night...and i think Ed was having a good time, he was jumping and laughing throughout, i think he was overwhelmed by the crowd at times too...he let the crowd sing more parts than usual.

Mike sounded louder than Stone if anything, but i was on his side of the stage. The only problem for me, was that i couldn't really hear the bass on Indifference.

I really do feel rather bad at the moment. I had all day to think about last night (still with the ringing in my ears), and I'm dissapointed that it didnt live up to the hype that a PJ should. If I had earplugs it would have been better, but I'm not going to dwell on things like that.

Was it just me or did Down have a slightly heavier guitar sound?

I have never ever heard so many people say that the guitarist one the side they were on sounded that much louder and possibly drowned out the other instruments. Wish I could hear something from the band on the possible sound issue at a future show.

http://pub8.bravenet.com/minipoll/results.php?usernum=607448003&qid=31559&voted=0

Mike was a little louder, but not considerably, i could still hear Ed, Stone and Jeff (though Jeff seemed quiet on Indifference as i said). I didn't have ringing in my ears, nor did it seem much louder than most gigs (i remember the Leeds festy last year being louder). It's a shame the sound was bad for you...i guess it must depend on the placing in the crowd...?

Down was definitely different - full distortion and much more riffy, as opposed to a chordy/strummy type thing. I think i prefer the original actually, but Down is always a treat regardless.