federali
Absent Comrade
Yesterday evening, my wife and I attended a wedding on the Brooklyn, NY waterfront with breathtaking views of the Statue of Liberty and lower Manhattan. It was the kind of wedding featured in magazines catering to the highly successful among us.
Everything was fine until the D.J. cranked up the volume to a level that was punishing to us mere mortals. Conversation became impossible. To be sure, the younger portion of the wedding guests seemed to thoroughly enjoy the music and the dance floor was crowded. But, for dozens of guests, all we could do was remain at our seats like zombies. After a while we became hoarse from trying to scream a message into someone's ear.
Fortunately, my wife remembered to bring silicone wax earplugs for both of us and once those were in, conversation became truly impossible but did offer a bit of protection from the relentless audio assault.
Sadly, there were several children below ten years of age, all of whom are more susceptible to hearing damage from amplified music. But, the D.J. took no prisoners.
In my opinion, the D.J. (or live band, for that matter) will make or break your event. If you're doing the hiring and paying the fees, YOU decide on the volume of music, not the DJ.
Earlier in the year, we attended a Sweet-sixteen party for a neighborhood youngster. Not only was the music in excess of 110 decibels, it was also unrecognizable as music, it was electronically produced noise.
We have a friend who organizes monthly country and western, and line dancing events. He carries a decibel meter and he holds the DJ/musicians to 100 decibels. The hired help knows this in advance and must agree to the volume level.
As for my wife and I, we've witnessed enough expensive and beautiful events ruined by those deaf humanoids manning the noise generators. We'll be more selective in the affairs we attend but we will always have our earplugs with us, just in case.
Everything was fine until the D.J. cranked up the volume to a level that was punishing to us mere mortals. Conversation became impossible. To be sure, the younger portion of the wedding guests seemed to thoroughly enjoy the music and the dance floor was crowded. But, for dozens of guests, all we could do was remain at our seats like zombies. After a while we became hoarse from trying to scream a message into someone's ear.
Fortunately, my wife remembered to bring silicone wax earplugs for both of us and once those were in, conversation became truly impossible but did offer a bit of protection from the relentless audio assault.
Sadly, there were several children below ten years of age, all of whom are more susceptible to hearing damage from amplified music. But, the D.J. took no prisoners.
In my opinion, the D.J. (or live band, for that matter) will make or break your event. If you're doing the hiring and paying the fees, YOU decide on the volume of music, not the DJ.
Earlier in the year, we attended a Sweet-sixteen party for a neighborhood youngster. Not only was the music in excess of 110 decibels, it was also unrecognizable as music, it was electronically produced noise.
We have a friend who organizes monthly country and western, and line dancing events. He carries a decibel meter and he holds the DJ/musicians to 100 decibels. The hired help knows this in advance and must agree to the volume level.
As for my wife and I, we've witnessed enough expensive and beautiful events ruined by those deaf humanoids manning the noise generators. We'll be more selective in the affairs we attend but we will always have our earplugs with us, just in case.
You better start swimming or you'll sink like a stone.
(understatement)
