Bonfire night, Guy Fawkes, rockets, sparklers, fireworks galore, you expect Bonfire night to be noisy, which is why people of a nervous disposition are advised to stay in doors. It is also a good idea to ensure all pets are safe, not a lot can be done about the noise from dogs barking at the fireworks.
I, like thousands of others, went along to Sefton Park on Bonfire night to enjoy the firework display. I fully support the firework displays in the public parks. For a start the display is far better than anything that you can put on yourself. The display is much safer and it also means that there are not bonfires being lit all over the place, as used to be the case. There is also the fact that you are not spending your own money on fireworks, it is paid via your Council tax.
What I did not enjoy was the totally unnecessary musical accompaniment to the firework display supplied by an events company engaged by Liverpool City Council. Radio City presenter Rossy supplied the commentary. I’d have thought a professional radio presenter would understand the principal that means microphones make it unnecessary to shout at your audience. The music was so loud that I spent my time by the entrance to Sefton Park, as to go any nearer was to risk hearing loss.
When the firework display was taking place, totally inappropriate music was playing with the volume being turned up in an effort to drown out the noise of the fireworks. I can understand why a specialist events company was employed by Liverpool City Council for the firework display but did they really need to play music at that volume? We went to a firework display, not a concert.
If you do go to a concert in Sefton Park the volume is enough to deafen rock. Africa Oye, Africa O No, you have to be on another continent to enjoy the Music of Africa Oye, the ground is trembling the volume was so high. It’s not the music that’s the problem it’s the volume – it’s a health hazard, were are the health and safety jobsworths when we need them?
It is many years since, as a family, we have attended the grand switching on of the Christmas lights, again it is because the volume of the music leaves a ringing sensation in the ears, well it would if we had stayed for the long drawn out under whelming ceremony that the Christmas light switching on has become.
I can hear the great unwashed crying; “If it’s too loud, you’re too old” This happened recently when we went to a Silver Wedding Anniversary party in a very smart city centre hotel. The DJ was playing music so loud that conversation was difficult and when he was asked to turn it down yelled down the micro phone those words “If it’s too loud, you’re too old” He did not turn the music down, but started singing at the top of his voice. Totally spoilt the evening, when he did begrudgingly turn the music down it was only while the buffet was being served and after that the volume went up again. He was the wrong person at the wrong party, but he had been recommended by the hotel, which is why he had been booked. We had long since left and missed all this the bride didn’t like it but felt it would be too rude to leave. Her grandfather who is over 80 was one of the few not bothered by the volume he simply removed his hearing aid, unlike most of the guests he had very little hearing left to damage.
As you will realise I do not like having loud music inflicted on me so I try to avoid any situation were I know the volume will be unacceptable. Which in this day and age is pretty much everywhere, you cannot walk down Bold Street without loud music playing out of speakers over a coffee bar or buskers with amplifiers causing a public nuisance. Likewise Mathew Street, The Cavern now has speakers over the entrance blasting out loud music, The Grapes has a Karaoke at a volume to shatter glass and the other bars are trying their best to drown out the opposition.
Same with shops, on a visit to Timberland at Cheshire Oakes I asked an assistant a question three times before shouting “if your turned the music off, you would be able to hear me” the music being for the benefit of the staff, not the customers, I did not make a Timberland purchase and will avoid the store in future.
Many television programmes are now ruined with the loud, intrusive, so called background music, over powering the dialogue. I am looking forward to the day when you can turn the background music off. Why a television manufacture has not come up with this is a surprise to me, the first one who does is on to a winner. The volume in cinemas is far higher than it once was. On several occasions at FACT I have asked the volume to be turned down, as it has been painfully high, particularly during the advertisements.
I hope that the silent single does get to number one, not just because the money is going to a good cause but also the problem that it will present to the shedulers on radio stations. How do we play silence? I know we can play music so that people know it’s on.
Many people in the music industry now have hearing problems, The Beatles producer George martin, Phil Collins and Pete Townsend to name a few, there are many more. Their hearing lost has been put down to listening to music at too high a volume.
I just wish that the zealots who put so much effort into banning fox hunting, smoking in public places, car driving, would expend a little of their energies into getting the volume turned down, that would be a great public benefit.
There is an old, but very true adage, “Empty vessels make the most noise” I don’t like it and we don’t need it, can we just have one public event were the is NO music inflicted on us. Its not that I don’t like music, I do, but silence, the sound of nature and conversation all have their place so lets give them a chance and exercise the less is more adage rather than inflicting mindless noise pollution into every public space and gathering.
"It's a Wonderful Life"
(Thu 02/12)
TURN IT DOWN.
(Thu 11/11)
Do we need another Beatles book.
(Mon 11/10)
President or Pope, who is most welcome?
(Mon 16/08)
