Sound at the Square
Strolling around Lafayette Square during Thursday's wonderful Violent Femmes show in an attempt to find a vantage point from which to both see and hear the band, I took a casual poll of people I met along the way. What do you think of the sound? Can you even hear from where you are? (I always want to make sure it's not just me.)
Of the 20 or so people I asked, not one felt that the live sound at the Square was adequate, given the massive numbers in attendance. Of course, if you are one of the folks lucky enough to grab (and keep) a spot in the area between the statue and the stage, which forms a sort of mini natural ampitheatre, the sound is well-mixed and of ample volume. So this is no criticism of the company handling the sound at the Square, which is doing (and has been doing for years) a fine job. But as the Square grows, and the ancillary streets and sidewalk areas to either side of the stage - not to mention the area in back, by the library - become heavily populated, it seems that some additional PA is in order. Thursday at the Square is certainly a social event, and should be. But it should also be about the music, and the few hundred people directly in front of the stage aside, it just isn't working out that way.
Anyone have any thoughts on this?
