I fully agree with Bob Delbridge's complaint re the excessive volume at musical performances at Baycourt.
I am a keen supporter of Baycourt, and in fact outline Baycourt's coming events in the newsletter and prepare for my Probus clubs.
Three events I attended left my ears ringing for weeks. One, a Tom Jones impersonator had the volume so loud that I left at interval. I wrote a letter to Baycourt who responded that they had no jurisdiction over volume control for visiting shows.
The second, a concert by an Auckland group Celtic Groove. The drummer belted away like a demented lunatic. At every lull there were cries from the audience to quieten the drummer. At one lull I shouted 'I can hear the drums in Katikati.” This remark was mentioned in the media report of the concert.
The third occurred at the excellent Last Night at the Proms concert earlier this year. The female vocalist, normally a superb singer, performed one solo to recorded music. The volume was so loud that her distorted voice sounded more like the frantic bellowing of a cow who has lost her new born calf, then her normal beautiful voice.
So please Baycourt, control your volume. If not I presume you get a commission from the audiologists who treat people with hearing problems as a result of your concerts.
John Gauld, Tauranga.