sound quality control (mixing) at live venues


I find the sonic balance at most live concerts/events I'm attending to be atrocious.Everything seems to be turned up almost to the max.
Bass blooming, producing one note bass even though you can see the bassists fingers frantically running over his strings and fret-board. I think this one issue creates a roll-on effect for everything else.
Mid-range promoted to be heard over the exaggerated bass.
Ear splitting high frequencies to overcome all of the above.Vocals maxed to be heard over everything else.
Volume in a nightclub's acoustically untreated concrete room that would be better suited to open-air stadium concerts.
It happens everywhere from cruise-ships and major venues down to the pub down the corner, with very few exceptions.
I always complement the band and sound guy at those exceptions and they seem to appreciate the response to their efforts.Trying to explain to the majority who are producing horrible sound is generally met with hostile or blank looks.

I realise it's new technology being used, iPads and digital programmes to control everything, but that can't be the real issue. Is it lack of knowledge and/or experience? Don't they know what "real" music is supposed to sound like?
I watched one "sound technician" the other night. Everything was as described above and when someone soloed, he turned them up even higher! It was ridiculous to watch as well as listen to. Even if he is doing this job for nothing, he was still a waste of money.
Maybe it's just my aging ears. Does anyone else notice or suffer from the same problems when they go to watch bands or live music?
ianrodger

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