There used to be a club here called Grafiti. Their concert room was tintinitis hell. It was too small, and if a band played loud it hurt. When Steeleye Span played there it was a horror.
When I caught Steeleye Span they were at the Carnegie Music hall, built a hundred years ago, when Carnegie had Lillian Russel herself in to test the accoustics. They could play as loud as they liked. The concert was wonderful.
I went to hear the Chieftains at an attrocity called the I.C. Light Amphitheater. Who was the genius who put up an outdoor concert hall in between the Fort Pitt Bridge, Carson Street, and the railroad tracks? I think the only bands that would do well there are the kind that would give you tintinitis.
A lot depends on the venue. Someone should remember that people go to concerts to hear music.
Oh, if you're playing in Pittsburgh the best accoustics in town are at the auditorium at the Soldiers and Sailors memorial. The Carnegie Music and Lecture halls run a close second.