I've had my fill of being out-volumed by those who've decided they are in the right to tromp on other folks playing acoustically simply because they can do so via their amplified volume. Today it was some guy with, not one, but two 50 watt amps pointed in my direction. I approached the individual to make my concerns known and as always was greeted by the indifference that seems to go hand in hand with those who engage in such activities. What is it with these guys?! They use the volume of their instruments as a weapon to oppress those with instruments of lesser acoustic volume. It's a very gang-like method of bullying other musicians.

This has happened to me on many occasions. When I've approached these bullies to express my lack of appreciation for the way they were treating me and what I was trying to do acoustically nearby, I was lectured by those listening to these usurpers of the available listening environment and treated as if I was the one creating the trouble. In each case the person drawing too near to where I was trying to perform acoustically and creating the louder sound, either via amplification or simply with a much louder instrument, like a drum, a horn, pipes etc. refused to recognize that I was in the area first and that what they were doing was actually intruding on what I was there doing. They selfishly and stubbornly refused to quit playing or move to another location where their volume would be less intrusive and expressed a rude and smarmy attitude about what they were doing. Never has any one of them admitted their insensitivity or lack of judgement in the matter.

Should I lower myself to their level and do exactly the same thing to them? Perhaps I should stand too close to them and disrupt their ability to play by playing my stuff too close to where they are trying to perform. I really hate to get into a turf war with these dimwits but it seems that's the only way to get through to them. There's simply no sense of the concept of compassion for others in their tiny minds. Turning the other cheek by walking away and allowing these bullies to continue to win via their unjust actions is getting a little old. What are my options? I'm running out of cheeks to turn and my cheeks are getting sore.

sore cheeks