I used to wear ear defenders - my hearing is damaged as my next door nutter fired a starting pistol at me but it is still quite good - but I used to be able to hear bats when I was in my thirties.
I have been in many venues where the noise level was above my pain threshold and normal conversation impossible.

The last time I had to leave with hands over my ears was at the launch of a shanty cd - why they thought it necessary or advisable to blast out perry como singing come fly with me at the end of it I cannot imagine