As an amateur sound engineer I'm always interested in the sound quality at the various venues I've been to. Here's my personal guide to the best and worst venues to see live bands at. Obviously this will be coloured by the sound engineer in question that night and how well the band played so take all reviews with a pinch of salt. In summary, Milton Keynes Bowl, Royal Albert Hall, Brixton Academy and Clare Cellars all good. The Cobden Club, Earls Court and Cambridge Corn Exchange worth avoiding.
The Cobden Club, Kensal Road, London I saw Morroco here, a small venue for an unsigned band. Having mixed the myself I know the band can sound very good, however the Cobden Club managed worst sound I have yet heard. Incorrectly miked instruments, horrendous distortion on the lead vocal to the point of incomprehensibility, a horrible mix and a nasty sound overall. I have since mixed the band personally much more competently.
Update :- I've been in email contact with the new sound guys at the Cobden
club who took over. They had this to say.
Ok that's fine. We didn't take over until June 2003 (morocco played for us
over the summer) and the guy we have (Dave Dix) totally overhauled the sound
in there and they're in the process of installing a new pa as well.
We're packed out every week these days and putting on loads of acts for the
industry, so if they're happy so are we. I was just curious as to how you
guys could have got it so wrong. But as it was before our time it's
irrelvent. You're more than welcome to come down whenever. We're there every
Monday and Tuesday and it's £4 to get in. You will need to contact
christian@songlink.com to get on the guest list and obviously drinking is
heavily encouraged and I'll foot the bill for any tap water you indulge in.