If Disk Jockeys are required to, or choose to wear ear defenders, as the one 'performing' at a recent indoor gig was doing, and his were substantial, then guests at these functions should be offered the same protection to save their ears from damage from the unreasonable decibels that this sound equipment is set to work at.
The same safety courtesy should be applied to club-goers in commercial venues. Better still, there needs to be some control over the level of sound output in relation to the size of the actual indoor space.
It is impossible to have conversations, you can't socialise with people around you. Maybe socialising is a really old fashioned idea and you're not meant to.
PurpleDragon
I went to a live 'cabaret' type thing a couple of weeks ago, and the speakers were turned up really loudly. It was fun, but I wish it had been a bit quieter. I had to shout at my pals to be heard.