General
Poppodium Advertises Concert 'Without Earplugs' as Safe, But It Turns Out to Be a Mistake
Amsterdam’s Melkweg pop venue admitted that advertising Blaudzun’s recent concert as safe without earplugs was incorrect and misleading. The event reached 95 decibels, exceeding the World Health Organization’s weekly exposure limit of 75 minutes at that volume. Although organizers Oormerk initially claimed the sound level was low enough to forgo protection, experts and medical professionals criticized the claim. Melkweg acknowledged its communication failed to adequately emphasize hearing safety, while Oormerk stated it would refine its messaging to better reflect the experimental nature of the show. Despite removing the term "earplugs" from press releases, the organization’s website still claims the performance causes no hearing damage.
Ozetta summarises; the reporting is the newsroom's