Downcasta live music listener's handbook

An independent handbook about live music. This is not the website of the band Downcast, its members or representatives, and we do not sell tickets.

Reference

Reference

This section explains the terms and numbers you'll see in ticket sale rules, at venues and in recording descriptions. It covers three topics: tickets, sound and hearing, and recordings and archives. Ticket rules here are Russian law and apply to events in Russia.

The numbers here come from the law, the WHO standard and format specifications. If a number isn't in a source, it isn't here either.

— Editor's note

Tickets

Refund at the ticket holder's request
No later than 10 days before the event: 100% of the price; no later than 5 days: at least 50%; no later than 3 days: at least 30%; less than 3 days out, the organizer may refuse a refund (Fundamentals of Russian Legislation on Culture, Art. 52.1).
Refund for a valid reason
For a documented illness of the ticket holder or the death of a close relative: 100% of the price, even on the day of the event. Documents are submitted before the event date or, if impossible, within an additional two weeks.
Cancellation, replacement, rescheduling
The ticket holder may return the ticket for a full refund.
Named ticket
A ticket issued to a specific person; it can be transferred to someone else no later than 10 days before the event.
Promo ticket
A ticket sold through a promotion or special program; it may be non-refundable, so check the seller's terms.

Sound and hearing

dB LAeq
Equivalent (time-averaged) sound level in decibels; the WHO standard for venues averages it over 15 minutes.
Venue limit
An average sound level of no more than 100 dB LAeq over 15 minutes, per the WHO Global Standard (2022).
The six WHO standard measures
Keeping to the limit; monitoring sound levels; venue acoustics and sound system; hearing protection for the audience; quiet zones for rest; staff training and information.
Weekly allowance
According to the WHO and ITU, exposure to 80 dB for up to 40 hours a week is considered safe for adults.
Scale of the problem
The WHO estimates that about 40% of people aged 12–35 in high- and middle-income countries are exposed to potentially harmful sound levels at entertainment venues.

Recordings and archives

CD-Audio
44.1 kHz, 16-bit, stereo.
FLAC
A lossless audio compression format.
MP3 and AAC
Lossy audio compression formats.
Vinyl record
Common playback speeds are 33⅓ and 45 rpm.
Web archive
A service that stores copies of web pages, such as Internet Archive / Wayback Machine (web.archive.org); not every page or image is saved.

Articles on this section's topics

  • How-to articles

    How to buy a concert ticket without losing money, plus a list of upcoming articles.

  • Questions and answers

    Short answers on ticket refunds, concert volume, recording formats and filming.

  • Reading lists

    Reading paths: before your first concert, when plans change, and for record collectors.

  • Archived address: photo gallery (in Russian)

    About the old photo gallery address and how to find archived copies of pages.

  • Questions and answers

    Short answers on ticket refunds, concert volume, recording formats and filming.

  • Reading lists

    Reading paths: before your first concert, when plans change, and for record collectors.

  • What's new

    A dated feed of new handbook articles.

Sources

  • Fundamentals of the Legislation of the Russian Federation on Culture (Art. 52.1)
  • WHO. Global Standard for Safe Listening Venues and Events (2022)
  • WHO and ITU. Safe listening recommendations
  • Technical specifications of CD-Audio, FLAC, MP3, AAC

Information is current as of the preparation date. Ticket sale and refund rules, as well as venue policies, change over time. Before you buy, check the law in force and the organizer's terms.