I'd say Acid Mothers Temple and Japanese New Music Festival (especially Ruins Alone). Boredoms probably too.
Grunt and Prurient also felt fucking devastating considering that they performed in a small theatre. the place was rumbling and shaking. the low-end frequencies were massive.

all you pussies getting tinnitus for a whole week obviously don't go to see enough loud music

Mouthus (I was trapped by the vibrations)
Acid Mothers Temple

melt banana, hands down. it was loud in every frequency and devastating; when they played their microsongs, the drums sounded louder than when they played their longer songs.

before that was slayer at ozzfest '04, they sounded like if they had their full stacks at ten in a tiny practice space but were actually at an amphitheater.

wolf eyes is by far the least loud noise show i've ever seen.

i've been to countless of shows that have hurted my ears, but some that i particularly remember now are the second time i saw ministry, the second time i saw sunno))) and the first time i saw hototogisu. also both times i saw kawabata makoto & jf pauvros (i guess that gives them bonus points) and the first time i saw atari teenage riot. bardo pond at atp 2006 as well, but that was mostly because i was so stupid to stand right in front of a big speaker stack and didn't want to leave.

it more often depends on the venue than on the band in my experience.

Dinosaur Jr. by far.

Heh. Add another one for Dinosaur Jr.

You can also chalk up that I couldn't hear properly for 3 days afterward. I had trouble sleeping because of the ringing for 2 of those days. I couldn't hear normal conversation almost at all.

Shannon Wright/Sleater-Kinney Sept 2002 @ the Highlands in Hollywood. fucking louded show ever, it sounded like I was at the bottom of a pool for the next three days!

Did you put your ears up against the speakers ? It's not the better way to listen to music, I think.

Alec Empire.

Velvet Underground

Though John Coltrane with Elvin Jones left my ears ringing as well.

I was ten feet from the edge of the stage and J and his monster rig.







This video was shot from near the back of the venue. (I didn't shoot the video. I was most closer)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7aa8uOimfc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCDgv...eature=related



Just out of the bottom of the frame here.

Rusted Shut back in the day, old Houston noise rock band, still plays from time to time. so fucking loud, small clubs/bars/dives.

The Scientists - they were Sonic Youth's support band at the Daydream Nation shows. They played Blood Red River. I was in the seated area, so I wasn't that close, but I couldn't hear my friend yelling at me, at the top of his voice, "I DON'T LIKE THIS BAND!!!" It was only in between songs that I found out what he said.

Ministry two years ago .

you know i don't remember. i rarely go to shows anymore. actually when i saw the sword they were loud as fuck and the last time i saw against me! (about 4 years ago) they were loud as hell (but the club was kind of small so maybe that's why).

You sir, are an incredibly honest man!

Mine was easily Painkiller (John Zorn, Bill Laswell, and the drummer from Nuclear Assault). It was devastating, and I've seen the Melvins plenty of times, and saw SY on the Bad Moon Rising tour. Nothing compared to Painkiller. Laswell's bass was totally subharmonic, and it was only when Zorn would come in with the screeching sax from hell that I would realize how loud the music was that I was already listening to! I was going through a divorce at the time and found Painkiller to be the most aptly named band in my whole life. I still thank them for that night.

Wolf Eyes, Merzbow, My Cat Is An Alien..?

eric copeland warming up animal collective in boston was insanely loud. someone next to me described it as merzbow with melodies. and animal collective were pretty loud too.
the melvins where also loud.
oh and i saw a rollins band show at the avalon in BO and i stood right next to the speakers, the bass drum might have been the loudest thing that i have heard. and it was such a shitty show...so not worth it (but x played after them making it way worth it)