August 14, 1986

Gerald J. Morris
Norshor Bldg.
Silver Bay, MN 55614

Dear Gerald:
Your letter regarding the Bob Dylan/Grateful Dead concert at Minneapolis
Metrodome on June 26, 1986 has been forwarded to us for response. We are, of
course, concerned about your unhappiness with the concert, and believe you are
entitled to an explanation.
The Minneapolis Metrodome is a large facility with a pneumatically suspended
roof. This was the first concert held there. The Beach Boys played the
facility for a baseball crowd following a game, but their performance was in
no way comparable to a concert. The building's architecture provides some
impediments to sound quality to certain portions of the building, which can
only be solved by structural changes to the building's acoustical quality.
The pneumatic suspension causes an interior air density of more than one and
one-half atmospheres, which impedes the travel of sound through the room. This
can largely be overcome by the use of sound reinforcement towers, which were
placed 240 feet in front of the stage. Since the sound from the stage ampli
fiers travels at the speed of sound, and the electrical impulses to the sound
reinforcement towers travels at the speed of light, the towers are timed to <
millisecond by sophisticated measuring equipment, so that the sound from the
stage amplifiers and from the sound reinforcement towers reaches the remote
audience at exactly the same time, giving a larger, clearer sound, which
appears to emanate from the stage.
The sound engineers obtained architectural drawings of the Metrodome from the
Metrodome staff, and the placement of all speakers was determined from the
equipment manufacturers' specifications, which experience has proved accurate.
Templates showing the reach of the sound are prepared and placed over 1"
drawings of the building, so that the sound is precisely placed. Final verifi
cation of the sound quality was made with a B &' K Model 2032 Computerized
Sound Analyzer, and sound samples were taken on the flat part of the field, in
the lower, medium and upper seating sections, and in the side, rear and front.
The measurements showed that in small sections of the stadium, there was more
than four seconds reverberation time, coming mostly from the ceiling at all
angles, which impaired acoustical presence.

Grateful Dead
BOX 1073, SAN RAFAEL, CA 94915 • TELEPHONE (415) 457-2322
G. Morris
August 14, 1986
Page Two

We have received relatively few complaints about sound quality, and the concert
received good reviews. From these factors, plus our own observations, we
have to conclude that few people were inconvenienced. For that reason, we are
unable to offer refunds.

In summary,while we strive for perfection and regret anything less,no expense

or effort was spared in attempting to make the Metrodome Concert a pleasurable
sound experience for all attending.

Dan Healy
Sound Director,
Grateful Dead
 7380 Jensen Ave. S.
Cottage Grove, Mn. 55016
August 18, 1986

Sound Director
Grateful Dead
Box 1073
San Rafael, Cal. 94-915

Dear Mr. Healy:

Your technical letter of August 14, 1986, did nothing

to appease me in regard to the anger and frustration
I have felt as a result of the Dylan/Dead concert at
the Minneapolis Metrodome on June'~:26, 1986. Not only
did I dislike heing patronized with all your technical
lingo on the first page of your letter, hut it was
your second page that was really the killer. Come on
Dan, do you really expect me to "believe that you have
.tively few complaints about the sound
quality? The letter that I received from the production
company responded in a letter to me that they had re-
p.pivrH a m /m-RiE nv noMTST.ATTvmng in regards to the sound
quality at the concert. I am much more apt to believe
them than you. Besides, I heard quite a number of
people around me grumbling about the terrible sound.
As for your second point in which you write,
"...the concert received good reviews." I would like to
challenge that statement. I subscribe to the St. Paul
Pioneer Press and Dispatch and the dav after the concert
the paper stated how bad the sound quality at the concer
was. If you need confirmation, I will gladly send you
the article from the paper regarding the concert.^
Third, on page two of your letter you state you are not
offering refunds because, based on your own observations,
you concluded that few people were inconvenienced. What
sort of observations did you make Dan? Were you at the
concert? I doubt that, and even if you were, I highly
doubt you were sitting next to me (the person who was
was also complaining about the sound). Your observations
were biased.
Fourth, you write that because so few people were
inconvenienced (your conclusion), you are unable to
offer refunds. What is the problem here, Dan? If
so few people were inconvenienced, why can't you offer
them a refund? Certainly a refund to a "few people"
will not cause bankruptcy for the Grateful Dead.
I guess you can tell by now that I was thoroughly dis
appointed with your response and I will not be satisfied
until 1 receive a full refund for the price of the
ticket($20) as well as .880 for postage. I will be
forwarding copies of this letter to Rosewood Productions
as well as the Metrodome Commission.

S i n c e r e l y,

Anita M. Kennedy
cc: Rosewood Productions
Metrodome Commission
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Page 2
Mr. Jerry Bell
Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
January 7, 1987

intelligible unless you were directly on axis of one of the high frequency
horns.

We question whether the interior air density inside the Metrodome is indeed
greater than one and one-half atmospheres. Even given that as fact, it would
not "impede the travel of sound through the room". It will attenuate
frequencies above lOKHz which will somewhat affect intelligibility.
Temperatures and humidity would have a much greater affect on how the sound
travels through the space.

The real need for delayed sound reinforcement towers is to provide uniform
sound coverage and sound pressure levels. Sound levels decrease six decibels
each time the distance from the source is doubled. An example of this is:

Sound level produced by a loudspeaker is specified as 120

decibels at 4 feet with full power.

4' 120dB
114dB
16' 108dB
32' l02dB
64' 96dB
128' 90dB
256' 84dB

You can clearly see the need for additional delayed sound reinforcement towers
to maintain typical concert sound levels of 115 decibels or greater. The
Metrodome system has been measured at a consistent 101 decibels in the seating
area with peaking capability of 118 decibels. Delaying the audio signal to
the sound reinforcement towers preserves the presence effect by giving the
listener the illusion that the sound in coming from the source (stage) and
also allows it to arrive at the listener "in time" with the source sound. If
this was not done, the listener would hear an echo.

Technology does allow us to computer design sound systems with great accuracy.
All of the manufacturer's performance specifications of the loudspeaker are
incorporated into the program. The design program allows us to design a
system with uniform sound coverage (plus or minus 3dB within the area is an
accepted practice) and acceptable intelligibility. Intelligibility is
measured in ALCONS or percent of articulation loss of consonants or most
recently, in RASTI. Fifteen percent articulation loss of consonants is
considered maximum allowable for a sound system with nothing greater than ten
percent loss being desired. RASTI equivalents are a maximum of 46 with
nothing less than .52 being desirable.
Page 3
Mr. Jerry Bell
Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
January 7, 1987

Both the loudspeaker performance specifications and the room acoustics (reverb
time) are used in calculating the intelligibility of a system. Once the
system is properly designed, installed and tuned, it should provide uniform
sound coverage, uniform frequency response, and intelligible sound. This
assures all listeners that there are no "dead spots" or "hot spots" in the
seating area, that the sound will be natural and pleasing to hear, and that
they will understand what they hear. I can only assume from Dan Healy's
letter that all of these steps were followed.

The reverberation time referred to as four seconds is a concern and at nine as

measured, is a real concern. Reverberation time is the length of time
measured in seconds for the reverberant sound to decay 60 decibels. As was
evident in the previous paragraph, reverberation time is critical in the
performance of a sound system. Also of importance is reflected sound. Good
sound system design practice dictates that no sound be directed toward flat
vertical surfaces, creating direct reflections.

Apparently, the major complaint about the concert is that people had
difficulty understanding. Several factors come into play here, including the
coverage. Assuming that a system is designed correctly, a sound engineer
doing the show mix can run the instrument levels high enough above the vocal
levels to "bury" the vocals. Thus, a poor mix can be perceived as poor sound.
It is my assumption that this was not the case.

Our technician attending the concert observed two major factors that would
contribute to poor sound. First, the delayed sound reinforcement towers were
elevated and angled such that sound was being directed onto the front glass
surfaces of the private suites. This created some unfavorable reflections.
Second, the power amplifiers were operating in "clip" most of the time. Some
manufacturers install colored indicators on the front panels of amplifiers to
indicate to the user that the amplifier is operating in a mode beyond its
capability to produce clean undistorted sound. This is commonly called a clip
indicator. Since it was observed that the clip indicators were on, I must
assume that the loudspeakers were receiving a distorted signal.

During construction of the Metrodome, a concert sound system was designed and
proposed, but not accepted. By today's standards, neither the fidelity or
power of the system would be acceptable for concert use, but the concept, in
my opinion, remains essentially correct. It included a speaker cluster that
would be suspended above the stage. A single suspended cluster is always more
successful than "stacks". Midway down the field was another cluster on a
lift. This group of speakers were on an audio delay system. The field
speakers were to be used in conjunction with the house clusters through an
elaborate delay matrix.

I believe that it is not possible to provide acceptable sound both on the

Page 4
Mr. Jerry Bell
Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
January 7, 1987

field and in the seats, unless the overhead clusters are used. This would
mean that the visiting sound company and our company would have to work
closely to achieve the optimum result. This would ultimately benefit the
commission and the performer. We have become very familiar with the facility
over the past years with various events and probably understand the sound
problems better than anyone.

In closing, I offer our assistance anytime you consider activities in the

Metrodome that require more than the permanent sound system. We need to work
toward a common goal of having the customer feel good about the show and about
the facility.

Please do not hesitate to call if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

MTS NORTHWEST SOUND, INC.

Lent-.
Robert Thompson
Vice President

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 OOH 7

METRODOME COMMISSION STATEMENT

Date: June 26-? 1986

Venue: Bob Dylan., Tom Petty, Grateful Dead show

AFTER TAX GROSSES

Bob Dylan
—combined
Tom Petty $ 76 ,081 .94 m,

Grateful Dead $_ 1 08,734 .75 i

TOTAL AFTER TAX GROSSES 184 ,816.69 v 3

LESS NON-COMMISSIONABLE REVENUE
NlI E 60,000.00

COMMISSIONABLE REVENUE 12 4.816.69

METRODOME PERCENTAGE X 10%

NET DUE METRODOME 12 ,481 .67

CASH OR CHECK NO /~)//'n

RECEIVED BY
TITLE
February 3, 1986
Dennis Alfton
Jerry Bell
Metro Sports Commission
HHH Metrodome
900 South 5th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55415
Dear Dennis and Jer.py;"^'"""'

usta np.teto-:-Gon|;r-rm'the' hold we have art-anged for a

possible Grateful Dead' and Friends concert foY June 26,
1986. \. /
Our load in would be aTEex^Tn^T^tWTTfyonts on June 24,
or early on June 25. The show would be June 26 with an'
immediate load out that would have the dome cleared by
three in the afternoon on June 27.

We would have reserved seats on the Dome floor and a Dome

fl o o r fi r e p r o o f t a r p e l i n . T h e s t a g e w o u l d s i t o n p l y w o o d .

If the show comes together the Grateful Dead Friends would

include Bob Dylan. The show will not be played if he is
unable to perform.
I have explained to the show producer that the Dome is
rent free with a 10% Dome tax, and a 6% sales tax. I am
assumingthat the 10% tax would cover the costs of power,
a i r c o n d i t i o n i n g , c l e a n u p , t r a f fi c p o l i c e , e t c . C h a i r s '
you own, plywood you own, etc.
Please give me a call if you see any problems with the
above. I am sending them some Dome photos that we are
shooting. I certainly hope they accept the site.
Best Regards, /~n

I Vf —- X
Randy Levy
Vice Pres\idejit--
schonJrrodtjctions, INC

526 Nicollet Mall, Second Floor, Minneapolis, MN 55402/(612) 332-6575