Mareel - Cinema & Music Venue

[daveh]

My wife and I seemed to be the only ones walking out when we did so I didn't think that the staff would have been sympathetic to us at the time.

However, I will contact someone tomorrow at the Mareel about it.

[unlinkedstudent]

It was our first visit to the Mareel last night and we were very impressed with the place. Particularly so the toilets; surely the best public ones in town and with a superb view of the water outside as well (the toliets near the bar, that is).

 

I posted previously re the positioning of the basins in the Ladies' loos - you couldn't ask your wife if they are against the window and, if so, where the mirrors are positioned, could you?

 

Our only gripe last night, though was the music volume at the Blues festival. It was unnecessarily far too loud, probably very close to the point where it was ear-damaging, and spoilt our enjoyment. In fact, we left early to preserve our hearing and thus missed the last act entirely. Why does the music volume need to be turned up to such dangerous levels?

 

I really hope that the Mareel operators have good public liability insurance to cover potential claims for ear damage caused if it continues to allow it to be so high.

 

Ghostie is delighted to hear that the music was loud ... but we have posted repeatedly on here regarding whether or not there was a volume/sound limiter to no avail. If you look further back, I did post a link regarding volume in public buildings and if memory serves me correctly (which it might not), it is something like 85dB. We would actually prefer it louder as many bands play around the 100dB+ mark.

 

Did you enjoy Lincoln Durham? He was my fav at the boating club (where, incidently, it was also loud).

[daveh]

^^

 

I suffer from tinnitus and also wear hearing aids. I am thus fully aware of the effects caused by loud music and I can assure you that folks were at risk last night. As it happens, I turned the volume of my hearing aids right down last night but was still in pain and the tinnitus has gone up a notch today as a consequence of last night.

 

If you choose to have your hearing damaged then that is your choice but I love blues music and went along to enjoy it last night but, due to the volume, took very little pleasure from out night out.

 

For the record, Jed Potts & the Hillman Hunters were brilliant but we left straight after they finished.

[Ghostrider]

Our only gripe last night, though was the music volume at the Blues festival. It was unnecessarily far too loud, probably very close to the point where it was ear-damaging, and spoilt our enjoyment. In fact, we left early to preserve our hearing and thus missed the last act entirely. Why does the music volume need to be turned up to such dangerous levels

 

Good, good, best news I've heard about Mareel yet. There's a chance us metalheads *might* just get to use the place with the volume approaching where we want it then. Unless the glasses on the bar dance for the bass, it's a fail.

[daveh]

I can certainly recommend a decent pair of hearing aids, when the time comes, if that is what you like.

Declining hearing, accompanied by tinnitus as in my case, is most definitely not anything to joke about. If you can avoid it then you will appreciate having done so in later life.

I am not looking for any sympathy whatsoever; merely stating that you should value your hearing just as you should value your sight.

[fusion]

they will be rules on the loudness at music events, enviromentle health will tell you what the safe limits are, i would have though a brand new building would have a noise limitor or some way on measuring the level to a safe level. It's a small venue, not clickimin so it should be that loud. I have found that some sound men are a bit deaf, so they wont relise its as loud as you think. put it on their facebook page - I don't think they read this

[Ghostrider]

@ daveh: Fair do's, to each their own. I tend to take the attitude that I'd rather enjoy my music the way I like it and die stone deaf, than never experience it the way I like it at all, and have perfect hearing when I pop my clogs.

 

I've had a half decent run for my money already, so whatever else fails from here on out will just have to go, I won't resent or regret abusing it this far.

[daveh]

^^

 

Fair enough. Your choice, of course.

[Siccar]

So says the man(?) that resorts to personal insult and sticks to his own intransigent viewpoint in the face of possibly legitimate concerns or issues raised by others. Tories aren't "pleepsin" about fuel price increases or the reform of the NHS or the benefit system. Does that lack of complaint and "satisfaction" on their part automatically make them right in your rather narrow mind? It seems so.

 

You don't work there, do you, perchance? No, of course not. You're just deeee-lighted with the place, and I'm glad for you, I really am. Perhaps, some day, I'll be delighted with it as well, but not this week. Sorry if that upsets you. Well, to be honest, I'm not.

 

Why do you even bother hanging around reading the threads if folk here irk you so? Is it because you have nothing better to do? Looking for an argument you can actually finish (albeit by logging out or switching off your monitor)?

 

I'm not looking to find fault with the place. Nor, I believe, are many others here. Yet, simply because they (and I) do not agree with your views, you swear, insult and belittle. Or at least you attempt to. Pat on the back to your big, bad, brave self.

If you want a face to face debate PM me

You don't like an alternative viewpoint

Excuse me for havin a different opinion.

[Fjool]

Saw Promethius 3D last night. It was brilliant! Easily the best cinema experience I've enjoyed. The seats were very comfortable; screen, image quality and sound were spot on. That the bass made the seats rumble is excellent.

 

And far from being gimmicky, as I'd expected, the 3D really added to the experience.

 

Looking forward to going back soon.

 

[Ironwithin]

^^^^ I agree Fjool with everything you said.

[Sudden Stop]

I've been the once and was very impressed with the equipment in the cinema - both audio and visual were awesome!

 

There were however, some surprisingly disappointing things. I don't know what I originally expected, but the building was a mess. To clarify, I was only in the foyer and the area outside the cinema so I am not commenting on the cafe or any of the other parts... yet.

 

The car park verges on the rediculous - we arrived in the car during a rain shower at night and glares from those light pole thingys made it very hard to navigate. Add to that the very, bright screen/sign outside and I nearly had to wind the window down to poke my out out just to see where I was going.

 

The paint finish on the walls looked... unfinshed. Whilst I queued to watch my film I thought to myself that this was just a primer and there would be another coat or two to come. Then I realised (having spotted the poem on the wall) that no, this is it. The place has been open a couple of weeks and already it is not ageing well - scuffs and scraps everywhere. The foyer looked plainly soulless and to be frank, a bit dirty.

 

The hand prints on the wall outside the cinema . . . where to start with that . . . Who thought that would be a good idea? People cannot be trusted to draw on the walls - you end up with obscene drawings - C'mon! Who didn't see that happening?

 

In the cinema though... wow. Brilliant. Clearest image and cleanest sound I've experiened. I'll be back there tomorrow and I'm excited already!

 

Another bit of feedback though, the little stair level lights inside the cinema, reflect onto the inside of 3D glasses. Little downlighters or shrouds on the existing lights would help. Or I might glue some blinkers on the sides of my glasses instead!

[Spinner72]

^^ Agreed on the stair lights, they're on the wrong side, if they were on the seat side they might be OK, but still far too bright. Tinting them would help. This is something probably only noticeable in the outer seats.

[EM]

Concerning the issue of reserved/unreserved cinema seating I see that they have decided to change to something which is neither one or the other, supposedly a "best allocated seats" system:

 

http://www.shetlandarts.org/seating-in-mareel-cinema-update/

 

This may be an improvement for some, but I think it is worse than either reserved or unreserved. The point is that "best" varies dramatically for different punters. Some people want to be near the middle of a row for sightline reasons, others I know panic if they are not near the aisle (weak bladders). Most people prefer not to be in the front rows, whereas some like to be there. The new system will not allow any kind of choice. If they persist with it, I hope they at least modify it to allow a rough preference for front, middle, back, and row middle/end.

[Ghostrider]

^