New pet peeve: Loud music in coffee shops

[Lydia Leftcoast]

As many of you know, I work at home, so I developed the habit of taking my laptop to the nearest coffee shop to work for an hour or two, just to have a change of scenery.

It worked great for nearly four years. Then, all of a sudden, they have a new crew at the coffee shop, a crew that plays loud garage band music, the kind with screaming vocalists and buzzing guitars. I go to complain that I can't concentrate, and the baristas sniff and say: "No one else is complaining." Well, no, and the place is distinctly deserted during school hours. (After school, it becomes a high school hangout.)

So I go in search of a new hangout. The trouble is that I just tried the third of four coffee shops in walking distance of my apartment, and it's the same think: loud music, not garage band this time, but loud vocal jazz. The one before that played folk, again loudly. I actually like vocal jazz and folk, but why so loud? I even try putting on the earphones and listening to the instrumental music on my iTunes, but the vocals come through over them.

Tomorrow I try the fourth shop. I hope it works out.

What's really infuriating is that the previous crew at the first coffee shop played classical or instrumental jazz, which was perfect for working and talking.

The moral of this story is that if you control the music at a coffee shop, please remember to keep it at a reasonable level and emphasize instrumental over vocal music. Thank you.

[Danger Mouse]

1. I like to hear neat music I haven't heard before in cofffee shops...

but I prefer it in the BACKGROUND, not punching me in the face with a sonic fist of despair.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

2. Yes, when I can hear it over the instrumental music that's coming thru

the earphones (and I have big ear-covering ones), that's just too damn loud.

[hvn_nbr_2]

3. I guess the barista crew thinks you're too old for coffee and should...

just go home and drink your Metamucil, extra lumpy.

[Rabrrrrrr]

4. Personally I would like to see all non-live music banned in all stores, restaurants, cafes, shops...

Drives me insane, this country's constant need for NOISE NOISE NOISE everywhere and everywhen.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

5. Quiet instrumental music helps me focus

but since I'm a translator who works with words in two languages, extraneous words, even the words to temper tantrum garage band rock, make it impossible to concentrate.