Groove Armada over-50s gig prompts more than 50,000 hearing checks

Mixed · 2More than 50,000 people completed a free three-minute online hearing screener as part of a Specsavers campaign that offered a chance of tickets to a one-off Groove Armada gig for over-50s. 1 2 Mixed · 2Those who completed the screener were entered onto 'The Testlist', a club guestlist exclusively for over-50s across the UK and Ireland. 1 2 Mixed · 2The gig took place at Phonox in Brixton, London, on Thursday 15 October, the first time Groove Armada had played the venue. 1 2

Mixed · 2Among the over-50s who took the screener, 75% were advised that a consultation with a hearing specialist could be worthwhile, while 25% got results in the good-to-fair range. 1 2 Mixed · 2Safe listening measures were overseen by Adam Hill, University of Derby associate professor of electroacoustics and chair of the Healthy Ears, Limited Annoyance (HELA) Initiative, who assessed the sound system, identified a quiet zone and trained staff. 1 2 Mixed · 2Sound levels were assessed during the event and free hearing protection was given to all attendees, which the articles say aligned the event with the World Health Organization's Global Standard for Safe Listening Venues and Events. 1 2

Mixed · 2Separate research of 2,000 adults found that 47% of over-50s say some of their fondest memories centre on music they love, and 21% would attend more live music if events were designed with their generation in mind. 1 2 Mixed · 2The same poll found 75% of over-50s still attend live music events, 44% have had ringing in their ears after a show and 22% have left a venue with muffled hearing, while 61% said hearing protection would be important or essential when choosing where to go. 1 2 Mixed · 2Andy Cato of Groove Armada said that for most of their career the attitude to volume was 'the louder the better', and that he hoped the collaboration would make an ear check-up as normal as an eye check-up; bandmate Tom Findlay said looking after hearing does not mean changing how people enjoy music. 1 2

Mixed · 2Fan Jo Cammell, from Oxfordshire, who won a place after taking the screener, said it made her think about her hearing health for the first time; she had last seen the duo in Brixton in 2004. 1 2