Band organs and calliopes were built to be as loud as possible.
I operated a calliope for several years at events in Southern
California.  The best venues were parades on a wide boulevard lined
with people.  There were few complaints about the extreme volume
because their ears were subjected to the loudest sound for less than
one minute.  If the parade stopped unexpectedly I just quit playing.

The next best venue was playing at huge company picnics held in a
corner of Griffith Park in Los Angeles.  The instrument was placed
a few hundred yards from the picnic tables so that people could talk
normally.  I would give a live performance of 20 to 30 minutes and then
play a 20-minute music roll of jolly fairground songs.  No complaints.

But when I played for the grand opening of a store I knew there would
eventually be complaints from nearby residents and shopkeepers, so my
contract said I was to be paid for my time even if the police told me
to quit playing.

Robbie Rhodes
Etiwanda, Calif.