FAQ

Why don't I just listen at home on my headphones?

Because unless you're very lucky, we're guessing you don't own a massive cinema sound system. And if you do, we imagine your neighbours probably don't like you much.

Why ever go to the cinema if you can just download or stream the film to watch at home? Why go to a pub if you can drink at home? Besides, how often do you really put aside the time to just listen without any distractions?

There's something incredibly special about feeling the bass moving through your body, hearing the sound fill the space around you, and experiencing your favourite music in comfort, silently sharing the experience alongside other people. The combination of volume, the physicality of the low end and the darkness brings about a sort of meditative state.

Basically, don't knock it until you've tried it.

Are your events really held in complete darkness?

We've allowed ourselves a tiny bit of poetic license here (we love alliteration). We turn out all the house lights at our events to get the room as dark as possible, but fire safety regulations mean we have to keep fire exit lights on. So, at most of our events, you'll also receive a Pitchblack Playback eye mask in case you want to completely immerse yourself.

What happens at your events?

You grab a drink if you want one (although a few of our venues do not have bars), take your seat, kick back and relax. Before we start, we ask everyone to turn their phones to silent, to keep their phones in their pockets at all times, and to refrain from talking, whispering or singing.

We turn the lights out, play the album loud, in full, in the dark. And that's it. Food is usually available at our venues before and after the playback.

How do you play your music?

We play 16-bit or 24-bit uncompressed files. We NEVER play compressed lossy formats (basically, we play the highest definition files we can find which give the most detailed and full sound). We use 24-bit files wherever possible at the highest available sample rate.

Aside from events where the album is available in a Dolby Atmos or 5.1 version (which we advertise as such), we 'upmix' stereo files to surround sound to make full use of the venue's sound system and to create an immersive sound field. We love the effect that this creates as it means the music is coming from all around you rather than just from the front. It's a different way to listen to music.

I can't come any more! Can I resell my ticket or give it to someone else?

Sorry, our tickets are not refundable. You can give them to someone else though if you bought them on our Shopify site or the box office of a cinema we work with. 

I can't find my ticket / order confirmation email!

If you bought your ticket through our website's Shopify system, email us at info@pitchblackplayback.com and we'll look up your order for you. If you bought it through one of our venue partners' box offices / websites, please contact them.

What time does the event start?

Please refer to your ticket, order confirmation or our event page and make sure you arrive by the stated time as you will not be allowed to enter once the session has started under any circumstance due to health & safety restrictions. You are not entitled to a refund if you arrive late for any reason.

If you bought your ticket through our Shopify system, the session time will be shown somewhere in your order confirmation (look carefully, we promise it's there!)

Anything else I should know before coming?

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Our events take place in an enclosed space and in the dark. Hence, your attendance at our events carry with it risks that we cannot entirely eliminate. These include the risk of personal injury.

RULES

You must act responsibly and sensibly at all times.

You must not participate if you are under the influence of alcohol or non-prescription drugs.

You must follow any safety warnings or instructions displayed or given to you by a member of staff.

You must take sensible precautions to protect against the spread of COVID-19.

By attending our events you accept that you have a responsibility to inform us if you test positive for COVID-19 within 14 days of having attended one of our events, and that if you do we will inform other audience members that an anonymous member of the audience of the event attended has tested positive.

In the absence of any negligence or other breach of duty by us, participation in our events is entirely at your risk.