In the 1990s, dance act Leftfield established a reputation as one of the loudest live acts of the decade, rivalling the volume boasts long associated with rock bands. While rave and electronica culture drew intense scrutiny at the time, including government attempts to curb it, Leftfield's shows demonstrated just how physically powerful the genre's basslines could be, culminating in a notorious 1996 gig that left visible damage to a well-known London venue.

At a 1996 show at Brixton Academy, Leftfield's bass reportedly peaked at 137 decibels, shaking plaster loose from the venue's decorative pillars. Despite the damage, Brixton Academy allowed the band to return four years later on condition they reduced the volume, which keyboardist Neil Barnes said they respected to avoid, in his words, bringing the building down "like the final scene in Carrie". The episode came against the backdrop of the Criminal Justice Act 1994, which had targeted rave culture by giving police powers to disperse gatherings featuring "repetitive beats", a move that also inspired The Prodigy's album Music For The Jilted Generation.