Definitely a trend which, as Winston Churchill would say, "up with which I will not put". One of the best Pacific rim fusion restaurants in Honolulu is wonderful at 6:00 PM and almost intolerable at 7:30 as the noise level increases. I plan my visits accordingly. Likewise a wonderful well known steak house in downtown Las Vegas has a nice dark wood/library ambience and plays wonderful classic jazz tunes, but the music gets louder and louder as the night goes on. What's up with that?