Can I get a recommendation?

I'm in a rock band playing small bars with a loud drummer. Everyone turns up. My ears have been ringing, and that's no good.

Sure, I could spend hours doing the research, but, as with so many things, it occurs to me that tapping into the wealth of expertise around here makes much more sense.

Not sure I can afford custom-molded plugs, but recommendations for both generic and custom are appreciated. I've tried the $10 stuff at Guitar Center in the past, and was less than impressed, despite claims of flat frequency response attentuation. They also hurt. I have smallish ear canals, I guess; I invariably use the smallest inserts that come with new earbuds.

Are there truly products out there that will reduce the volume without losing the feel of music?