I guess you just have to be realistic about what kind of SPL you realistically expect from a pair of 8" speakers...
Are there any clip lights? Can you see them from where you are playing? Have you payed special attention to the manufacturers insistence on 'line level' ONLY (whatever THAT means!
). HOW much 'line level'?
Me, I'd take a GOOD look at your mixer meters (if you use one) and make sure nothing goes above 0db. No red lights, no nothing. A lot of mixers will happily go well into the red (or at least yellow!) which is considerably above 0db. If you are then feeding that as 'line level' to the speakers, and then turning DOWN the attenuator on the input, you might try dropping your mixer levels and turning the attenuator back up on the speakers....
I just think it's crazy to do a medium full room on 8" woofers without a sub. These were initially touted as being great for stage monitoring or QUIET PA to get a balanced sound. Now you are hammering them and are surprised if they don't hold up? You can blow up ANYTHING if you push it too hard, from PAS to Vertec (or at least hit the brickwall and be unable to go louder!).
I certainly wouldn't use my Mackie 824's as a PA in a 100+ function in a medium room if I was expected to be foreground....