Interesting coincidence ...

... while reading and posting to Paul's "Larger PA systems" thread, I heard an interesting news report.
The town of East Greenwich RI is on a bay that during the summer is a very active waterfront community. In a small area on the bay there are 3 or 4 restaurants that employ live music, mostly outdoors. Of course, the neighboring residents complain annually about the 'noise' level. The news report was stating that tonight the EG town council was going to hear arguments for and against lowering the acceptable decibel level from 65 to 60. Residents don't think it's low enough, restaurant owners feel they will lose business to other areas that allow loud music.

Small Town Council's don't usually get involved below 85 db... but ya never know. 60 db would be a death knell to just about any live performance. You are right, Tony... the paying customers will find similar venues in different towns. Surely they can find a way to compromise? (Probably not!)

And then there were none...

When I was in Marathon Key, Florida, all amplified, outdoor music not permitted beyond 10 p.m.. There was a $500 fine for violating this law - even in the marina where I was performing.

Gary

Tony sure sounds the residents are in for a battle with the noise ordinance. Live music 7 nights per week! I for one wouldn’t want to live in that section of East Greenwich, especially at the prices home owners are paying there.

In this world we live in people are not concerned with the other guy, just about themselves. Right or wrong is not part of their thinking.

John C.

This thread has caused me to wonder if there are sound/noise control devices or "barriers" (whether actual or electronic or even other forms of technology) that the venue owner could use (if affordable) to circumvent this problem? We all know that sound can be dampened or re-directed... but I wonder if affordable and reliable devices exist to help solve this problem.

Discovering a need is usually part of the process that "triggers" the process of invention. Does something already exist? If not, opportunity knocks!

Just thinking out-loud. ----Dave

Dave your thinking is good, it’s pure.

My opinion:
If the music was there before I move in the area, I must accept it, it came with the house. If the music came to and established area then it is the responsibility of the club owner to do what Dave is saying. Then that would be a nice world to live in. Sad to say that is not what we have. But I can make a difference of one.

John C.

A quick "search" on-line revealed several companies with products intended for venues that produce sound, noise, music beyond the limits imposed by local ordinances. Unfortunately, none of them reveal the cost or specifics about effectiveness... without the researcher (me) jumping through hoops or visiting "links."

I have a sneaky feeling that the cost would make the owners of such venues (unless they feature Don Mason or Gary Diamond) decide to provide other forms of entertainment. I could be wrong but I just don't have time for further research.

----Dave

Wisdom from the ols guys, PRICELESS!
John C.

John, I was about to post the same thoughts ... While most of the homes have been there for decades, I'm sure many of the residents are fairly new - after the expansion of some of the restaurants to outdoor decks ... It's akin to moving next to an airport and complaining about the air traffic ...
Part of the problem is that the restaurants and marina are at the bottom of a hill, and the homes are on the hill ... While most of the restaurants have high wooden barriers to contain the sound and keep out the sound of the band next door, I think the sound rises up the hill which leads to the complaints ...
BTW, this will be the second or third time in the past few years that the town has reduced the acceptable decibel level ...

Forty years ago in the UK some places were installing these db monitors - still see them about. They indicate like any db meter, a series of green lights then edging into yellow, then finally into red at which point power to the stage is automatically cut. Nice, eh?

We played a dump one night where just one table was occupied by a loud crowd of about ten people. They were sat under the meter's mic and were triggering well into the yellows. We asked them to move to another part of the hall. They did, and all was fine after that.

124......thanks.....for that memory. I remember the situation clearly when I was doing the pubs. Them was really good days!

But I DID learn a lesson about volume this way. I was working at this pub on a regular basis. Being good wasn't enough for me....I had to bring in 2 huge Darburn (?...made in London) amps as my sound system when one alone would probably make your ears bleed. One day the pub owner said to me "we can't have you back." Me: "Why is that?" He: "We love your music, but........YOU PLAY TOO LOUD!"

Lost the account but learned a huge lesson!

Duhhhhhh....what's that? Couldn't find it in the dictionary!