Austinist: New Noise Ordinance Kills Live Music at Freddie's

Mike Licht

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 11:54:09 -0600

What is the legally allowable sound pressure level for motor vehicle operation in Austin, Travis County, and Texas? guess lots of folks will have to walk to clubs in South Austin. Way back in the last century, the loudest sounds at Hector's Taco Flats were the motorcycles gunning out of the beer garden. And APD needs to arrest anyone who orders a blender drink - those machines are way over the noise threshold.

AsherBaruch

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 07:43:32 -0600

Some modern Red River history for you, Billy.... Room 710, which precedes your beloved Mohawk by about 5 years, and is half the name inspiration of your hardassed Red 7, was begun by me and my former business partner within the first year of my move from Los Angeles. So suck on that like you should a tailpipe, okay? LOL

Random

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 17:30:46 -0600

Bullshit. They're often the only ones that understand the nuances. Or at least appreciate them on some level.

billyzing

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:27:30 -0600

moderates are the most dangerous people in any debate though.

billyzing

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:19:57 -0600

David you sound schizophrenic. "Although I believe if you choose to live in the frying pan - you will get burned!" "...when your club/restaurant is near or in a residential area then you should be aware of the noise ordinance and try and be a good neighbor" "IT'S AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT!!!" And it's a royal fuck you, not just to that condo ,or this house - but for anybody who expects it to be quiet on Red River, 6th Street - or near any of our beloved institutions. And Forget about my attitude. It's not worth as much as the condos. And apparently the music means even less If you disagree, we invented Cedar Park for you.

angryrobot

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:02:08 -0600

If the reported moderate noise level and time of day make the complaint seem silly, I suggest people stop taking these sorts of tactics at face value. Rather, look for the secondary and tertiary impacts the ANC are after. I assume what they want to do by cutting off live music is reduce the revenues, and thus the viability, of nearby existing and potential future businesses that impact traffic, parking, and the flow of outsiders in their neighborhoods.

Davidx3

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 14:11:24 -0600

By the way, Billyzing, the late shows at Stubb's were stopped looong before those condos went up! Look at the house across the street from Stubbs next to Jaime's...they were the ones to complain and stopped the shows.(As well as having Red Eye Fly soundproof its patio.) They no longer live there as I believe Stubb's bought them out. But this problem has existed for a long time. When Emo's first opened we had to switch the direction of the outside stage and soundproof what we could. It was a pain in the ass but we had complaints from the Sheraton Hotel (unfounded)and Miss Emma Lynn (who lives on 6th St!) but we did it because we wanted to be good neighbors. (yeah, I know...we were punks but we were NICE punks! Ha!) This "fuck you" attitude some clubs have exhibited is not helpful to their cause. (Although I believe if you choose to live in the frying pan - you will get burned!) 6th St and the surrounding Entertainment District should be exempt from some of the noise issues! (IT'S AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT!!!) But when your club/restaurant is near or in a residential area then you should be aware of the noise ordinance and try and be a good neighbor (hell, you depend on their patronage to survive!) Pissing them off will only bring the law and that eventually results in loss of liquor license! (Which TABC LOVES to do! Ha!) And although I think the city's slogan: "Live Music Capitol of the World" is more "bumper sticker" than belief...I think this city need to rethink the noise ordinance policy...unless, of course, if you live next to ME! Then turn that crap down! Ha!

Aaron Haley

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 13:33:25 -0600

Again, and this can't be said enough... If the city wants to promote tourism and goodwill by claiming that we're the "Live Music Capitol of the World" then put your money where your annoying political mouth is. 70db is basically a normal conversation level. I agree that local residents shouldn't be bothered by a place that wasn't there perhaps when they bought the house, but be reasonable. 7pm and 70db?! That's a joke, just like the city council and just like the claim that they are even remotely helpful in promoting live music in this city. If anything it happens in spite of them not by being helped by them.

triman

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 13:10:45 -0600

Agreed, I can hear the traffic from S 1st, the fact that sometimes I can hear the music from Freddies just shows its as loud, probably when there is no traffic as is often the case late after 9pm. Don't get me wrong here, I'm not complaining. Just suggesting to those who jump on the bandwagon of just blaiming the residents, that in some cases, and I don't know if this is one, they're not the daemons they are made out to be. I just got through reading the link to the council meeting shilli posted, do we know if Fred applied for the aforementioned CS1 zoning and if it was/wasn't granted or took this up with Council member Martinez who'd said he work with the businesses ??

elvislives

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 13:05:26 -0600

From Freddie's craigslist post yesterday, "Our ambient sound level (with no music playing) was 67 db." Does that mean a screaming child or barking dog will get Freddie a $500 fine? Violation!

billyzing

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 13:05:20 -0600

suck on shit you california fucktards that goes for anybody who moved in across from club deville as well, rendering all stubbs shows completed by 10:30. This is Austin. These are our playgrounds. You move on one, you get sand in your shoe. Oh yeah, and I agree with some others that a final fuck you is reserved for the city council. What are you thinking! Dillinger for President

mdahmus

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 12:56:58 -0600

"as much amplification" This is kind of a misrepresentation, if reports are correct; the amount of sound we're talking about was miniscule - hardly above background (traffic) noise. The old ordinance (or old enforcement of same) _was_ a compromise - restaurant couldn't play sound over 85db; you make it sound like it was an unlimited license to blast sound.

triman

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 12:54:04 -0600

Well, you know what they say, if you don't like what you've got, change it. The problem isn't the downtown condo dwellers in this instance, its the people who live just the other side of the creek from Freddies, in some cases less than 100ft. Many of them have been there for 25+ years and didn't move into the neighborhood becuase Austin was the live music capital of the world, and becuase South Congress is a vibrant mix of bars, shopping and restaurants. So you can't expect them to just accept the commercial intrusions into their lives completely unregulated. Next up will be increased parking controls behind South Congress, trust me, I was at the neighborhood meeting, it's coming. The businesses in this and other instances, mostly have themselves to blame, or their fellow business owners. You might ask if Freddie didn't over react in this instance, or maybe could have booked some different acts in that didn't need as much amplification. Doesn't cancelling all 83 acts smack a little of I'm going to take my toys away... Instead of it being residents vs businesses, perhaps its time for the music consumers of Austin to unite and let the city know that something needs to be done. As it is it's just a battle between the two, as so many other things, noise, parking, homelessness, panhandling etc. seems to be. If some of the mayoral candidates realised that they'd be under real pressure if 5000 music consumers lobbied, instead of a few money making business, and a few whinging NIMBY residents(no offence meant to neighbors across the creek from Freddies, I meant in general), maybe a reasonable compromise could be found. Disclaimer: I live off S 1st within a few blocks of Freddies, when the wind is in the right direction I can hear the music from Freddies, but Freddies was there and playing music when I moved in, so personally I feel I have no right to complain.

kelsoATX

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 12:27:10 -0600

I hope the selfish person that called to complain about Freddie's noise on a Friday at 6:55pm is happy (it was in the Daily Texan today). Our city council is notorious for bending over backwards to please the whiniest .01% of the population.

kelsoATX

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 12:26:35 -0600

supesec

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 12:18:49 -0600

This is typical, oh well, just more evidence the City Council (and a lot of Austin residents) don't really support live music in Austin despite what they say in public.

mdahmus

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 12:17:07 -0600

Thanks for the link, shilli. Those who fell for the nonsense about this being because condo dwellers didn't like the noise need to understand that the same crowd behind this effort has been trying for decades to shut down music at restaurants (including a failed effort to get people to call restaurants on Barton Springs "night clubs" back in the 1990s, among other things).