Angry Residents Thought Bassnectar Concert 'Was An Earthquake'
By Stan Bush
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (CBS4) - Bassnectar's concert night promised a sonic boom and delivered bass tones so loud people living nearly five miles away couldn't just hear the music, they could feel it.
"I thought it was an earthquake. I looked and realized it was bass," said Joe Quillin in a complaint to the Commerce City City Council.
Quillin called the board negligent for allowing Bassnectar to have a permit at all.
"To issue a permit for that is ridiculous," he said.
This isn't the first time Bassnectar has irked neighbors. In Morrison residents were so angry last year that they convinced Red Rocks Amphitheatre to cap decibel levels effectively banning Bassnectar. Last September Bassnectar announced on Twitter the search for a new Colorado home and a promise to be loud.
Commerce City Mayor Sean Ford said the city did not research the band before issuing the concert permit.
"Commerce City imposed the most stringent ordinances possible to permit the event," said Ford.
But despite a flurry of complaints, Commerce City has refused to denounce Bassnectar; defending the concert for staying within the noise thresholds outlined in the permit of 85 dBA for treble tones and 105 dBC for bass tones.
Scott Wilson, a neighbor living close to Dick's Sporting Good Park, says it doesn't matter. He recorded noise at 72 decibels on his porch and says his entire house shook.
"We have to be neighbors and friendly neighbors. This was not a friendly event," said Wilson.
The city says they will review the process for issuing concert permits, but change hasn't been promised.
Ford says Dick's Sporting Good Park was established in a remote area with the understanding that events would get loud and cautioned anyone living in the area that noise from concerts and sporting events should be expected.
"There has to be a reasonable expectation that it is going to be loud."
Hear a sample of Bassnectar's music:
Stan Bush is a general assignment reporter at CBS4. His stories can be seen on CBS4 News at 10. Read his bio and follow him on Twitter @StanBushTV.
