Red Rocks Amphitheater, a concert venue outside of Denver, has established itself as one of the most unique performance centers in the country, if not the world. Alas, the residents of nearby Morrison don't think that's a good excuse for concerts to run late and volumes to run high. The venue took a preemptive step to answer the complaints by establishing some ground rules for incoming performers.
"[Shows] shall not exceed 105 decibels and bass levels cannot exceed 125 decibels at the low-frequency levels of 25-80 hertz for one-minute averages after midnight on weekdays and 1 a.m. on weekends and holidays," explained Dan Rowland, the assistant director of marketing for Denver Arts & Venues, which runs Red Rocks.
Most of these rules are pretty easy to interpret, but some technicalities point to EDM shows as being the guilty party behind to complaints, such as "bass levels cannot exceed 125 decibels at the low frequency levels of 25-80 hertz." The extremely low bass levels used by dubstep and other electronic music producers-also referred to as sub-bass-have drawn complaints from many a neighbor across the country, and can also shake the walls and floors in more domestic settings.
Performers don't seem to mind however.
"If anything, this is going to bring more dynamic out in the music because it will allow more frequencies to breathe," said Michael Menert, a Denver-based producer. "It will be less in-your-face sound and more dynamic."
Menert brings up a great point. Red Rocks already has a reputation for the best sound in the business, and the new regulations can only help that cause.
