Noise complaints have once again attempted to kill the vibe of an event at Sydney’s Vivid Festival, the annual CBD extravaganza designed to showcase the city’s vibrant cultural tapestry.
According to reports on social media, DJs performing on the balcony of Heaps Gay’s Qween’s Ball Vivid party at Town Hall on Saturday night were forced to “turn wayyy down” at 10pm following gripes from bellyaching neighbours.
“The main event inside the hall itself was soundproofed by those thick sandstone walls, but the performers and DJs on the balcony got turned wayyy down. Everyone looked so disappointed :(” one punter commented on social media.
“There’s nothing more Sydney than a laboriously-planned, spectacularly-presented event getting muted by noise complaints, but it was still so depressing to see that scenario play out at Heaps Gay’s Town Hall rager this weekend.”
The event was reportedly hit with at least one noise complaint during DJ Sezza’s set at around 10pm.
Speaking with Music Feeds, DJ Sezza explains: “I was hype and the crowd was pumping and it felt beautiful and the sound guys were like ‘turn it down, sorry’.”
Heaps Gay promoters have declined to comment on the matter. Music Feeds has also reached out to Vivid for a statement.
One punter commented on Twitter: “Who the hell is complaining in that area? The construction workers doing sweet FA on that light rail mess?”
While another added: “Surely in the city of Mardis Gras it should be illegal to tell our queer community to turn it down at 10pm on the Queen’s Birthday in one of the city’s most iconic buildings??? After-dark culture is under so much pressure in Sydney… Our artists and communities deserve a city which respects and empowers them, not one that tells them to shut up!”
While the concept of noise complaints thwarting good times in Sydney during an event specifically designed to showcase good times in the city should be at least slightly shocking, it’s sadly not.
This is hardly the first time a Vivid event has been shut down due to cantankerous neighbours complaining about the noise.
Last year a gig in Kings Cross was shut down before 9:30pm, following a series of noise complaints that began flowing into the venue from as early as 7:30pm.
Let’s hope those agent of change laws come in soon.
https://twitter.com/Sandrolami/status/1006064989147299841
