Soundwave Lose $10,000 Bond In Adelaide For Breaching Noise Limits

Soundwave has left its last Adelaide festival for a while with a $10,000 fine in hand, with the local Adelaide City Council forfeiting the festival’s bond for breaching noise restrictions.

“True to form, Adelaide City Council are keeping SW deposit after only 2 (YES, TWO) noise complaints across the weekend. Bravo ACC. Bravo,” festival chief AJ Maddah tweeted this week.

In response to reactions on Twitter the council responded saying that the number of complaints had no effect on the fact that the bond had been voided. “Regarding Soundwave: The Bond has been forfeited by the promoter due to breaching noise limits, not public complaints.”

In a statement supplied to FasterLouder, Adelaide council said that the sound limit of 110 dB was exceeded for “41 percent of the total stage operating time”. They added that he festival had “a history of not complying with the Event Noise Mitigation”.

Maddah disputes these figures, saying that the sound limit was only exceeded for 8% of the festival’s duration and not by more than 2%. “Even speed cameras make allowances,” he wrote.

According to Maddah, a council representative had already informed him on the first festival day this February that they had “no intention” of returning the bond. The promoter then jokingly asked followers of he should then “let bands play as loud as they want”. Later on he commented that “SLIPKNOT and their sound guy have been let off the chain”.

Soundwave also lost their $10,000 bond in Adelaide last year in similar circumstances after the festival exceeded noise restrictions. According to Maddah, while he won’t “rule out” further Adelaide Soundwaves, the festival won’t be held in South Australia in the near future.

For more information and updates on how the 2016 festival is shaping up, see our dedicated Soundwave 2016 rumours and information page.

Photos: Soundwave 2015 Adelaide, Day 1 – Bonython Park 21/02/15. Photographed by Nic Bezzina

True to form, Adelaide City Council are keeping SW deposit after only 2 (YES, TWO) noise complaints across the weekend. Bravo ACC. Bravo.

— AJ (@iamnotshouting) March 12, 2015

Regarding Soundwave: The Bond has been forfeited by the promoter due to breaching noise limits, not public complaints.

— CityofAdelaide (@CityofAdelaide) March 12, 2015

@FasterLouder They had TWO complains over a whole weekend. Isn't the purpose of noise bonds for the benefit of residents?

— AJ (@iamnotshouting) March 13, 2015

@FasterLouder Also, noise only exceeded for 8% of the duration of festival and not by more than 2%. Even speed cameras make allowances!

— AJ (@iamnotshouting) March 13, 2015

@daniella__ I know. I should have.

— AJ (@iamnotshouting) March 13, 2015

@JamesNanks no idea. I'd like to think no Gov body in Australia is that cunty to do something like that.

— AJ (@iamnotshouting) March 12, 2015

If this was the movie U-Turn, Adelaide City Council would be the Billy Bob Thornton mechanic character…

— AJ (@iamnotshouting) March 12, 2015

@Waverley73 I would like to think not. Funny how one of their people told us they had no intention of giving the money back on day 1!

— AJ (@iamnotshouting) March 12, 2015

ADELAIDE CITY COUNCIL have just informed us that they have no intention of returning deposit. So do we let bands play as loud as they want?

— AJ (@iamnotshouting) February 22, 2015

@burntim the "we are keeping your money" Act of 2015 I assume.

— AJ (@iamnotshouting) February 22, 2015

@pjmonkeyjohnson They made us give them a bunch of money up front which they get to keep if they feel pissy about anything.

— AJ (@iamnotshouting) February 22, 2015