Repeal the Morrison/Red Rocks decibel limit

The Issue

For the last 5 years, music fans around the globe have descended upon Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, CO, and have left wondering why the music is so quiet in a venue known for its acoustics. The reason is a noise/db limit in the town of Morrison due to certain artists' use of bass along with certain residents' proximity to the venue. Recently, Red Rocks has suggested people bring headphones from home, to connect to their cell phones using an app that connects their phones to the music being played live. This is unacceptable. People pay great sums not only on concert tickets themselves, but on travel arrangements from the world round to attend these shows: Hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. The music scene in Colorado and Denver/Boulder specifically is world renowned, largely due to the attraction of Red Rocks and other venues. Now, Red Rocks, considered the greatest outdoor venue on planet earth, has its experience hampered by residents who move within 2 miles of the venue and complain about the noise. This petition is being written to address a very serious problem that will surely effect the entertainment industry/economy in Colorado. Now that Red Rocks shows have resumed virtually every night since its COVID restrictions were lifted, there is no reason why a Tuesday night show should be significantly quieter than a weekend show. Repeal/raise the Morrison noise ordinance. It's now detrimental to the Red Rocks experience we all know and love. 

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Jeff JordanPetition Starter
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20,244

The Issue

For the last 5 years, music fans around the globe have descended upon Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, CO, and have left wondering why the music is so quiet in a venue known for its acoustics. The reason is a noise/db limit in the town of Morrison due to certain artists' use of bass along with certain residents' proximity to the venue. Recently, Red Rocks has suggested people bring headphones from home, to connect to their cell phones using an app that connects their phones to the music being played live. This is unacceptable. People pay great sums not only on concert tickets themselves, but on travel arrangements from the world round to attend these shows: Hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. The music scene in Colorado and Denver/Boulder specifically is world renowned, largely due to the attraction of Red Rocks and other venues. Now, Red Rocks, considered the greatest outdoor venue on planet earth, has its experience hampered by residents who move within 2 miles of the venue and complain about the noise. This petition is being written to address a very serious problem that will surely effect the entertainment industry/economy in Colorado. Now that Red Rocks shows have resumed virtually every night since its COVID restrictions were lifted, there is no reason why a Tuesday night show should be significantly quieter than a weekend show. Repeal/raise the Morrison noise ordinance. It's now detrimental to the Red Rocks experience we all know and love. 

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Jeff JordanPetition Starter
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20,244

The Decision Makers

City of Denver
City of Denver
Responded
“The Red Rocks team would like to clarify and correct some of the information contained in the petition. While we appreciate the passion for both EDM and our venue, it’s inappropriate make assumptions – which could easily have been checked with a quick phone call or email – and then turn them into a campaign of misinformation. Red Rocks continues to have the same acoustic quality that fans have experienced for more than 80 years. To be clear: no change has been made to sound limits at Red Rocks since 2016. At that time, and after months of study, decibel limits and curfews were revised (and, had nothing to do with sound ordinances). Hundreds of EDM and other artists have played the venue since then, and millions of fans have loved those shows - without the performers questioning or even coming close to the decibel limits. It’s dishonest to suggest that this process happens on an evolving basis. It just doesn’t. Regarding the mistaken assumption that the invitation to use headphones above Row 40 had anything to do with sound quality, know that Red Rocks is pleased to welcome Mixhalo to our venue. Those lucky enough to attend Kygo’s show last week would’ve seen an invitation to test the Mixhalo app. In an attempt to control the test and not interfere with the venue’s bandwidth, Red Rocks suggested the app was available to those above Row 40 – it’s as simple as that. Mixhalo is an optional enhancement to the fan experience – for those interested, it provides sound directly from the mix booth and soundboard to fans’ ears. And, with some shows, audiophiles can even tune in individual instruments such as a lead guitar. Importantly, Mixhalo also has relevance for those wanting clearer sound who may have experienced hearing loss. Mixhalo has been embraced by Incubus, Metallica, Aerosmith, Pharrell Williams and others, and is an amenity at other venues including the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The technology has been extensively covered by Billboard writer and senior director for touring Dave Brooks, who says “Red Rocks’ use of Mixhalo is an innovative and fan-friendly use of technology that improves the live experience and ensures the longevity of Red Rocks' iconic natural environment." Again, Mixhalo is for true music and tech lovers and for those who aren’t interested – it’s no different than a snack or beverage at Red Rocks: if you don’t want it, don’t get it. As always, we appreciate Red Rocks fans, their love of music and support for one of the world’s great venues. **This response was written by Brian Kitts, Director of Marketing and Communications for Denver Arts and Venues that oversees Red Rocks.**”
Denver Parks & Recreation
Denver Parks & Recreation

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Petition created on June 24, 2021