I hate noise pollution. Dogs barking all damn day long, hoopties pumping bass drums, loud office chatter when I’m trying to compose my spellbinding prose!, motorcycles, jackhammers at six a.m., somebody’s dreadful jukebox picks, you name it.
I don’t ‘perciate it. Free spirits will argue that the operators of bumpin’ hoopties, roaring motorcycles, and early-morning jackhammers are as entitled to the (not so) clean, (not so) fresh American air as I am. Not so, my good people. My being silent doesn’t bother noisemakers, whereas their being noisy bugs the hell outta me – do unto others and all that jazz. Anyway, if it squeaks, howls, or rattles and it is encroaching on my personal space, I’m all about quashing it. If it’s by my house, I’m moving. If it’s by my new house, I’m not moving in. In most neighborhoods, residents have to deal with barking dogs, rowdy neighbors, and maybe motorcycles, that’s it.
But in high-density residential areas such as the Cultural District and downtown, the residents there are confronted by all manner of loudness, including music. About a year ago, the City of Fort Worth began work on a citywide ordinance to dampen noise in residential areas, primarily because of residents downtown, who are arguably the most victimized by outside noise. (Other cities that are converting purely business or entertainment districts into residential areas are also dealing with a similar prob.) Sounds reasonable. Whether you’re paying a zillion dollars a year to live in The Tower or happen to live in an old house by a burgeoning entertainment district, you have the right to quietude. But here’s the rub.
Humor me for a minute: Say a performer playing some club downtown turns down his normal playing volume a smidge. The subtleties of the music are liable to get lost, resulting in a frustrated performance, which will result in disappointed fans, which will result in empty downtown clubs, which will result in depreciating real estate, which will result in Fort Worth pre-1995. At the very least, good local acts that draw – Black Tie Dynasty, Calhoun, Stephen Pointer, Tommy Alverson – are aware of all of the other places in Fort Worth to play and might think twice about playing rocking clubs by residential areas. As for popular touring acts, they might come through, play some affected club one time, and leave so disappointed with the sound – and concertgoers’ reactions – that they never come back.
Shutting down the live outdoor music at a reasonable hour on weekends is fine. But turning down decibel levels, even a little, is a slippery slope that does nothing but pleases the few – possibly only temporarily – to the detriment of, well, everyone. Quiet entertainment districts hardly qualify as entertaining. … Speaking of loud music outdoors, Fred’s Texas Café (915 Currie St., 817-332-0083) is throwing its seventh annual Fred’s Fest this Saturday and Sunday, with shows by Pablo and the Hemphill 7, KatsüK, Goodwin, The Me-Thinks, the Panther City Bandits, Darrin Kobetich – solo and with his Blackland River Devils – Proud Warrior (Weekly scribe and drummer Caroline Collier’s new band), Terry Razor, and more. Proceeds from the $5 cover charge will benefit a local charity TBA. You needn’t really ask, but the music stops at 10:30 p.m. sharp.
Contact HearSay at hearsay@fwweekly.com.
