Darn Kids and Their Music

Somebody tell them to turn down their music at Leif Erickson and/or Bayfront Park. I live above Skyline and it’s been driving me insane. And while they’re at it, get off my lawn.

61 Comments

Sun Dog

about 13 years ago

I agree. It was rattling my windows. I was about ready to phone the cops. I thought it was my neighbors, 'til I walked outside to try and figure out where it was/is coming from. Nope none of my neighbors. The dog and I walked all the way down to Seventh Street in search of the source. Decided to come back home before it got dark.

farglebargle

about 13 years ago

It's Spring Fling, a teen event at Bayfront.

EvilResident

about 13 years ago

It's noise-polluting pretty much the entire city. Some people work nights and sleep during the day. Music and teen events are great, but seriously... When people miles away are sick and trying to rest (me specifically) and said music is literally shaking their house for like eight straight hours, that's a bit much.

farglebargle

about 13 years ago

If you heard rap-techno-DJ music, it was coming from Bayfront. If you heard live folk music, it was coming from Leif Erickson. 
The atmospheric conditions might have made sound carry better than usual. (Any scientifically knowledgeable types out there know about that?) Both events were louder than they needed to be, though.

ruby2sd4y

about 13 years ago

It's both. I could hear it at my house up by UMD, so I went for a walk.

Thought at first it was coming from Chester Bowl, but then the echo led me more DT. There were events both at Leif Erikson Park (someone said for Earth Day - which was over a week ago...) and Spring Fling at Bayfront - Graduating Seniors rented the park and most I saw were pretty thrashed - the bus drivers on the way home said so as well. 

Many of them said they were going to Canal Park for the rest of the night...*heads up* run awayyyyyyyyyyy

There was also a pretty loud crowd cheering in/at/or behind the Kitch as well on my way down. Then again, that could've come from Leif too. But lotsa formally dressed people were heading into/hanging around the club - damn upper crust loud rowdies! See how they are.

Nice evening for a walk.

ruby2sd4y

about 13 years ago

Oh and I hadda laugh, on my way down 15th to 4th, an older man (say late 50's maybe early 60's = hard tellin nowadays. He coulda been 35 for all I know - grey hair has no rules. Then again, all his leg hairs were worn off and he had shorts on, with calf-high sport socks *pasty white legs* and brown shoes with galoshes on...lolz! So I'm guessin older than 50-55. *I almost took a pic cuz of the shorts/socks/galoshes deal* *kicks self for not*) crossed my path and headed down the hill with me, complaining how he drove to the park on 10th to see where the loud music was coming from. I laughed and said, "hard to tell, maybe a street dance - perhaps by the Twins or Bayfront, I'm on my way to find out." He walked along with me to the corner of 4th complaining the whole way(1 block) about how loud it was and how those kids should turn that shit down or he'd call the cops...

hahahahaaaaa

Bad Cat!

about 13 years ago

Weather can play a huge part when it comes to sound distribution. I used to live up the hill from Bayfront - some concerts were barley audible, others sounded like they were right in my back yard. It all depends on how it bounces off of the clouds.

ownit

about 13 years ago

More than one person called the cops.  When it came over the scanner even one cop chimed in and said he could hear it up in Kenwood. We missed it up in Hermantown.

spy1

about 13 years ago

We could hear it during Kooser's poetry reading at Scholastica. It really distracted the college kids there, who looked out of Somers apparently thinking it was someone's car.

Sun Dog

about 13 years ago

ruby2sd4y,
What a way to dis your walking buddy.

zra

about 13 years ago

damn hippies.

Bret

about 13 years ago

I heard an annoying thumping way out in Lakeside, or was that my blood pressure going up? One lead to the other, I think.

EvilResident

about 13 years ago

My friend who lives in Lakeside heard it too. Same thing. It's funny because I've lived here for years and have never been bothered by anything like this before. The weather must have been just right.

Nettles

about 13 years ago

As others have noted, this was not the folk event at Leif, but the event at Bayfront.  I think most of us were unaware of it because of not being high school kids.  I was certainly confused at how Parr had changed his style, haha.  

Anyway, it was quite loud even up by Marshall school so I can't imagine how loud it must have actually been down by the lake.

youngperson

about 13 years ago

To those who can't help but complain about other people's merriment making (on one helluva soggy day): 

1) I'd be surprised if it was the Respect Your Mother Earth Day Celebration at Leif Erikson. The music there was strictly folky (and over by 10pm -- well within reason, don't you think?)

2) Seriously people, what's the big deal about a little loud music? Caution! Outdoor concert season has officially started! A decent pair of noise canceling headphones would nip your problem in the bud.

3) Take some Metamucil. Tomorrow will be better.

Wes Scott

about 13 years ago

Loud music is great if it's the right music. Techno rap crap isn't on my list. Bring back Bob Dylan and Paul Simon. That was great. Even the BoDeans would pass.

UMD senior

about 13 years ago

It seems most of you are either old or republican, which I can understand the strange sounds of fun bothering you a bit, BUT I would recommend making room for us, the next generation, and our "techno rap crap".  Try to see it from our perspective.  We brought together over 1000 young people for the sake of having a great time and enjoying life.  There was no violence that I know of, yes kids were trashed, yes the music was modern, people danced, I banged my head.  I don't see where the problem is. The city, the p.d., Famous Daves, and all the bars made a lot of money and everyone had fun.  40,000 kids come register for class in Duluth and while we're not studying we'd like to party just like everyone and their mother did when they were young.  
We're bringing money and people to Duluth and guess what, we're not leaving.  Maybe put on your dancing shoes and come out with us.  That way we can all have fun.

EvilResident

about 13 years ago

I'm sure it was fun. And for the record, I'm 26. The difference is that it disturbed most of the city. I happened to be extremely sick all weekend. Normally stuff like this doesn't bother me, because I can shut my windows and it goes away. However, yesterday I laid on my couch with a fever of around 102 being forced to listen to the bass a-thumping all fricking day. There are retirement homes and hospitals much closer to Bayfront than my house.

It's sad to see this sense of entitlement. I'm sure there were a lot more people than just myself who had a fairly bad time yesterday because of this. People should be allowed to have big events like this, but other people who don't want to take part in it should be able to close their windows and doors and get away from it *in their own homes*.

resident

about 13 years ago

Just because a person spends a lot of money doesn't mean they have the right to break the rules of society. You're assuming that everyone played loud music and bothered their neighbors when they were young ..and that it is a birthright. ..... "we'd like to party just like everyone and their mother did when they were young." some people were respectful of others around them.
No it wasn't the worse thing in the world. But just listening, a person wondered if it was going to get louder. I like to choose my own music and I am sure you like to choose your own too.

Vicarious

about 13 years ago

Resident and UMD Senior,

Thank you for reminding oldish and whitish Duluthians that they live on a hill that is often suscepible to the whims of environmentally-induced causations of noise that may invade their aural comfort zone. Southerly winds may sometimes cause discomfort to those sensitive to the lower range of the sound spectrum. Maybe their tax assessment should reflect as such. In conclusion, please boycott Blues Fest.

Vicarious

about 13 years ago

Meanwhile, concurrent with the complainers: I agree. It was annoying. Life is gray, so seldom black and white.

Party Person #1079

about 13 years ago

The music was played from ~4:00pm-~8:20m give or take a few minutes, not all day.  And vicarious what does white have anything to do with this? 

 Why in the free world would you boycott Blues Fest!?! I think your complaints are annoying how's that for a gray life? So hard to do anything fun in this town and it's finally happening, please don't ruin it. I mean how much of a cliche is the statement "Darn Kids and Their Music"?? I mean really? You're older than old.  /end rant

Ben

about 13 years ago

Get over it.  It was fun and we actually did it right.

Vicarious

about 13 years ago

My old-timey attempts at sarcasm and snark are clearly failing. Time to cancel my long-held PDD membership, perhaps. I just don't understand kids these days.

Responsible Young Person

about 13 years ago

I understand that it may have been very loud. However just because we had fun with loud music yesterday does not mean we are a detriment to society. In fact we are the doctors, lawyers, business people, teachers, artists, and police officers of tomorrow. No, not ten years into the future, more like two weeks into the future! Hence the graduation celebration. The music was probably too loud, but shouldn't the citizens of Duluth be happy that we spent four years educating ourselves in order to better the Duluth of tomorrow? Gandhi said to be the change you wish to see. Well we've spent four years getting the education it will take to get us there, and we deserve the right to party! You can argue all you want but we already did it so what's the point in getting mad? Being angry will do nothing to change your yesterday, and will only take years off your life.

Matt Sickler

about 13 years ago

Audio Engineer here, and let me tell you guys who were complaining about the music.
Before I jump into the math, let me lay down a few things.
1) Average outdoor sound level in residential area = 60 dB(SPL)
2) Threshold of pain = 130 dB(SPL)
3) "Loud" rock concert volume (at FOH) = 110 dB
4) sound decays as 1/distance from source.

So if the SPL at 1 foot from the speaker was 160dB(SPL) (and mind you, this is goddamn loud - there wouldn't be anyone within 10 feet of the speaker if it were that loud); then in Chester Bowl (12000 feet away) it would be 78db(SPL).  Even that is less than "a passenger car at 30 feet".

Another thing to keep in mind is that the outdoor noise floor is at about 60 dB.  Even if a sound is around or even below this volume, humans can still "pick it out" from the background noise.  So just because you walk outside and hear music doesn't mean it's noise pollution.

If it's really that bad, then put on a pair of earmuffs.  Or, if you really want something to change - start a fund to have them reorient the stage so it faces South, rather than North (right at the rest of the city).

Scott

about 13 years ago

Police staffed the event, clearly there was no sound issue or it would've been turned down. 

Maybe we should cancel Grandma's Marathon because they close down London Road and I cant drive on it? I mean I'm all for people having fun, but if it interrupts my commute then its not OK.

Think about the consequences of this logic.

UMD Senior

about 13 years ago

Sorry for partying.

Miguel

about 13 years ago

Lives are on sale "oldish, whitish people" of Duluth; get one.

spy1

about 13 years ago

Does anyone know how PDD works? Call people more curious than aiming at you specifically. Everybody chill and re-vibe.

spy2

about 13 years ago

Please rephrase spy1, over.

Neal

about 13 years ago

Farglebargle -- Teen? More like college event.

ChrisB

about 13 years ago

I can't stop, partyin' partyin', gotta have Patron, gotta have the beat, gotta have all the pretty girls around me.

Neal

about 13 years ago

Wes Scott - I'm sure your parents didn't like Bob. These are the new times and this is what we like. Not to say we don't like Bob, but we like a wide variety of music ... expand the mind.

Smokey McGee

about 13 years ago

It's all relative, you hate our music all night, I hate how loud you are during the day after a 12-hour nightshift stocking boxes in a freezer.  I don't sit here and complain about my neighbor practicing drums all day, my upstairs neighbor playing middle school dance music all day, or my roommate in the next room making music. Unless it breaks laws then STFU and stop bitching, you're making us look bad, but yourselves worse.  Duluth old people are cranky and hate when people don't have fun they way they want?  Great way to stimulate one of the fastest dying cities in the United States.  Have you ever gotten hit by a 110 dBSPL sine wave at 30 Hz?  Heaven.  P.S. Have fun selling your house when sh*t hits the fan.

EvilResident

about 13 years ago

All's I have been saying the whole time (except the original post, which, with the wording, I was hoping people would understand had my tongue planted firmly in cheek), is that the event itself was fine. Next time, however, it would be nice if the people involved think of the other 80-something thousand people in the city and turn the bass down a bit. Is that such an offensive thing to ask? Geez, settle down, people.

BassHead

about 13 years ago

Turn bass down? I don't get it.

Anyway, I think we all get the point.  I'll make sure we consider our options for bass cannon placement at the next event.  Thanks for supporting an environment where everyone can be heard.

Spy1

about 13 years ago

Evil said it better than me, Spy 2.

youngperson

about 13 years ago

It saddens me to see the level of hate/confrontation going 'round here. What is the point of that? I read all the comments hoping to get a sense of resolution and nothing. Bummer, y'all. We are a community. Tolerance is more precious than previously thought. C'mon people, I implore you to be a little less confrontational, even on this anonymous blog. Peace!

ruby2sd4y

about 13 years ago

Not my walking buddy, Sun Dog. 

He was just some old crabby dude who followed along for 1 block bitching the whole way, during which I tried to put more than one positive spin on the music curiosity. (Such as: they're happy the sun came out *I was*, or perhaps it's a street dance...) He was having none of it, then stopped and stood on the corner of 4th and 15th droning on, as I kept walking, laughing at his ridiculous rants. All that was missing was him *shaking his fist*, which was why he was added to my post, and the original reason I even replied at all. Obviously there were several oldies all over town in this same mindset.

I'm old, but I love music, and following the sound offered a destination for a much needed walk after a day of rain.

Not an old cranky person

about 13 years ago

"Loud music is great if it's the right music." Blahahahahaha. What a hypocrite. BTW, I'm 29, "old" in respect to this conversation, and I think it's great they held this event for the graduating seniors! Think of it this way, naysayers ... which would you prefer, a party at Bayfront monitored by the cops, or a dozen house parties going until 4 a.m. right next door to your precious box of solitude (i.e., your home)? Also, one final thing ... if you don't like noise, move out of the city. Because in town there's going to be music, construction, traffic, hospital, etc. noise 24-7. Every time the St. Luke's helicopter flies over my house, should I shake my fist at the heavens and curse the injured person inside? No. It's just a part of living in the thick of it all, and I love it.

EvilResident

about 13 years ago

I'm starting to wonder if anyone has actually read any of what I've been saying. Is there seriously nothing constructive to add? I don't think anyone has said that concerts aren't ok.

Congratulations Seniors!

about 13 years ago

I am a 42-year-old nurse working at St. Mary's hospital and I can say that I heard no complaints from ill patients receiving care in the hospital about the noise level -- people much sicker than a 102 degree fever. 

Also, if you were so deathly ill and miserable maybe you should have taken a Nyquil. Noise happens throughout this city every day, maybe you have not been on I-35 lately, driven down Fourth Street? 

A. These kids have worked their asses off to graduate and improve themselves over the past four years and I can only imagine this will not be the only party to happen in the next couple weeks, and in honesty if they do it in the privacies of their homes, at a bar, or at an organized event, they deserve it! 

B. Personally I believe it was very responsible of these seniors to organize an event in an area designated for events like this one. I can imagine they paid good money for the venue, monitored and organized with the police department, and obviously the city of Duluth. Also, obviously if the noise was that loud they spent significant time finding and renting the sound system they had, and I'm sure they had a kick ass D.J. to provide the beats, no one wants to hire someone to throw out crappy beats.

C. Get over yourself, shut your window, and try to appreciate a culture you truly do not understand. You live in a college town in which the economy and general atmosphere is stimulated by those "teens" and if they are not breaking laws, which I am assuming they did not considering the lack of news coverage or the fact that this event didn't even make the newspaper for Duluth to view how "horrible the noise was, or how rowdy these 'teens' were." 

D. I walked my dog through Bayfront Park at 8am the next morning, it was practically spotless, meaning these kids partied and took the responsibility to clean up after themselves. It sounds like a successful event, maybe next time you should take a moment to appreciate the things these students do, their taste in music, and generally the amount of energy and time that they must have put in to an event of this proportion.

pistol pete

about 13 years ago

Well, Mr. Evil, I read it. Then I just got sick of all the crying and whiny BS. If you old scabs don't like the music then organize your own event. That is if you have the know how to do so. The music didn't even go that late. I'm sorry your bed time is 8pm, but some people do stay up later. Party on, Curtis!

EvilResident

about 13 years ago

Did you miss the part where I said the windows WERE closed? Meh. Whatever. No getting through. Forget it. I'm pretty much over repeating myself.

Congratulations Seniors!

about 13 years ago

No in truth your just being an ass. Sorry you weren't feeling well thats too bad, but a planned event that probably took months does not depend on your wellness. Also, judging from the fact that this event was monitored closely by police enforcement tells me they would have told these teens to turn it down if it was necessary.

EvilResident

about 13 years ago

Also omg 26 is so old. Once I was grilling corn in my yard at 8:45 and we went in the house at ten and my neighbors called the police because apparently the five of us were being too loud. The cops showed up and saw us playing poker on the livingroom floor. They apologized for bothering us. We apologized to our neighbor the next morning for bugging them. The end.

KB

about 13 years ago

Shout out to "Congratulations Seniors!" for havin' our backs on this one. Curt, you put on one hell on an event and I'm glad to say I could be part of it. Whichever one of you brought up outdoor concert season...more power to you. God bless us, it's freakin' summer!

Ashley

about 13 years ago

The dj was hot.

farglebargle

about 13 years ago

Excuse me for misidentifying this college event as a "teen event," but the general level of arrogance, thoughtlessness and general assholery from UMDers and their supporters on display here makes me think this was more of a junior high school event.

wildgoose

about 13 years ago

I got your tongue-in-cheek thing right away. True this is an "anonymous" blog, I guess but I know or have a good idea who many of the regulars are.  You know what?  It is a friendly place. Anyone who doesn't think so is probably just stopping by (or even worse just stopping by on the defensive). Rants are getting pretty heated though.

AARP Member1

about 13 years ago

Let's throw those ungrateful, premarital sex having, booze guzzling teens out of this city.

B-man

about 13 years ago

Hey, can you turn down the bitching? I'm trying to enjoy this outdoor concert over here.

I could hear the music at my house near UMD as well on Saturday. It seemed to be louder than the noise levels of Blues Fest but was not a bother to me.  I just put on headphones and listened to some techno rap crap really loud.

Matt

about 13 years ago

I had a blast and came across an older couple out on the lake walk who asked us what was going on in BayFront Park and that it sounded like people were having a fun time. Not everyone who isn't a college student up here is a crabass, which is nice to know, and we should all remember that. Sure there are bad apples on both sides, residents and students, but they don't need to spoil the whole relationship in this town! Curtis was careful to make sure the police were involved, the park was respected, and made the bars a lot of money! Obviously the phone calls to the police were ignored because it wasn't a big a deal as a lot of folks were making it out to be.

Hardworking UMD student

about 13 years ago

AARP Member 1... Maybe you should not live in this city. This is a college town and will always be a college town so get used to that fact. My friends and a lot of my colleagues at UMD are some of the hardest working people I know. Many are volunteers within this community, and many work hard everyday at school while also maintaining a part-time job. To say we deserve a day of fun, let alone 4 hours of fun, is an understatement. We deserve a lot more credit than that. Everyone who was against the event for the loud music needs to quit being so selfish and realize it was four hours of one day, of one year, that around 800 or however many people enjoyed. I was very angered when reading this ridiculous blog... find something better to start a blog about or you ARE going to find the younger, stronger, hardworking generation (who deserve a day of fun) fighting back. Get over yourselves.

wildgoose

about 13 years ago

Apparently those hardworking UMD students are so busy that they forgot to take a comparative literature class in irony.  

It's not just an Alanis Moriessete song.  

For my two cents I was out of town so I have no clue how bad it was.  However I can hear the Bluesfest and just about every other dang thing from my front porch and often through closed windows.  Usually I am totally fine with it, but if I happen to get a little annoyed and bitch about it, it doesn't mean I don't want the event to happen, it is just that I am a little annoyed at the time.  

I certainly can't speak for everyone who's commented, but I think that saying something is annoying and you don't really like the kind of music that it is does not equal hating college students or generational warfare.  On the other hand, yes college students deserve a pat on the back and we are all proud of you. No I'm not being ironic there, I am proud of your accomplishments. But we are not your parents, here to indulge you, we're your neighbors, here to share the community with you.  Part of "commencement" is a beginning, that is the beginning of your professional life.  In my opinion, part of that life is good citizenship, which includes the maturity of being able to tolerate some criticism and razzing when your celebration affects other people.

EvilResident

about 13 years ago

Wildgoose, you are now my hero.

Paul Lundgren

about 13 years ago

This thread has clearly run its course. I'm closing the comments.

In summary: Apparently due to climatic conditions and/or heavy reliance on bass, a concert at Bayfront was louder than normal and bothered some people. Being forced to listen to something when you don't want to sucks, so that is understandable. 

Having a party is a perfectly normal and acceptable thing to do, even if it gets louder than anticipated. When people bitch about it, there's a tendency to want to bitch back. 

At some point, people need to realize it's over, and everyone involved in the argument probably wasn't a cranky old man or an irresponsible teenager -- although it kind of seemed like it.

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