From jam bands to pop sensations, Ascend Amphitheater has had quite the lineup this year.
Visitors love the experience. Cool blades of grass on your feet, a view of the Nashville skyline, and your favorite band live. It’s no surprise shows are selling out at Ascend.
But not everyone is moving to the music.
“I've sat on my couch with the window vibrating next to my ear,” Anderson Williams said.
“What is so surprising is when I hear it in the back bedroom of my home with a white noise machine running,” Logan Key said.
Those complaining do not live downtown. They live more than two miles away in East Nashville.
The three concerts this year that have drawn the most complaints were Phish, Rob Zombie and Thomas Rhett.
“Does it ruin my life? Not a chance, but could we turn it down for all of these people here?" Williams asked.
The city has an agreement with music promoter Live Nation, which rents Ascend Amphitheater for its concert series.
There are rules about noise levels. The audio level at the sound mixer cannot be greater than 102 decibels. That's about the same volume as a lawnmower.
At the furthest point of the property it can't be greater than 98 decibels.
To put that into perspective, between 70 and 80 decibels is your everyday downtown traffic noise - garbage trucks, city buses and construction.
“My solution is free. Turn it down,” Hibah Qubain said.
“And yet no one will turn it down,” Williams said.
Metro Councilman Brett Withers said the city will work with Live Nation to see what viable options are. He can't promise the music will be turned down.
“They need to provide a good concert experience for ticket buyers as well, so we need to look at all options are,” Withers said.
The city is considering hiring a sound expert to determine why neighbors so far away are experiencing the noise and what can be done about it.
