Proposed Legislation Threatens Music Venues

on February 16, 2015 at 2:38 pm

Ambient street level noise measurements on Hotel Street rate higher than the allowed limit in HB 227 JOSH HANCOCK PHOTO

Do you know how difficult it is to run a music venue? You have to endlessly book talent, advertise your venue, use software like Prism to constantly improve your operations, and keep an eye out for trends in the music industry. And now life for venue owners isn’t getting any easier with a newly proposed legislation that could seriously affect music venues.

City buses are loud as hell. So are cars on the freeway. I can’t stand them. The waves in the ocean, wind gusting through the trees, vivid conversations with your friends at an outdoor restaurant or a lively backyard kanikapila jam session. Now, these things I like.

All of the above are part of daily life in Honolulu. Luckily for us, we get to enjoy the latter every single day. The other stuff we just have to put up with because, well, that’s the way we’ve built this town.

What do these all have in common? All would be in violation of HB 227, a bill “relating to noise control” that recently was introduced in the state House of Representatives.

I’m not kidding, either.

The bill states, “The maximum dBC sound level (for businesses) shall not exceed 60 dBC from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and shall not exceed 50 dBC from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.”

Any business that violates this would have its liquor license revoked, suspended or denied. In other words, it’d probably have to go out of business.

Per HB 227, noise level measurements “shall be taken within three meters of the perimeter of the exterior of the establishment.” Three meters – that’s less than ten feet!

It’s easy to see why this is absurd: The noise from a city bus measured from the sidewalk can average between 75 to 95 dBC – much higher than the allowed 60 dBC levels.

Josh Hancock, owner of restaurant/bar/ live music venue Downbeat Diner & Lounge has uploaded videos and photos to his Instagram (@josh86hawaii) showing measurements he’s taken around Chinatown that are in violation of proposed bill HB 227.

(Note: generally speaking, the “dBA” decibel level scale relates to frequencies our ears hear, whereas the “dBC” scale correlates with lower and higher-end frequencies that we feel. In almost all situations, dBC measurements are higher than dBA’s for the same source.)

Honolulu’s freeways make noise levels of at least 70 dBA. Hell, my wireless bluetooth speaker I use poolside or at Ala Moana Beach Park can pump music out at 85 decibels.

A document published by the U.S. Army in Hawaii in 2004 (garrison.hawaii.army.mil) gives us examples of what 65 dBA (roughly 70 dBC) sounds like: “Typical daytime busy downtown background conditions. Tree branches rustling in strong wind; beach, light wind and surf.”

As of this writing, music venues like Down-beat Diner & Lounge, The Manifest, Fresh Cafe, eleven44 and Proof Public House are in jeopardy. You should be concerned because these venues do more than give artists a place to perform live – they provide a platform to inject Honolulu’s arts and music scene with the innovation and experimentation it needs that make this town a city.

This column was written prior to the decision-making hearing held Feb. 13. Go to capitol.hawaii.gov to find out the current status of HB 227.

For more from Roger, check out his blog at alohagotsoul.com.