LETTERS: Please keep your music festival complaints quiet
Revolter rock the house.
Here comes the summer, and I for one can’t wait. I’ve placed an early order for sunshine with ‘the man’. I have ordered it for May 1 to hang around until the end of September. The delivery people say it shoulld be here before lunch, but I’m going to take the entire day off to make sure it arrives, (you know what delivery people are like).
It’s coming to that season where all our local pubs and clubs move their planned events outdoors. It gives the little venues a chance to do something on a larger scale. I think you know what i’m talking about... local music festivals ! We are very lucky in this area to have venues that support live music so much, and I am looking forward to a summer of listening to the up-and-coming bands of our region at places like Drigstock (Drighlington), Churfest (Churwell), Sporty Music Day (Morley), and as always, The Cross Keys (Morley). All these events have three things in common. They are all very hard to organise. They all raise money for charity. And they all receive complaints from neighbours. Last year Drigstock raised a considerable amount for a charity called Martin House Hospice’. This is a charity that cares for terminally ill children, and tries to make life as comfortable as possible for these tragic younsters. These people are not goverment funded and need all the help they can get. Yet we received complaints all-day that it was ‘too loud’. No. Too loud is how I have to shout to see if my gran wants a seventeenth cup of tea while watching The Chase. Please try to imagine yourself in the position of a parent or grandparent of one of these children. Wouldn’t you accept and be thankful for anyone out there trying to help? These festivals are planned and advertised months ahead. How about planning that day out to cousin Mable’s, or a trip round a garden centre? Even a simple step like closing your windows my help a little with the sound, (right Sporty?). Or even turn your TV on and stop listening in silence to how awfully loud the ‘rock n roll’ concert is six streets away. Music desks can be rigged with a decibel meter that automatically reads when the sound is to high, and turns the volume down, and trust me, we all look at the meters to make sure we are within limits. Just to let all you people know that look forward to complaining about these great events - please don’t bother the police. Simply because we invite them. And because they have to give their permission for the venue to get a licence for the day. If a licence has been given there’s really nothing you can do. The best way to vent any complaints is to go see the festival organiser or the licencee of the premises. Trust me, they will help in any way they can. If this is getting you nowhere I’m sure the police will help. But most of all, remember what these events are trying to do. And give the organisers, venues, and most of all the talented people that perform for nothing, a break.
Daz Tomlinson
Drigstock Chief Organiser
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Weather for Leeds,Yorkshire
Saturday 25 May 2013
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 6 C to 16 C
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Temperature: 7 C to 18 C
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