Basement err "venue(?)"

ryangobie · Post by **ryangobie** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 9:34 am

I hate to call it that, but my friend's house has been doing shows for touring bands coming through 2 to 3 times a week in their basement. When they first started, they weren't doing that many but with so many shows, sound proofing has become more of an issue. I figure this is the best forum to post it in. It's mostly underground except for some windows and a door opening up under the front porch at the level of the windows (more of a crawl space I suppose). They have foam and pillows taped up in the windows and matresses around but those are all just cutting down on reflections. I've seen bands there with two fullstacks and big ol' bass rigs so it's a wonder they haven't gotten shut down. Should I be concerned with sound transmission class or will the narrow bandwidth of STC make it less useful for a band enviornment. Building up mass around those windows? I was thinking plywood covered in plaster on both sides up against the windows with sand filling them in (I had read plaster bumps up transmission loss)? Will isolating the amps off the floor help with the whole house vibrating and transmitting sound out? Up on pallets maybe? Should they be covered? Any help would be great. Thanks!

-Ryan

drumsound · Post by **drumsound** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 11:46 am

Isolation is the key to cutting down transmission.

cwileyriser · Post by **cwileyriser** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 12:22 pm

Before spending any money on reducing noise levels, be sure what's happening is legal under local land use and licensing laws.

Here in Athens, a similar "venue" was condemned by building inspectors after the UGA student newspaper ran a story (http://www.redandblack.com/vnews/displa ... _archive=1) about the venue that included the street address. The place hadn't hosted a party/show for a few months, and may have been a marked target for police by then making it unlikely that any more shows would have happened. Nonetheless, building inspectors condemned it as unsafe for any use or occupancy by anyone. So now the people that live at the property can't even go in there. Apparently, cops have been snooping around the property at night with flashlights recently. As the people that were hosting the parties asked, "I wonder if they think we're hiding a party out in the bushes?"

It doesn't sound like your friend's place would risk condemnation (the place in Athens was an old barn that may well have been unsafe for occupancy by a lot of people), but there could be the potential for a lot of hassle and monetary fines. Sucks, but such is life in a city/town.

The best (but admittedly not necessarily practical) solution - move out to the boondocks where there's little or no regulation and do whatever you want (and no, I don't mean to start a zoning/property rights argument by saying that - just stating the reality of little or no zoning....).

ryangobie · Post by **ryangobie** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 2:22 pm

ohhh they all know what they're doing isn't realllllly legal...it's really low key for the most part...lots of spaces have been shut down in the past but i think the location of this one is really good. it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb like some of the others did. but around here, places don't get condemned...they just get hefty noise violation fines and other tickets and summons and stuff...nothing that drastic...it's a college town so they probably just consider it a loud party.

patternagainstuser · Post by **patternagainstuser** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 2:27 pm

yeah, that shit happens all the time here in lansing, michigan. we just keep moving the venues around from house to house.. the last place actually evicted my friends for doing shows, so we're currently foiled... but not for long!

Phiz · Post by **Phiz** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 3:03 pm

ryangobie wrote: They have foam and pillows taped up in the windows and matresses around but those are all just cutting down on reflections.

Please recall the fire due to acoustical treatments at The Station and give some thought to what would happen if a fire broke out in their basement during a busy show.

joeysimms · Post by **joeysimms** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 10:42 pm

Phiz wrote:
ryangobie wrote: They have foam and pillows taped up in the windows and matresses around but those are all just cutting down on reflections.
Please recall the fire due to acoustical treatments at The Station and give some thought to what would happen if a fire broke out in their basement during a busy show.

I really don't like to be a party pooper, but that was my first thought as well.

ryangobie · Post by **ryangobie** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 8:42 am

no one is being a party pooper...concern for other's safety is real good...they thought that those things were cutting down on transmission, which they are not so they're all going...and these aren't really shows on a level that getting everyone out would be a concern...there are never any fancy pyro or even light stuff and no smoking, but if stuff did catch fire, a busy show is like 30 kids...doesn't mean a basement isn't sketchy, but that's just how things get done i guess...

joeysimms · Post by **joeysimms** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 11:16 am

I think the logical next step is to remove all the flammable crap from the room, and work on absorption and diffusion stuff. FWIW, getting amps off the floor DOES help a bunch.

xonlocust · Post by **xonlocust** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 2:31 pm

i just want to say house shows rule. congrats to you and your friends for creating a scene in your area.

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