One of the organisers at this year's Download Festival, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a four-day long event at Donington Park, has said the music is "no louder than in previous years". Festival booker Andy Copping said he thinks it could instead be down to weather conditions.
His remarks come after dozens of people took to social media over the past few days to comment on being able to hear headliners Metallica, who played both Thursday and Saturday nights, from as far away as 20 miles as the crow flies. People in places such as Ilkeston, Chilwell, Long Eaton and Stapleford all varyingly expressed their delight at being able to hear hits like Enter Sandman and Nothing Else Matters - but others weren't quite so impressed if they were trying to get to sleep.
Various theories have been put forward about why the music seems so loud at this year's events, including a new and improved sound system by Metallica, but Mr Copping said nothing had changed as regards the decibel level, reports Derbyshire Live. He said: "It's unfortunate, we do have complaints and remarks year in and year out, but this year has been no louder than in previous years. We have the local authority here and also a company that tests our decibel levels and we are at what we are allowed to be at.
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"I think a lot of it could be down to weather conditions. In the past when it has been really breezy when sound can travel. We are at the end of the East Midlands Airport runway and there are planes that are coming in and out and have been for decades, bringing their own level of noise.
"We are here for this one time of the year and we are specifically grateful to the people of Castle Donington and surrounding areas for allowing us to come. The sound situation is no different to what it has been in previous years. We get this every year, somebody is going to hear that in the background. We are not going over curfew, which is 11pm. We are going with what's agreed."
North West Leicestershire District Council, which oversees the environmental impact of the event, including noise control, has information about the festival on its website, which reveals live music can be played on site up to 11pm and that sound tests are carried out each day before the events begins to help the sound levels to be set. Additionally, it says: "Our officers will monitor noise levels at key times during the event.
"Although noise limits are in place, we expect some residents to be able to hear noise from the event. The noise limits have been set to prevent a public nuisance - they are not expected to prevent the event being heard at the surrounding residential properties."
The most recent comments on social media included one person who wrote: "Such opposite ends of the spectrum, watching Barry Manilow on the BBC, then going outside to sing along to Metallica at Download, who I can hear in my back garden from miles away. Both excellent at what they do. Never limit your musical experiences."
Another person remarked: "Thought a neighbour was playing their music too loud. Apparently, I'm hearing Metallica at Download nearly 20 miles away." And a third one added: "I always find it wild that I can hear Download Festival when I live like six miles away from it."
Slipknot will close the festival as headliners on Sunday, June 11, and most of the 80,000 campers are expected to leave the site before 12noon on Monday (June 12).
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