Residents as Far as Pico Robertson and Venice Report Disturbances
By Dolores Quintana
Hard Summer 2024 is hard on the eardrums of many residents of the West Los Angeles area, as far away as the Venice canals. This weekend, the summer version of the Electronic Dance Music (EDM) Hard Summer Festival is being held at Hollywood Park near SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. Multiple users on social media have complained about the noise in their neighborhoods, including areas much farther away from the festival.
Nextdoor users from Del Rey, Rancho Park, Westchester, Marina Del Rey, Culver City, Palms, Castle Heights, Ladera Heights, and La Tijera Village have complained about the noise. Users as far north as the intersection of Pico and Westwood and as far west as the Venice Canals have reported being disturbed by the sound.
One resident that we spoke with, who lives near the junction of the 405 and 90 Freeway, had read that the sound from the festival was making at least one person nauseous in their home. She told us that she had repeatedly called and emailed the Mayor of Inglewood and other people at Inglewood’s City Hall after being subjected to the noise during the soundchecks on Friday and all day on Saturday. She noted that she is still disturbed by the sound of the festival even though she has her windows shut, her air conditioner, and fans on.
The El Segundo Police Department posted this message on Twitter: “We are aware of the loud booming sound affecting the city. It is originating from a music festival near SoFi Stadium, scheduled from 2:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. today and tomorrow. There is no need to call 911 to report.”
Inglewood’s Mayor James Butts said in a statement, quoted by NBC 4 News, “First of all, this is the first time in five years this is the first time we’ve had this kind of complaint about music or noise, and so I apologize to everyone that had their lives disrupted by the music, but we have everything under control, and we will continue to make sure it’s a pleasant experience not only for the people that come to the city but for the people that live and reside in this greater south bay area.”
However, one Nextdoor user in Ladera Heights said, “There has to be something we can do about this nonsense. We’ve complained about it last year.”
Hard Summer said in a statement quoted by NBC 4, “For today’s event, we have made extensive efforts to mitigate sound levels with operational changes. Our team will be reacting in real time to adjust concerns until the event ends promptly at 10 PM. While the fan experience is paramount to HARD Summer, it is equally important for us to be good members of the community and considerate neighbors to the city of Inglewood.”
Despite this assurance, one Nextdoor user in Del Rey stated, “We’ve been hearing it from our apartment in Del Rey ALL DAY. It’s incredibly loud and annoying, and honestly hard to believe it’s that loud.”
