Updated August 14
Town officials released information about road closures taking place during Beach Road Weekend.
The three-day festival takes place from Friday, August 25, to Sunday the 27th. During the weekend, there will be road closures from 8 am to 10 pm on each day, according to the Tisbury Police Department. Causeway Road will be closed from State Road to Skiff Avenue, and Lagoon Pond Road will be closed from Five Corners to Skiff Avenue.
There will also be parking restrictions that last longer. From Monday, August 14, to Friday, Sept. 1, there will be no parking at the Veterans Park driveway entrance, or on Lagoon Pond Road from the Veterans Park driveway entrance to Safe Harbor Marina. From Tuesday, August 15, to Friday, Sept. 1, there will be no parking at the Causeway parking area at Veterans Park, although limited parking is available from 7 pm to midnight.
All residents and guests may enter with a parking pass, which can be picked up at the Tisbury Police Department along with “No Parking” signs.
Meanwhile, Beach Road Weekend producers announced a new sound management and mitigation plan.
Members of a group named the Sound Experience Community Response Team will “roam Vineyard Haven, continuously measuring sound pressure levels at different locations, and reporting back to their audio engineers continuously” during the setup and over the entire weekend of Beach Road Weekend, according to a press release from the producers.
The team members will start their evaluation by monitoring sound levels with professional-grade decibel meters around town, during the installation and sound check of the audio systems. At this time, limits will be set to ensure sound levels outside the festival grounds “do not exceed the legal limit during the three days of the event.”
“Everyone involved with this festival wants it to be an exceptional audio and visual experience for guests, and to have as little impact upon the surrounding community as possible,” Beach Road Weekend executive producer Adam Epstein said in the release. “By evaluating the audio levels during the sound check, we have the opportunity to set acceptable levels that meet state and local legal standards, and have as little impact upon the surrounding area as possible. I have instructed our entire team to prioritize management of sound bleed outside the festival grounds. Audio levels will be adjusted and lowered whenever sound levels are determined to be above Massachusetts legal limits.”
When asked for more details about the initiative, Epstein told The Times on Thursday that the team will be utilized to “better understand the ambient noise level” in the neighborhoods near the concert, and to “establish baseline audio levels.” He added that any statewide or municipal restrictions on decibel levels “applicable to outdoor events” will be followed.
“Considering Beach Road Weekend mainstage performances occur during the hours of noon to 8 pm, outside the time period where traditional municipal sleep time audio limits are set, we will seek to set our volume levels so that volume outside the park is near-ambient norms, while also ensuring that the experience of the guests is at the highest quality,” he said.
Epstein listed some changes made to improve this year’s festival for both concertgoers and abutters, including a “full sound check.” Previously, the festival organizers had been “cut off by public officials,” and were unable to “properly establish the optimal audio mix for within and outside the park.”
“We have also brought new audio engineers and a much-improved line array to better target where the sound travels and where it does not,” Epstein said. “Additional audio will project out of both sets of stage speakers throughout the day, giving a fuller sound throughout the field. Finally, in the past, the head audio engineer mixed the sound from a position 10 feet above the audience, providing the engineer a different audio experience from the audience. This year the sound will be mixed from the ground level, giving the engineers the understanding of what the audience hears at all times.”
Town officials and festival producers also adopted the use of a phone app called Decibel X, which the release describes as “a professional-grade decibel meter,” which is available for free. This will allow individuals to measure and submit data to the town to investigate the audio impact.
The release states festival producers also made an online platform where residents can report audio disturbances directly to the Tisbury Police Department, which will allow the concert technicians the opportunity to “quickly remedy any troublesome audio issues.” A town representative would also be sent out to investigate a noise concern. The platform can be accessed at bit.ly/3qqtWf1. Noise issues can also be submitted to the Tisbury Police Department by phone at 508-696-4240, ext. 607.
“We are excited about the prospect of using data-based reporting measures to better understand how the festival sound travels around the surrounding area, and to allow that understanding to lead to a lighter impact on the neighborhoods around the park. We are also very excited about the ability to hear directly from town residents who can report actual measurements of their concerns online,” Tisbury town administrator John Grande said in the release.
Updated with additional details from Adam Epstein and the Tisbury Police Department.
If the select board would do the right thing for towns people affected by this concert held on public property is not to renew a contract with the promoter. He has been allowed to try his best to make a profit but every year he says he lost money, I think it’s time for some quiet time.
Agreed. The location was a bad idea from the start. Anyone familiar with current day concert audio could have predicted there would be noise complaints from nearby residents. Now they are trying to mitigate the issue and it sounds like a token gesture.
The Selectboard is elected by we the people.
We the people have spoken.
When will you run for Selectperson on a anti-BRW platform?
The right thing to do is what the voters want. The majority of the voters want it to happen.
We are are a Republic, we will not allow the popular vote determine festival.
Untrue, if you polled Tisbury voters it would be no concert, it is a town issue others should mind their own town’s affairs
Carlos, Tisbury voters are polled by voting for the Selectmen, the Selectmen have now approved BWE for three years in a row. Who have you voted for?
Will you do the Right thing and lead a recall petition and then run for office and end this nonsense?
It is not just a Town issue, BRE weekend affects the whole Island, it jams up the SSA.
What one town does affects all Islanders. The Island wants BRE, some of neighbors, not so much.
The park was neglected all Summer as our local tax paying softball league members endured flooded fields, long grass and grass field damage left from last years concert. Tisbury will make it temporarily look nice now that the money maker is in town but the park will continue to deteriorate in the aftermath of the concert’s unnecessary footprint.
“long grass”? The music made the grass grow? How unfortunate. The high school needs grass, hold the concert there. Call it No Where Near the the Beach Weekend.
“the concert’s unnecessary footprint.” The majority want it. Tisbury is not a Republic, it has old fashion democratic mob rule.
The town didn’t take care of the park all summer hence the long grass. Amazingly, it looks good now. How is that ok? How do you justify that to local tax payers who want to enjoy the public park?
It’s always OK if the grass grows.
Local tax payers want to enjoy the public park.
Local tax payers want to enjoy BRW in the public park.
It was foolishness on part of the select board to agree to this concert at that location and to agree to the type of sound system and volume to begin with. People love the idea of the concert. But it is time to move it to an appropriate venue. It is not just the volume. There are a myriad of issues. Sports are important. Walking is important. Quiet is important also. The concert is losing money? Did I read that?
They have approved it three years running.
Who did you vote for?
Was it a rigged elections, or have we the people spoken?
Too many people make too much money for anyone, anywhere on the island to stop this scourge of Martha’s Vineyard life. Short-sighted greed, along with a public’s unwillingness to give up their immediate gratification for a good time will keep up and speed up the degradation of island life. It’s too late for Epstein’s pretenses. And asking for a venue change is like asking people to pick up their dog poop on hiking trails. Does anyone wonder how restaurants are getting away with $25 fish sandwiches the size and same prep as one frozen fish stick? You invite garbage into your life, ignoring the basics of protecting quality of life, in order to have a good time? Sound management, in a residential neighborhood? You have to be an idiot to take this seriously. Same with the damage to the field. It’s a Monster Music Festival, with the emphasis on MONSTER. Meanwhile the grumbling on social media over crowds, no parking, traffic jams, and rip-off prices island-wide, is worse than any years prior. You asked for it, you got it.
Jackie is correct on this one.
andrew what drew you be become summer visitor?
The same things that drew Obama?
The diversity of the culture, the range of artistic expression, exchange of political points of view, the Progs?
What are you doing about Stop the Steal, is that why you are off island?
Too many people think that the Island has gone straight to hell since the day washed ashore.
Cause and effect.
Carlos
The amount of folks that really enjoy this festival outnumber the folks that don’t 1,000 to 1.
The same residents that call the cops when they hear a leaf blower before noon are going to complain about 2 days of music and fun in Vineyard Haven. Management has done everything possible to make this a pleasant experience for everyone involved. The folks in charge seem to agree. I hope Beach Road continues for many years to come. I’ve been involved since day one and wear my BRW cap with pride. Naysayers are a given.
Rock On, Beach Road.
Bill, if you make money off of venue your words are slanted. You are wrong there is no 1000 Tisbury voters that want this concert to one person. I think a stooge that wants to be king would use those “I feel facts “
BRW is now in it’s third year. If the Tisbury voters did not want BRW they would have not voted for the current Selectman.
If the majority of Tisbury voters did not want BRW they would recall the Selectman and put BRW on the ballot.
Can we expect Carlos to to head up the Selectmen recall and ballot question.
Or will his efforts be limited to comment boards?
Bill, it is obvious that “management” hasn’t done a single thing to make this pleasant for those who are not involved, yet must endure the pounding bass for three days without a choice. This new, token gesture about sound mitigation is laughable.
You can bet that it will be just as loud and annoying as last year.
Three days a year.
Thank you BILL! Same people they complain about “traffic”. Remember when music was a part of the culture and wasn’t outlawed everywhere?!?
My husband and I are working class year round residents of Tisbury, walking distance to the park. We really enjoy this show each year! I have watched (and read) closely as Adam E. has responded to the concerns of our town. Their team had things to work on, which makes sense for a new festival- and they have adjusted. This sound system response, where anyone in town can test and report, is another tangible way they are addressing a major concern. As someone who volunteers for our town, all town residents’ experiences (not just mine) are important to me. If you are affected, download and test and report on sound issues! Let’s be open and see how it goes. Please refrain from making assessments or judgements without facts, because a lot of us really have fun with these shows… seeing world class musicians without leaving the island is spectacular
The minority in Vineyard Haven want BRE stopped, We are a minority rule democracy.
You’re kidding yourself if you’re entertaining any notion that this monster fest is for or about islanders. The money making is from off-islanders. Are islanders buying $10,000 weekend package deals? There’s just enough thrown at islanders to make them feel good and as if it’s about them, lol. That’s how it’s done. The biggest island proponents are making money. And those not making money but are all gung ho anyway please do are being naive— and blind to reality.
There’s a reason why people want to live on the island— to have a certain quality of life that isn’t available elsewhere, you know, without all the stuff you can easily do and get off-island. When you blindly bring “elsewhere” to the place you cherish, without recognizing you’re on that destructive slippery slope, you bring ruin to why people are Vineyarders. In my view, it’s already too late— but hey, as long as you’re having fun without a care for the consequences of what you’re not only allowing, but encouraging, you’re how Epstein got away with this—and will continue to. This is as short-sighted as the housing bank, without any recognition of “be careful what you wish for”.
Islanders are reaping the profits from $10,000 weekend package deals.
Managers, cooks, waitstaff, house keepers, Islanders.
Exactly, Hess. Im surprised you do your part to expose how epstein gets away with doing so much damage to the island and why so many support this. When there’s money to be made by enough people, there is little thought given to meaning and consequences. There are lots of terrible but nicely dressed-up things people will do for money, no matter how damaging or, in the end, self-defeating. Killing island life to bring in more and more off-island money is exactly what people like epstein are doing– and there are always those, like you, who think the money makes it worth it. Did you see the photo of the inside of the airport terminal, jammed with travelers? And that’s the new and improved airport terminal. It used to be that folks were willing to give up mainland life and all those perks (like doctors, big concerts, reasonable housing and food costs, easy access to travel, etc) all because of the simplicity of island life. Now there are people actually telling us that BRW is great BECAUSE islanders don’t have to leave the island to get the same stuff they could get if they’d just move away. People like you don’t know what they’re saying in defense of this horror show. But people will have fun and spend money. And more people will come. More, more, more… to have less of why people live on the island.
Don’t you live off Greenwood? you do not live close to the venue you would not and are not affected in your home as many, many are. You are indeed walkiong distance but on the other side of the town, not near the lagoon, and lower elevation then Spring Street which gives your land area of town a buffer.
Oh God no. Three whole days!!!
How about our select board come to an agreement not to renew BRW again for a one year period in which a committee can assess pros and cons and have meetings of Tisbury residents who are interested in the subject. Also said committee could work on and present to the BOS a sound management policy which our community needs moving forward., I believe these are modest proposals that would be a prudent for our select board members to consider,
How about our select board be recalled.
For three years running they have been approving this “monstrosity”.
This is like the 2020 election, we are all certain who won, but we disagree.
Has any other place on Martha’s Vineyard approached Mr Epstein about holding the event at their venue? I would love to know if there may actually be alternate places that BRW could be held.
Note to the editor: Nine obnoxious and usually off-topic comments under one article are too many. Can we get a limit here, say 5 comments under one article and then you’re cut off? Lol.
I like the idea of auditory monitoring. Kindly send someone to corner of Tashmoo and Main far enough removed, several blocks in fact, but whose residents from past years’ recollections, are still forced to experience for three days/evenings the endless unpleasant constant thumping, bumping, banging of drum beats I assume, which drives any normal person this far removed from the music, bonkers. It is exquisite torture difficult to endure. Thanks!
They are forced to endure summer people for 90 days.
Just a word of advice to anyone considering using this Decibel X app to report in noise… Make sure you remove any phone case that your phone might be in while using the app. Your phone case will suppress the amount of noise making it to the phone’s microphone and will suppress the noise measured by the app.
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