Politicians Rethinking Raves

San Manuel Amphitheatre near Devore, Calif., has been the site of events from US festivals to Ozzfests, but it should not host massive electronic dance music shows, says San Bernardino County Supervisor Janice Rutherford, three years after Nocturnal Wonderland and Beyond Wonderland events were moved there from another venue.

Photo: Paul Hebert Photography via Facebook

The two events, which were forced from the National Orange Show Events Center in San Bernardino, Calif., in 2013, apparently continue to be the target of noise and other nuisance complaints as well as arrests and medical emergencies including at least one death.

“We gave it a shot. It’s time for these events not to be at this county facility anymore,” Rutherford said during a meeting, according to the San Bernardino Sun.

The paper reports that “dozens, if not hundreds” of nearby residents have complained about the noise, drug use, traffic and loitering since the events began at the 65,000-capacity shed in Glen Helen Regional Park.

The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors heard from residents during an April 5 meeting. Rutherford referred a clause in a contract with Live Nation, which operates the San Manuel shed, to county counsel for a determination if the company can be forced to stop holding EDM events there.

The contract includes a clause that says that if the venue should “become a safety hazard or be subject to complaints from the neighboring community, Live Nation would agree to no longer hold the events at the amphitheater,” according to the Sun.

County officials said they would investigate, with the county parks department, the complaints and decide what action, if any, to take. Live Nation spokeswoman Carrie Davis said the company had no comment.