HARD Summer Noise Complaints Bring Changes To SoFi Stadium Plaza Concerts

A rash of noise complaints from the recent HARD Summer 2024 festival will bring a change to the way concerts are staged outside SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

HARD Summer — which has taken place in various Southern California locations since 2008 — was being held for the first time at the venue Aug. 3-4. Shortly after it began, noise complaints began rolling into local police departments and government offices.

As this was the fifth festival with the others going off without similar problems, the issue “perplexed” Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts Jr., who issued a statement addressing the concerns Aug. 9.

“After meeting with representatives from the event promoter and the venue, we conducted a thorough review of the modifications and changes made between Saturday and Sunday of HARD Summer, specifically in response to noise complaints from neighboring communities,” his statement said, in part.

Complaints began as early as sound check Aug. 2 but really ramped up when the festival began in earnest Aug. 3, with the El Segundo Police receiving so many, the department posted on X for residents to stop calling them in.

The belief is that sound propagated so far because HARD Summer, as an EDM festival (though the bill also includes rap and pop artists), has music that features prominent bass. Low-frequency sound travels farther without energy loss than high-frequency sound. Warmer temperatures and wind patterns are also believed to be a factor.

But the primary culprit seemed to be the use of an elevated stage on the American Airlines Plaza near the stadium’s southeast corner.

“Consequently, no stages will be permitted in this area for future events. Additionally, we will require even greater sound engineering with a more comprehensive plan when it comes to addressing sound and bass frequency management,” Butts wrote.

The festival utilized five stages; in addition to the plaza stage, four others were in the parking lots surrounding the stadium, as has been standard practice for earlier festivals at SoFi. The stadium’s agreement with the city exempts the campus from the noise ordinance and allows for events on the plaza by right, while those staged in the parking lots are subject to review by Inglewood’s Permits and License Commission.

The Fool In Love festival is scheduled for Aug. 31 and will using staging in the parking lots only.

HARD Summer is produced by Insomniac. This year’s line-up included Major Lazer, deadmau5, Subtronics and Zeds Dead.