The Live Bands Are Back in Jalan P Ramlee
The 5 club operators in Jalan P. Ramlee are allow to have their live bands back again this week end by the local authority. The Beach Club, Thai Club, Aloha, Peppy Garden and Rum Jungle will have their live music back provided they do not play their music too loud.
Earlier on the 1st January 2010 the local authority decided to revoke their entertainment licenses on New Year’s Day after numerous warnings by the DBKL last year to lower the volume of the music. This is because the resident staying around the area complaining about the loud music.
During this time there were no live bands play in this area and you can only listen to piped in music when you step inside. Too quiet for Jalan P Ramlee and the scene were rather dead and hollow. Jalan P. Ramlee is known for its vibrant music and nightlife with an average 5000 visitors mostly foreigners thronging the clubs during the weekends.
“Club owners must make an effort to tone down the volume and ensure the noise threshold is maintained at 65 decibels (dB) or less during the evening and at 55 dB during the day” said the authority. The permitted level for Jalan P. Ramlee is 60 decibels.
I wonder how they are going to measure the sound pressure level (SPL). Is it just outside the club or along the Jalan P Ramlee. Since the club is the open air concept they have to really tone down the loudness inside the club to 65 – 68db in order to have 65 db on the outside.
The last time I was there last year in one of the clubs I think the average sound pressure level (SPLs) inside the club was around 95 dB to 110 dB. To have 65 dB is like walking in a department stores or talking in a noisy office environments. I am not sure this time. I will check out the clubs in one of this day.
Unless they install soundproof devices inside the club to absorb the loudness they cannot really increase the music level.
According to Ronnie Chong who owns Poppy, Beach Club and Rum Jungle said he was happy with decision and would stick to the rules. We as light and sound company and the sound industry in general were happy with this decision also. Let the music play on.