Concert Noise in Boston

CUSTOMER

Boston Calling

PROJECT

Boston Calling

Rock 'n' Roll Ain't Noise Pollution.

01

The Project

Boston Calling is a music festival that debuted in May 2013 at City Hall Plaza. The festival drew up to 22,000 fans in its earlier editions and grew to roughly 40,000 festival-goers in 2017. In May 2016, Boston Calling announced its move to the Harvard Athletic Complex in Allston — a larger site that allowed the addition of more music stages and the inclusion of stand-up comedy performers.

On 31 March 2020, the festival announced that the 2020 edition would be cancelled in response to the worldwide pandemic. The festival is now back and in full swing.

A typical edition delivers more than 50 performances across three days, alongside a 100-foot Ferris wheel, art installations, life-size games, and a programme of activities designed to keep festival-goers engaged from gate to gate.

Our Partner

Sonitus Systems — a Cognesense brand — provides certified environmental noise monitoring for festivals, venues, regulators, and communities worldwide. At Boston Calling, the deployment is built around EM2030 automated sound level monitors and the Sonitus Cloud platform — putting defensible, real-time noise data into the hands of the production team running each day of the event.

One partner. Every obligation. Legacy meets future.

About the EM2030

The EM2030 is built for situations where customers need reliable measurements with minimum operational effort. Users simply switch on the power: monitoring starts, and all readings upload automatically to the online reporting platform. Each kit consists of a rugged measurement unit, a weatherproof outdoor microphone, a mounting stand with cable, and a power supply — with battery and solar options also available. System setup and configuration is over Wi-Fi and can be completed from a laptop, tablet, or smartphone on any mobile device, which is ideal where access or safety is restricted — construction sites, industrial settings, or roadside installations.

The EM2030 is supported by Sonitus Cloud — the online analysis and reporting system that lets users access sound level readings from anywhere.

Testimonial

“FYI — everything ended up working out wonderfully. Thank you so much for your quick help on this last week. We’re in the middle of Cambridge, had Metallica play to 45,000 people on Harvard’s athletic grounds, and had 2 noise complaints from the surrounding community. The mics allowed us to monitor our levels outside of the grounds and correct things as needed. It was a major win.”

— AJ Moen, Assistant Production Director, Boston Calling

What's the Problem?

Centrally located music events that run across multiple days have a significant impact on local residents and the surrounding area. The size of the event meant special measures had to be put in place to ensure the agreed noise limits at the perimeter were met. The festival directors requested permanent monitoring stations recording live data to protect local residents, with that data displayed on a single, online, live interface.

The Deployment

Sonitus Systems provided five EM2030 automated sound level monitors, installed at key positions around the perimeter. Locations were selected based on the severity of potential noise exposure to the nearest residents. Data captured by the monitors gave the crew a live view of all five locations on a single screen.

The crew could respond quickly to keep noise in the surrounding area to a minimum. Where deeper investigation was needed, the system also provided audio clips and frequency analyses — defensible evidence, available on demand.

Live Production-Team Display

  • 62.6 dB(A) — Latest Average (LAEQ), Main entrance, Noise Monitor s/n 1234, 13:55 – 14:10, 26th Jan
  • 66.5 dB(A) — Latest Average (LAEQ), Main street, Noise Monitor s/n 2345, 14:00 – 14:15, 26th Jan
  • 67.8 dB(A) — Latest Average (LAEQ), West Boundary, Noise Monitor s/n 3456, 14:00 – 14:15, 26th Jan
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More Information

Get in contact to see how Sonitus Systems — a Cognesense brand — can support your festival, venue, or community noise obligation.

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