'Disappointed but not surprised': San Francisco's Portola Festival under threat due to noise complaints
- PublicadoTue, Oct 10, 2023, 19:15
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- Earlier this month, the City of Alameda made a formal request to cancel the two-day event.
- The future of San Francisco's Portola Festival might be in danger. Last Wednesday, October 4th, the City of Alameda—which is seven miles east of San Francisco—made a formal request to unplug the Goldenvoice-affiliated event due to noise complaints for the second year in a row. Both nights at the 2023 edition, which ran from September 30th through October 1st, ended at 11 PM. Alameda's nighttime noise regulation begins at 10 PM. "The Portola Music Festival in San Francisco caused significant noise impacts to Alameda residents again this year, despite changes made by the operator to try to address the noise impacts experienced last year," government officials wrote on Facebook. "As a result, the City is formally requesting that the San Francisco Entertainment Commission discontinue the event next year or move it to an alternative venue that ensures Alameda residents will not be impacted." Jozef White, an East Bay native who has attended both editions of the festival, told Resident Advisor that he was "disappointed but not surprised" about the complaint. "For years, the Bay Area hasn't felt as vibrant or full of energy as it has since Portola began," he said. "The government leaders seem to resist certain types of positivity. People come in from all over the country to eat, drink and enjoy this beautiful city, plus more local acts get bookings—everybody wins. If there are logistical issues, I'm not sure why they wouldn't simply try and solve these issues, unless they want less art, energy and business in San Francisco." For White, the impact Portola has had on the city's dance music scene is invaluable. "It's re-centered San Francisco's cultural capital in a post-Covid-19 era. The artists booked are an excellent blend of what's new and exciting. It also aligns with what many local promoters have been trying so hard to bring to our community." The 2023 edition featured the likes of Jai Paul, Two Shell and Avalon Emerson, while last year had Kaytranada, Charli XCX, James Blake and more. In 2022, the festival experienced crowd control issues, though no injuries were reported. RA has reached out to Portola and Goldenvoice for comment. We'll report more as the story unfolds.
- Sat, Sep 30, 2023
Portola Festival 2023
2ManyDJs, Azzecca, Avalon Emerson, Barry Can't Swim, Basement Jaxx, Bonobo, Carl Cox, Chaos In The CBD, Charlotte Adigéry, Bolis Pupul, Charlotte de Witte, Chris Lake, Armand Van Helden, Chromeo, COBRAH, DJ Koze, Dom Dolla, Eliza Rose, Eric Prydz, FKJ, Flying Lotus, Hot Chip, Jai Paul, Jayda G, Jon Hopkins, Jyoty, Kavinsky, LF SYSTEM, Little Dragon, Little Simz, Maddy Maia, Major League Djz, Overmono, Polo & Pan, Purple Disco Machine, salute, Sam Gellaitry, SBTRKT, Skin On Skin, Skrillex, The Blaze, Thundercat, Todd Terje, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Two Shell, Underworld, Yeule, Yung Singh84