The campaign to rewrite Edinburgh’s draconian live music laws is in the news again.

The Music Is Audible campaign, who are currently in consultation with City of Edinburgh Council, are seeking a change to current legislation which contains a clause stating: “all amplified music and vocals shall be so controlled as to be inaudible in neighbouring residential premises.”

Non-compliant venues can lose their licence to sell alcohol, which more often than not will result in their closure.

Sneaky Pete’s Nick Stewart, also part of the Music is Audible team, told The List: “In a heavily tenemented city like Edinburgh it’s simply not possible to have full inaudibility. So what happens is places that would put on gigs don’t, because the fear that they could lose their license mean it’s not worth the risk.”

The campaign are seeking a change to the legislation, to the wording: “Amplified music shall not be an audible nuisance in neighbouring residential premises.”

Stewart and MIA believe that “everyone plays it safe” meaning that musicians and fans may move to Glasgow where their creativity will be less restricted.
“If there was more of a sense of a scene in Edinburgh more people would stay and that would promote the scene continually,” he says in the piece by Henry Northmore.

MIA are asking for a show of support, which will require expressing views in writing to The Edinburgh Licensing Board via [email protected] or post (to the attention of “Licensing Board Consultation”), to Licensing, City of Edinburgh Council, 249 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1YJ, before 22nd July.

More on the consultation with the full info at http://musicisaudible.org/