'Silent' disco: New sound alternative

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The city’s Music Division will be monitoring a “silent” disco event Friday, 9 p.m. to 3 a.m., at the Cedar Street Courtyard as efforts to find ways to mitigate sound issues in Austin music venues.

"This is something we can recommend," said David Murray with the City of Austin's Music Department. "Possible solution for venues who want to go to later hours or have sound problems."

A “silent” disco is a unique concept that is slowly emerging in Austin’s music scene.

The "silent" disco held at Cedar Street Courtyard was hosted by Vivid Sound Entertainment , a group also organizing the upcoming Euphoria Music Festival in April.

"It's a brand new idea. A lot of people haven't really heard about it," said Campbell Hatch.

Hatch runs a company based out of Dallas called Silent Productionz. They operate the "silent" disco service, and offer about 1,200 wireless headphones that are connected to a hub pumping out three channels of DJ music or live band music.

"We've done from clubs to fields to warehouses to house parties to six year old birthday parties, church events. Anything where you have some noise pollution, we have the solution," Hatch said.

The event being hosted at Cedar Street in the first of its kind for the downtown area. It's for ages 21 and older. Tickets are expected to cost $20 to $25 each.

The Music Division will witness first-hand how this alternative sound mitigation technology might translate to the general Austin public as a possible solution for some venues.

"Our office is very interested to see how people react to it and if it's a viable option for other venues," Murray said.

The Austin City Council recently initiated a Music Venue Assistance Program to study ways to minimize sound issues.

Before a site is picked for a case study, the Music Division of the city’s Economic Growth and Redevelopment Services Department will review sound alternatives used by various venues.

Ultimately, the Music Venue Assistance Program will provide low-interest loans to music venues implementing sound mitigation technologies. Venues would have to meet the program’s criteria.

City officials said the extended hours for this outdoor venue are allowable because of the “silent” nature of the event.