Forum Topic

Drumming racket

Is that loud amplified drumming coming from Acton Park?

Julia Hunt ● 5492d44 Comments

Probably coming from Gunnersbury Park and the Mela!

Amanda Knights ● 5492d

The noise is coming from the London Mela which is based in Gunnersbury Park. I live in Avenue Gardens and we still cannot open a window without being invaded by the noise.

Paul Ambridge ● 5492d

I am in Birkbeck avenue and can't open my windows!

Alex Valenzuela ● 5492d

We could hear it in Goldsmith Avenue with the windows closed. What can it have been like close up?Makes the Acton Carnival sound like a tea party.

Sara Nathan ● 5492d

Amazing!!! None of you can let any one have "fun" without complaints!!All I ever see on this forum is racism, anti this and anti that, complaints, etc.... very few and far between positive comments! Oh well, what ever floats your boat!I have not commented in ages on anything, just watching... now I know why this world as we know it is so messed up. No give and not take, all selfishness... me me me!!!NOW AND THEN would it would be wonderful to see people being positive and friendly, but not in this system!Hope you all have a lovely day tomorrow, I really do... maybe we can just give someone a smile for the sake of it:)I know I am GOING to get negative feedback from this, but I will not comment as is will be a total waste of my time. I may respond to positive comments, but who really cares.

Susan Hughes ● 5492d

PS I live right by Acton Town Station and it is not that bad, certainly nothing to complain about.... all those people having  a day out!!!!  The trains are louder than the music but you don't hear many people who live on the tracks complain about the noise all the time do you?A once a year event people, get a grip!

Susan Hughes ● 5492d

Hi Susan, I for one think it's a very positive thing and reinforces the diversity we enjoy in Acton. If it means we have to close out windows for a few hours then to me that's not a big deal. I'm not aware if people were kept awake at night from the music if there was any then. I certainly didn't hear any noise later in the evening.I don't recall hearing it was going to be this weekend, but drove past yesterday afternoon - hope the rain didn't spoil the fun.Cheers, Carl

Carl Tamboli ● 5492d

No negative feedback from me, Susan, but a resounding "hear hear"!  It's only once a year and it's lovely having a fabulous event going on somewhere local.My only quibble, why was the Mela so late this year?  Usually it's been about mid-August.  My teaches-English-in-Spain-and-has-the-whole-month-of-August-off brother was very disappointed to miss it this year!

Olga Sidoryk ● 5492d

It had stopped by 8pm I believe.I was just surprised I could hear anything so far away - and curious as to what it could be.What was odd was it seemed to be ordinary rock music bass noises -which is why I didn't identify it sooner.

Sara Nathan ● 5492d

I was puzzled by the noise, too - I brought up the live webcast on my PC and it seemed to be totally different from the 'music' that could be heard outside (and inside) so perhaps there was more than one sound stage involved.But it's only once a year, and at least it stopped mid-evening. Hope they all had a great time, despite the rain, but am glad I don't live even closer... :-)

Lorna Dodd ● 5492d

I spent six hours at the mela, even in the pouring rain and it was a fantastic event. It's the biggest event we have here in Acton, puts us on the map with people travelling from far and wide to visit. There are 5 stages so it probably why people were picking up on different types of music.If you have never been, give it a try, there is something there for all ages, I've gone every year since it started and it never fails to provide an amazing day out.

Miriam Kerketta ● 5492d

Olga,I can tell you that the Mela was held later this year as Ramadam fell during August.  It wouldn't be much fun for Muslims who wanted to go to the Mela if it was held during the month of fasting!  The reason that Actonians may have noticed the noise particularly is the wind direction.  Any noise to your west always gets carried on the prevailing westerly winds.  I could hear the drumming in Walpole Park on Sunday afternoon.  I knew what it was so I didn't mind people enjoying themselves one day a year.  I was there earlier whilst it was raining and there were loads of people there enjoying themselves already in spite of the weather.

Phil Taylor ● 5492d

My head is still drumming.

Munira Khan ● 5492d

Big day for doing things in London yesterday: I did the Skyride in the morning (two hours tower Hill and back - phew) and then the open Allotments in Bromyard Avenue - which was much dampened by the rain but very jolly and with the best hamburgers ever...after that, the thought of the Mela was too much!Thames Day next weekend - lots of fun in and around the bridges

Sara Nathan ● 5492d

I'm surprised by the complaints as I back onto Gunnersbury Park and was not disturbed. I mean, I could hear music but it wasn't loud enough to bother me, so that it disturbed people over in central Acton seems weird.As someone suggested, maybe it was the wind direction, as the wind seemed quite strong.

Susan Kelly ● 5492d

The wind was certainly blowing it loud and clear as far as Acton Vale, and for my taste seven hours of it was generous provision. I'm all for everyone enjoying themselves but I wonder - genuine question this - do you think they would have had just as much fun if the volume levels had been kept down a bit? Ealing council is notorious for failing to monitor decibel levels at its own events.

Keith Clarke ● 5492d

When I said my head was still banging, it was because of the party I went to at Thai Nice (in a good way) not beacuse of Mela in case you all thought I was complaining. Live and let live, its only one day a year not a regular event.

Munira Khan ● 5492d

Are we absolutely certain the noise was coming from the Mela and not from something going on in Acton Park? Acton Vale is a fair way from here.

Susan Kelly ● 5492d

Susan - nothing going on in the park yesterday, and I live just opposite.  But I certainly heard the noise coming from Gunnersbury, although it was only a mild annoyance in this area.

Nina Battleday ● 5492d

My message was that we could hear the noise in our house. I am not trying to stop people enjoying themselves but in that same vein, why was I not able to sit in my garden without having to listen to the noise of an event over half a mile away! Why were the volumes turned up so high?

Paul Ambridge ● 5492d

I wasn't complaining about the noise, just suggesting where it was coming from - I don't think that was negative or racist or anti- anything was it? Sorry if it was!

Amanda Knights ● 5492d

I'm thinking along the same lines as Susan Kelly. Too loud to have been coming from Gunnesbury Park.  I could only hear loud drumming, no music as such. Wonder if a local hall had some sort of session.  I'm on The Vale too.

Julia Hunt ● 5492d

... and hey, 10/10 for rant of the year Susan Hughs.

Julia Hunt ● 5492d

... and apologies for the missing e.

Julia Hunt ● 5492d

A good rant, as you say, and the old nonsense where anyone objecting to the Mela must, by definition, be racist, even if they'd make the same complaints about noise or traffic if it was a Klu Klux Klan meeting.

Susan Kelly ● 5491d

The Council leader - with whom I seem to have a tweeting relationship - says he's going to look at the decibel measurement before next years event.

Sara Nathan ● 5491d

I must have missed it all.  I had my windows open and heard nothing.  I guess I was engrossed in Yehudi (a brilliant violin player.)

Nicola Howard ● 5491d

A sound can be perceived as a 'racket' if you find it unpleasant or persistent. It isn't necessarily loud. It's more to do with opinion, and context.I heard the music in the distance from central Acton.  Once I realised it was the Mela festival, I could either listen to it, or choose to ignore it. It wasn't only drumming, I could hear bands playing, I could hear singing , I could hear a female voice speaking over a P.A. system, just what you'd expect to hear from a large music festival about a mile away, especially if there are no tall buildings or trees in the way to help block the sound.Can't find any complaints on the Chiswick forum, or Brentford forum, or Ealing forum.

Fred Bray ● 5491d

What was he playing? Elgar?Noise must have been very wind/direction related. I don't really notice much but beats drive composer - husband up the wall.

Sara Nathan ● 5491d

Bach....Sonatas and Partitas.  Wonder which violin he was using, he had so many.Just wish I could download the sheet music, Boosey,s are useless.

Nicola Howard ● 5491d

Try alina ibragimova doing them - she is amazing - and was a soLoist in the Bach double - then aged about eleven - The last time I saw Menuhin conduct, just before he died

Sara Nathan ● 5491d

Was that late 1999?Must try these solo pieces on the Yamaha 674 open hole.

Nicola Howard ● 5491d

I think a little earlier But maybe. She has grown into the mist fabulous Bach-playing soloist. The oTher part at that last concert was played by Nicola Benedetti. It was abut of a vintage Crop at the Menuhin school!

Sara Nathan ● 5491d

SaraThanks for the info.See Nigel Kennedy is doing Partita No2 in Dmin and No3 in E, at the Proms.  Missed the 7:30 broadcast, so will set the blu-ray for 02:40

Nicola Howard ● 5487d

Was that the late night Bach prom? If so I was there - it was fine till he started to do jazz - not my favourite.

Sara Nathan ● 5487d

The Bach D minor was gorgeous - while I didn't like the jazz as much his playing was well worth a listen - and he's such a good show off!

Nina Battleday ● 5487d

Just watched it on i-Player.  Great, not so keen on the jazzy bits.  Still going to record it, and, all set for the Last Night, the second half should be a hoot.

Nicola Howard ● 5487d

How can it be Last Night already? Who stole summer?

Susan Kelly ● 5487d

No Last Night for me: the Menuhin School friends are celebrating their 40th anniversary with a concert starring a pupil from four decades.I know we have Tasmin Little and Paul Watkins.A fair substitute

Sara Nathan ● 5487d

Vivaldi...Summer.Remember my first day at Kneller Hall, on the fiddle.

Nicola Howard ● 5487d

HoW was the last night? May have recorded it if the sky+ app worked. Our concert was fab apart from the unidentifiable elderly woman with the screaming high pitched hearing aid. She was lucky to live!

Sara Nathan ● 5486d

Susan Bullock and Lang Lang were in fine form.Not quite so sure about the opening number, Musica Benevolent by Sir Peter Maxwell Davis, it was somewhere between a symphony/overture/hymn. Where the strings went augmented/minor so to speak was a bit hard on the ears. (I take it hubby has perfect pitch, whereas mine is about 90%.)  It was nice to see the Guards playing the Aida Trumpets.During the second half they showed Catherine Jenkins from Hyde Park, and I thought she was excellent.Pity they didn't do Sailors Hornpipe and Humoresque No 7, as I would have joined in.  Quite liked the principle bassoon, some very cheeky expressions.  Also thought I heard the mellow tones of a Buffet Festival clarinet. All in all a good performance.

Nicola Howard ● 5486d

PSHave it recorded on Blu-ray if you have a b.r recorder or player.

Nicola Howard ● 5486d

taI hope - but haven't checked - that the remote sky+ recording worked

Sara Nathan ● 5486d