[Singerlady]

Originally Posted by TheVillagesYoungster

I have been going to Sawgrass frequently to listen to the music at night. When it was first open the sound was fantastic. Lately it has been terrible. It is turned down so low all you hear is everyone talking. I spoke with one of the band members on break and he said that they had to turn down the volume because the neighbors were complaining. The people who purchased in that area should have known that the entertainment center was there. I probably won't be going back. The sound at Brownwood is much better.

I wish they had turned down the volume when we were dining indoors at McGrady’s. Yes, it was nice weather and they had the front doors and bar door open so it was like we were sitting in the front row at the venue. Way too loud. Poor planning for the venue.

[bark4me]

Originally Posted by Michael 61

The sound is something that comes with being close to a music venue - I can sometimes hear the music from Brownwood from the lanai of my new home in the northern part of Richmond - I actually like to hear the music - a nice perk from living so close (walking distance) from a square.

I totally agree. Free ambient music. Can't beat that.

[bark4me]

Originally Posted by TheVillagesYoungster

I have been going to Sawgrass frequently to listen to the music at night. When it was first open the sound was fantastic. Lately it has been terrible. It is turned down so low all you hear is everyone talking. I spoke with one of the band members on break and he said that they had to turn down the volume because the neighbors were complaining. The people who purchased in that area should have known that the entertainment center was there. I probably won't be going back. The sound at Brownwood is much better.

I totally agree. It's like these idiots that buy a house by the town squares, pickle ball courts, tennis courts, shuffleboard etc. They knew it was gonna get noisy so deal with it. They can always sell their home and buy another one far far away from anything. Some people just aren't happy unless they're complaining.

[tonycirocco@me.com]

Costco!!!!

[retiredguy123]

I just don't like any live music. If I want to listen to music, I will turn on my stereo system or use headphones. I do think the developer should ensure that the residents near Sawgrass are not subjected to loud music that the developer can control.

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by VApeople

The entertainment center was not there when people purchased the homes.

Only the Developer knew what they had planned and I doubt they told the new homeowners.

Imagine running this place. No matter what it is someone will object. Human nature? Many years ago, through my business, I met a guy that married a German Duchess compete with a castle and a HUGE property. He and a neighbor were fighting about a tree on the property line.

[DakotaKid]

Originally Posted by VApeople

The entertainment center was not there when people purchased the homes.

Only the Developer knew what they had planned and I doubt they told the new homeowners.

That’s not true. All of us who bought in the Saint Catherine / Citrus Grove area were told that Sawgrass was coming. Sawgrass was a major selling feature for buying in this area. It’s one of the main reasons we bought in this area and has turned into a huge disappointment. The people (which I’ve heard are only 3 or 4 homes) that complained should have bought elsewhere.

I agree with the OP, the sound at Sawgrass is horrible. You can’t understand what is being sung or said, the instruments sound muddy and muffled, you can’t hear the kick drum which is the heart beat of the band. Even though we live very close we don’t go to Sawgrass hardly ever because the music there sounds like crap.

This is a case of the tail wagging the dog. A few whiners have recked the sound for the rest of us. Anyone from our area that I’ve talked to say how terrible the sound is. It’s a shame.

P.S. Sometimes when we are sitting on our lanai we can hear the music at Sawgrass and that is just fine with us. We knew it was part of the deal if we bought close to a music venue.

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by bark4me

I totally agree. It's like these idiots that buy a house by the town squares, pickle ball courts, tennis courts, shuffleboard etc. They knew it was gonna get noisy so deal with it. They can always sell their home and buy another one far far away from anything. Some people just aren't happy unless they're complaining.

This place IS congested with it's plusses and it's minuses. I have a friend who with his brother bought 180 acres in the backwoods of north Carolina. Before buying in the villages I became aware of an, "Opportunity," to buy an island. It was like 15 acres, i think it changed with the tides, a nice home and a small herd or wild horses. My own KINGDOME, it was vetoed by the QUEEN.

[rsmurano]

Originally Posted by TheVillagesYoungster

I have been going to Sawgrass frequently to listen to the music at night. When it was first open the sound was fantastic. Lately it has been terrible. It is turned down so low all you hear is everyone talking. I spoke with one of the band members on break and he said that they had to turn down the volume because the neighbors were complaining. The people who purchased in that area should have known that the entertainment center was there. I probably won't be going back. The sound at Brownwood is much better.

I’m an audio guy and went the 1st night sawgrass opened and the sound was so bad, I have never been back. And if you think the sound is worse now, when I think the sound was terrible in the beginning, I won’t be back anytime soon.
Why don’t they get a decent audio engineer to tailor the sound to the venue? It’s not hard to do. Brownwood sq or any of the other squares would also sound terrible if the audio engineer didn’t do their job correctly

[GATORBILL66]

Originally Posted by TheVillagesYoungster

I have been going to Sawgrass frequently to listen to the music at night. When it was first open the sound was fantastic. Lately it has been terrible. It is turned down so low all you hear is everyone talking. I spoke with one of the band members on break and he said that they had to turn down the volume because the neighbors were complaining. The people who purchased in that area should have known that the entertainment center was there. I probably won't be going back. The sound at Brownwood is much better.

Sawgrass is useless if you can't turn up the music. BUILD MORE SQUARES!

[rsmurano]

Originally Posted by LAFwUs

You literally couldn't be more wrong.
Multiple villages where not only up & built, but fully or near fully occupied before sawgrass was even remotely close to opening.
For a very long time it was little more than a parking lot with construction barriers. Many of us knew nothing about an outdoor music venue coming.
Fewer still were told when they bought, that there would be a stream of outdoor live bands 4-5 nights a week, 3-4 hrs non stop ea of those evenings, blasting out music at volume 11+, some 200 ft from some peoples homes.

Our south end home was near Sawgrass, yet blocks away. Far enough away you'd think it would not have been an issue...
The sound was horribly loud when it first kicked off. Loud enough one could hear it inside the closed up house. Using the lanai or being outside for an nice evening conversation was unpleasant & disruptive.

There may be a few exceptions, and while we didn't officially complain, every single neighbor we talked to about it, felt the same. So apparently enough of the residence that actually live near it (unlike yourself it seems), thought it was also too loud, even the ones that knew & welcomed its arrival & opening.

Sorry but you are wrong. We knew about the music at sawgrass at least a year before sawgrass was completed, way before st Catherine was built out.

[WingedFoot78]

Exactly where is the new Costco and when is the opening day?

[MandoMan]

Originally Posted by Tomas

I have put together many sound systems. The system at Sawgrass works great. But does not belong at that venue, it belongs at Edna's. You need a system of speakers that the sound drops off after a distance. The speakers at Sawgrass should be surrounding the Venue where people are sitting.

Example you can put 8 Bose columns surrounding the sitting area at a 45 degree angle hanging in a horizontal instead of vertical plane with about 4 subwoofers spaced at ground level also surrounding the area. Lower the volume on the entire system and just surround the space with sound instead of blasting from the stage to fill the sitting area with sound from one direction the front of the stage, the result is what they have - the sound going past the venues property. The sound system they installed does not work for this venue and they used speakers that are not designed for that area. The hardest part is getting the sound people to only use the sound needed to fill the area. Not red-line the sound so it is unbearable like at concerts. The sound should be as close to wearing a pair of earphones in the area where people sit and drop off at or as close to property edge. Not a system that blasts into the neighborhoods. Sounds difficult - maybe for the people that put these systems together but a sound engineer could make that place sound great and not have all the neighbor complaints. I think that system belongs at Edna's it is way to small for Sawgrass. The design did not work. So don't blame anyone I am sure they did their best. But this needs a complete redo and a complete training of anyone that touches that system so the neighbors don't complain as much. Remember there will always be people that complain, but fewer complaints are needed.

Good post. Some people believe in the pleasure of hearing music, loud enough to dance to it near the stage and quiet enough to have a conversation farther back. Others prefer to feel the music inside them so it can make them get up and dance without thinking. I prefer the former for lots of music. I prefer the latter for The Rolling Stones, etc. I perform bluegrass and country music. I want it loud enough so it can be heard and enjoyed, but I don’t want people to feel it. If the whole band is playing over 95 decibels, it’s problematic.

[Mermaid3400]

Being “one of those neighbors” we were told it was going to be like another Edna’s, three or four nights a week.

It’s not a square, the squares do not have houses wrapped around them. We love music and was excited to think another Edna’s would be here BUT the music is invasive into our homes. Forget about trying to enjoy our yard or lanai.

The sound people are trying to find a happy medium but as long as they are booking full bands such as Bobby Blackmon (who we love) just not inside our homes.

Now our home is invaded seven nights a week. Cannot help but feel misled and disappointed with the current situation.

[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by TheVillagesYoungster

I have been going to Sawgrass frequently to listen to the music at night. When it was first open the sound was fantastic. Lately it has been terrible. It is turned down so low all you hear is everyone talking. I spoke with one of the band members on break and he said that they had to turn down the volume because the neighbors were complaining. The people who purchased in that area should have known that the entertainment center was there. I probably won't be going back. The sound at Brownwood is much better.

Yes, they probably should have sold the homes near the squares to ONLY those residents with poor hearing or hearing aids. But, unfortunately, no one consulted with me. Since about 50% of all residents have poor hearing, I am surprised that no one has thought of that solution. The ones with poor hearing would have a shorter commute or walk time to the squares to enjoy the ambiance of the fine people there. It would have been a win / win.