2008 Woodie Awards
Muddy's Still Brewing Events
Birchard, Heather
Issue date: 2/6/08 Section: Culture
The welcoming smell of fresh-brewed coffee drifts out of the open front door and into the cold night air. The sound of an energetic performance fills every corner of the room. People are chatting, dancing, and enjoying their refreshments. Suddenly, a couple of Arcata deputies burst in, unplug the amp, and announce that the party is over due to noise complaints.
Muddy's Hot Cup, a popular location for Arcata students and residents alike, has been under scrutiny the past few months, with concerns that live performances will no longer be held at the coffee shop. This concern stems from what was previously thought to be a rule that music is not allowed to be heard outside of the shop's premises.
Corey Stevens, the current owner of Muddy's, said that the law is not set in stone, nor is the ordinance a black-and-white issue. "The problem was with the liquor license of the former business because there were complaints of noise after midnight."
He said that as a result of those previous noise violations, "there are two governing bodies involved with this issue - the state, which controls the alcohol agreements, and the city of Arcata, whose police department responds to noise complaints."
Both groups have not yet decided on a clear rule concerning Muddy's Hot Cup, but Stevens shared new information that there are fresh events in store for Muddy's, and yes, they will involve music.
Stevens said that when they first decided to hold live music events at the shop, "we went to each of our neighbors to gauge what music levels were acceptable and what were not. We were able to please all of them except one, and she has a right to complain, but the 16 others who approved of the music have a right to their opinion as well."
When Stevens asked regular customers at Muddy's their opinions about the issue, he asserts that patrons were "extremely disappointed" about possible restictions and have been asking when the music will make a return.
Muddy's Hot Cup, a popular location for Arcata students and residents alike, has been under scrutiny the past few months, with concerns that live performances will no longer be held at the coffee shop. This concern stems from what was previously thought to be a rule that music is not allowed to be heard outside of the shop's premises.
Corey Stevens, the current owner of Muddy's, said that the law is not set in stone, nor is the ordinance a black-and-white issue. "The problem was with the liquor license of the former business because there were complaints of noise after midnight."
He said that as a result of those previous noise violations, "there are two governing bodies involved with this issue - the state, which controls the alcohol agreements, and the city of Arcata, whose police department responds to noise complaints."
Both groups have not yet decided on a clear rule concerning Muddy's Hot Cup, but Stevens shared new information that there are fresh events in store for Muddy's, and yes, they will involve music.
Stevens said that when they first decided to hold live music events at the shop, "we went to each of our neighbors to gauge what music levels were acceptable and what were not. We were able to please all of them except one, and she has a right to complain, but the 16 others who approved of the music have a right to their opinion as well."
When Stevens asked regular customers at Muddy's their opinions about the issue, he asserts that patrons were "extremely disappointed" about possible restictions and have been asking when the music will make a return.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Dan Birchard
posted 2/15/08 @ 4:59 PM PST
I am glad that the students have what sounds like a very special place to go to, without having age limits or alcohol consumption occuring. I am sure that the music is not THAT loud, and helps give them a chance to unwind after a challenging day at college. (Continued…)
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