Promoter fines over Bernabeu concerts reach €1.5m
Fines imposed on concert promoters for breaching noise limits at Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium have reached €1.5 million, according to Spain’s Association of Musical Promoters (APM).
Gigs at the venue have been suspended since September following noise complaints from neighbouring residents.
According to a recent report by El Pais, all 16 concerts held at the stadium since April exceeded the 58 decibel limit, prompting fines from the city council ranging between €17,000 and €280,000. Penalties have included €142,000 and €146,000 for producers of Taylor Swift’s two Eras concerts in May, which were slammed as “disproportionate” by one promoter.
“We also did not manage to find out the criteria for the sanction,” they added.
Furthermore, the APM says the penalties were handed out despite the shows being held “under current regulations and with the corresponding permits”. The trade body also referred to its previous statement, insisting that responsibility for non-compliance lies with the stadium and the authorities.
The Bernabéu only reopened for concerts in April following a €1.76 billion renovation. As well as two nights with Swift, it hosted a record four-night stint by Karol G in July, plus performances by the likes of Duki, Manuel Carrasco, Luis Miguel and Aitana.
“Real Madrid is working actively, together with the Community of Madrid and the Madrid City Council, for sustainability and coexistence”
The APM, which represents around 100 members, says the sanctions have had a “negative impact on Madrid’s economy and cultural image as a destination for large-scale events”.
“Since April 2024, penalties have increased both in number and amount, directly affecting the sustainability of live music in Madrid,” adds the organisation. “This increase not only represents a serious detriment to the promoter companies, but also to the entire music industry, which generates a multi-million dollar economic impact in the capital, benefiting sectors such as hospitality, tourism and commerce.
“The APM stresses the importance of ensuring a framework that allows for coexistence between live music and local residents, ensuring the sustainable development of culture in Madrid. It also reiterates the need to establish measures that reinforce the infrastructure and acoustic conditioning of venues to avoid new conflicts that compromise the viability of the industry.”
Cancelled shows included headline performances by Dellafuente, Aitana and Lola Índigo, as well as K-pop’s Music Bank World Tour. Índigo announced a rescheduled date at the venue this week for next June, only for it to be quickly pulled, with the club saying they were still working with the council on soundproofing measures.
“At the present time, the club is not in a position to confirm any dates for the holding of concerts at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium until the relevant tests are carried out to ensure that the promoters of the concerts will be in a position to comply with the regulations, once the measures put in place in coordination with public administrations have been implemented,” says a statement from Real Madrid.
“We would like to reiterate that Real Madrid is working actively, together with the Community of Madrid and the Madrid City Council, for sustainability and coexistence, so that the activities at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium are carried out with full respect, not only for the law, but also for the environment and the neighbourhood.”
“We simply rent out the stadium and I would like you to know that the income from this would be around 1% of our annual budget”
The five-year renovation project was led by L35 Architects in collaboration with GMP Architekten and Ribas & Ribas, with British firm Arup appointed to “deliver architecture, façade engineering, acoustic and lighting design services to enhance the fan experience and future proof the facility”.
Arup, which had not responded to a request for comment at press time, has reportedly again been enlisted by the club to carry out acoustic studies as it seeks to make the stadium compliant with Noise and Thermal Pollution Ordinance (OPCAT) regulations by next June.
Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez played down the dispute at last week’s members’ meeting, claiming the organisation of concerts was “not a particularly lucrative activity” for the reigning European football champions.
“We simply rent out the stadium and I would like you to know that the income from this would be around 1% of our annual budget,” he said.
Elsewhere in Madrid, the Riyadh Air Metropolitano – home of Real’s city rivals Atlético Madrid – has already confirmed eight concerts for 2025, including Ed Sheeran, Imagine Dragons and Stray Kids.
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Promoters defended over Bernabeu postponements
Spain’s Association of Musical Promoters (APM) has rushed to the defence of event organisers over the indefinite postponement of all gigs at Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
The LaLiga football giants announced in September that they were pausing forthcoming concerts at the venue in response to noise complaints from neighbouring residents.
However, APM has accused stadium officials of “passing the buck” by allegedly attempting to lay the blame for the dispute at the feet of promoters.
“Music promoters have no control over the structure, fittings or soundproofing of a venue,” says the trade body. “All events held at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium have had the relevant permits and authorisations and have been managed in direct collaboration with the stadium’s management.
“The responsibility for acoustically conditioning a venue that coexists with an urban environment falls to those responsible for the venue, ensuring that the space complies with sound levels before it is used for live music concerts. Blaming promoters for noise problems is, as local residents rightly point out, ‘passing the buck’.”
APM, which represents around 100 members, is calling on the venue to assume responsibility and “adapt the stadium acoustically to the peculiarities of its surroundings, applying the necessary soundproofing measures and thus guaranteeing the well-being of residents”.
“The coexistence of live music culture and community well-being is vital for the development of our country”
“Madrid deserves to be a capital that hosts large-scale cultural events, respecting both the coexistence of neighbours and the vitality of its cultural sector so that this activity does not cease,” it says. “We express our commitment as highly qualified music promoters to continue producing quality shows in Madrid and to actively collaborate with the relevant institutions.
“The coexistence of live music culture and community well-being is vital for the development of our country. We, music promoters, will continue to work for an open and culturally active city, while waiting for the actions that unfairly effect an industry that only seeks to contribute to the development and well-being of Madrid to cease.”
The Bernabéu only reopened for music bookings last year following a five-year, €900 million renovation, and hosted the only Spanish dates of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in 2024, as well as a record four-night stint by Karol G in July and performances by Duki, Manuel Carrasco, Luis Miguel and Aitana.
However, Madrid police reported noise levels as far exceeding the permitted decibel limit, with locals alleging the shows had turned the stadium into a “torturódromo” (torture-drome). Postponed dates included headline shows by domestic artists Dellafuente, Aitana and Lola Índigo, plus K-pop’s Music Bank World Tour.
“Despite the soundproofing conditions of the Santiago Bernabéu stadium and the reinforcement measures that have been undertaken, compliance with said regulations by the various organisers and promoters has been affected by the great challenge that it has meant for them to take into account all its precepts,” said a statement from Real Madrid.
The UEFA Champions League holders added they would “continue to work to ensure that the right conditions for sound production and broadcasting are met during concerts to enable concerts to be held in our stadium”.
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Madrid’s Bernabeu Stadium postpones all concerts
Real Madrid has announced it is rescheduling all concerts at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium following noise complaints from local residents.
The Spanish football club says the decision is part of a series of measures it has been taking “to ensure strict compliance with current municipal regulations” during gigs.
The world-famous Bernabéu reopened for music bookings last year following a five-year, €900 million renovation. In 2024, it hosted the only Spanish dates of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, as well as a record-breaking four-night stint by Karol G in July and performances by Duki, Manuel Carrasco, Luis Miguel and Aitana.
However, Madrid police reported noise levels as far exceeding the permitted decibel limit, with locals alleging the shows had turned the stadium into a “torturódromo” (torture-drome).
“Despite the soundproofing conditions of the Santiago Bernabéu stadium and the reinforcement measures that have been undertaken, compliance with said regulations by the various organisers and promoters has been affected by the great challenge that it has meant for them to take into account all its precepts,” says a statement from the UEFA Champions League holders.
“Real Madrid will continue to work to ensure that the right conditions for sound production and broadcasting are met during concerts”
Affected dates include headline shows by domestic artists Dellafuente, Aitana and Lola Índigo, plus K-pop’s Music Bank World Tour.
“Real Madrid will continue to work to ensure that the right conditions for sound production and broadcasting are met during concerts to enable concerts to be held in our stadium,” adds the club.
“New dates and details will be announced soon for Dellafuente and Aitana, initially scheduled for November 15 and December 28 and 29, 2024 respectively, and for Lola Índigo, scheduled for March 22, 2025. In the case of Music Bank, which was to take place on October 12, 2024, it is definitively cancelled.”
It continues: “In addition to concerts, the Bernabéu is prepared to host a large number of events and shows, which will continue to take place as part of the stadium’s operation project.
“Real Madrid will continue to collaborate with the Community of Madrid and the Madrid City Council for sustainability and coexistence, and its objective will always be to ensure that the stadium’s activities guarantee its commitment to the city of Madrid and are beneficial to its surroundings.”
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NSW govt brings in reforms to protect small venues
The NSW government in Australia is implementing new regulations around noise complaints to protect venues as part of its efforts to rebuild Sydney’s night-time economy.
The suite of measures, which came into effect on 1 July, makes whether the licensed venue or the complainant occupied their premises first a central consideration. The party established first will be “favoured” when determining such complaints, preventing incoming residents restricting the output or operating hours of already established venues.
“The old NSW sport of moving in next to a music venue and complaining until it gets shut down, is now history,” says NSW government minister for music and the night-time economy John Graham. “That era is coming to an end.”
In addition, the government’s Venues Unlocked package will deliver grants that support new and existing venues to host more live gigs without further impacting neighbours through Soundproofing Grants and Live Performance Venue grants.
Soundproofing Grants will support 21 new and existing venues with up to A$100,000 (€62,000) to help them achieve best-practice soundproofing and sound management, while Live Performance Venue grants will support 56 venues with up to $80,000 for essential equipment, programming and marketing costs.
“We are enabling venues to expand their offerings, while also supporting new music venues to get their performance programming off the ground”
“The soundproofing and venue support will mean venues can host more live music, whilst reducing the impact on their neighbours,” adds Graham. “Bit by bit, we are rebuilding Sydney’s night-time economy, venue by venue, neighbourhood by neighbourhood.
“We made a commitment to increase the number of live music venues across NSW and through ongoing reform and the Venues Unlocked grant programmes we are enabling venues to expand their offerings, while also supporting new music venues to get their performance programming off the ground.”
It follows the recent publication of the first-of-its-kind State of the Scene report by Sound NSW, a dedicated government office committed to the growth, development and promotion of contemporary music, which illustrated the full landscape of the live music ecosystem across the state.
“We know through the recent State of the Scene report that there are 795 venues across NSW that offer live music – so this is a great start to supporting venues in a real and tangible way and to help them navigate the challenges of operating in NSW,” says Emily Collins, head of Sound NSW.
The NSW government launched its first “live music audit” last year to help revive the region’s concert scene after it was revealed the Australian state has lost half its music venues over the past decade.
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