SOUNDING OFF: Drumming up support for beach percussion

There have been many letters recently about the creeping conservatism and intolerance for any kind of nighttime revelry in our city. From Mozambique to the Roof Top, and now Ocean Avenue Brewery, we are being besieged by people who want to turn Laguna into Leisure World.

Is live music and dancing really a scourge on our town? To the contrary, I believe it adds vital entertainment, culture and economic vitality to a city that would otherwise resemble Switzerland by the Sea. Lighten up people.

And to the resident(s) who live above Aliso Beach and made a noise complaint on Saturday, Nov. 24 at 8 p.m. about drumming on the beach, can you please demonstrate a modicum of tolerance? You live above a public beach park, yet you claim your peace was disturbed on a Saturday night at 8 p.m.?

We have a community of people of all ages who pay taxes, don’t drink or do drugs, and meet once a month at Aliso Beach for a free full moon community drum circle. We aren’t hooligans drumming ourselves into a blood frenzy and preparing to terrorize the neighborhood.

We are your neighbors, celebrating this glorious setting with a benign musical activity that inspires community and ends precisely when the park closes at 10 p.m. The rhythms are neither discordant or cacophonous.

To the contrary, we engage in spirited African and Latin rhythms that are completely at home on a beach with a bonfire.

People from across the park come and enjoy the rhythms we produce, often joining in and dancing.

We have searched all over Laguna and have found the perfect location that has ample parking, bathrooms, and sanctioned fire pits. We stop at a reasonable hour.

There are but a few homes perched on the hill across the street. Yet some homeowner determined that their right to hear the waves 24/7/365 took precedence over the joy of 30 to 40 people who drove from far and wide to have a little fun early on a Saturday night on a holiday weekend. And so the police shut us down.

It’s really sad that one person would hold sway over a community of people participating in a healthy activity at a reasonable time.

We’ll try again on Tuesday, Jan. 22. And again on Thursday, Feb. 21. And every full moon after that.

So I make a public plea to show a little compassion, shut the windows and doors, turn up the stereo or TV, take a Xanax, and if all else fails, come and join us. We don’t bite. We won’t abduct your children.

And you might consider it just one more unique, wonderful thing about living in Laguna. And that goes for the rest of you readers. Please don’t shut us down!

BILLY FRIED lives in Laguna Beach.