Turning down the volume: Providence bars test out sound mitigation
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — A new pilot program in Providence is trying to keep the party going inside nightlife venues without killing the vibe.
Earlier this year, two Providence bars received grants to install special materials to help keep the noise down.
by: Alexandra Leslie
The idea was inspired by a similar initiative out of San Antonio that was launched in 2023. The grant program helped 19 businesses to “better equip their locations to reduce externally emitted sound,” according San Antonio’s Economic Development Department.
The Texas program was highlighted in Providence’s Life at Night report in January.
Michaela Antunes, a spokesperson for Mayor Brett Smiley, told Target 12 that the city’s Department of Art, Culture and Tourism “cast a wide net” and looked for different sized venues to participate in the program. Ultimately, Troop and Noir Lounge were selected.
“Troop and Noir volunteered and were determined to be a good fit as they are located in different neighborhoods and have unique needs outside and within the venue spaces,” Antunes said.
The city contracted Bond Applied Technology for $10,000 for consulting and installation labor costs. Antunes said Noir Lounge needed $7,000 and Troop needed $7,850 for equipment needs.
Chris Mayes-Wright, an audio consultant, is the owner of Bond Applied Technology. He helps businesses with various forms of sound mitigation, starting by taking acoustic measurements that inform him of where problem areas are in each space.
He said at Troop, there was a lot of reverberation due to hard walls and floors and flat surfaces.
“The sound tends to bounce around in the space,” Mayes-Wright said. “What we found is there is a very low clarity of sound.”
Mayes-Wright said in a space with high clarity, it’s easier to have a conversation with someone from further away, even if music is playing.
“The music isn’t blaring, but it’s present,” he explained.
Mayes-Wright said at Troop, he installed “acoustic absorption” materials in the ceiling and window voids, which he said “traps” sounds before it gets a chance to bounce around the room. He said he also lowered the physical level of the speakers from the ceiling.
Chris Simonelli, co-owner at Troop, said the venue has previously explored different speaker placement options.
“Our sound was bouncing around the room,” Simonelli said.
He said he was encouraged to see how sound mitigation would work at the bar and restaurant, since there is always some kind of music playing in the space.
“We have DJs on the weekends, live bands,” Simonelli said. “Occasionally, we do poetry nights, salsa nights, and then turn up brunches.”
At Noir Lounge, Mayes-Wright said a lot of attention was given to isolating the speakers, since the bar is located underneath apartments.
“We hung speakers on springs and put absorptive materials on the ceiling above the speakers to prevent some of that sound transmission,” he explained.
Officials in San Antonio told Target 12 that the program resulted in a 42% reduction in noise complaints in 2024.
Of the 17 businesses that completed their noise mitigation projects, a February report showed that just nine businesses received noise complaints in 2024. However, the results were mixed.
The city said San Antonio police received 204 noise complaints from those nine businesses last year. Data showed that some businesses had more noise complaints after the sound mitigation work was done, while others had less, or even none.
Testing is still underway at both Providence venues, but Antunes said early findings from Noir “indicate the pilot has successfully met the key objectives of controlling sound inside the space, reducing overall system levels to support hearing health and quality of life, and doing so while keeping Noir’s signature energetic vibe intact.”
Antunes said the city will to continue to conduct sound decibel readings during special events, and monitor neighborhood feedback. She said the city will do an analysis to determine if the program is worth expanding other businesses.
The city is budgeting $30,000 to continue the program in fiscal year 2026, according to Antunes, which will be informed by the pilot analysis.