AC/DC didn't breach noise rules, says Auckland Council

It wasn't just fans at Western Springs who rocked out to AC/DC last night, the concert was heard from as far away as Birkenhead.

Auckland Council received 27 noise complaints as the Australian heavy metallers hit Auckland as part of their Rock or Bust world tour, treating fans - and some non-fans - to two-and-a-half hours of their catchy riffs and endless energy.

On Grey Lynn's Williamson Ave, the concert could be clearly heard, as could numerous car alarms going off slightly out of time with hits such as Back in Black, Thunderstruck and Dirty Deeds. The concert was even audible across the Waitemata Harbour in Birkenhead, 6.5km away one resident said.

Meanwhile, a Ponsonby woman, who wished to remain anonymous, lamented last night: "Can one call noise control on a band? It's 9 bloody pm. Can't they just turn it down a notch? I can't take it."

Auckland Council's manager of environmental health Mervyn Chetty said the concert did not breach noise rules.

"The maximum level of noise measured at the mixing desk during the event was 103 decibels (dB)," he said.

"The permitted maximum noise level when measured at the mixing desk at the stadium is 107dB."

Of the 27 noise complaints received, four came from Newton, Kingsland, Eden Terrace and St Lukes, four came from Mt Eden, five came from Ponsonby, three from Freemans Bay, and seven from Grey Lynn. Four were anonymous.

Mr Chetty said the noise level of the gig was similar to recent concerts, including Foo Fighters (98-104 dB), Eminem (101-105dB) and the Big Day Out (101-109dB).

The concert's publicist, Sandra Roberts, said more than 30,000 people attended the gig, which she said was good for a Tuesday night close to Christmas.

About 50 per cent of ticket holders were on the field, and the rest were spread over the terraces, grandstand and embankment.

"Real fans always want to get as close as possible to the stage and action, which was reflected in strong sales for the field area."

The Herald's head of entertainment, Joanna Hunkin, who went to the gig, said concert-goers' age-range easily spanned six decades. "There were families, including one father-daughter pair in matching school uniforms. And, of course, a sea of black T-shirts and glowing, red devil horns."

AC/DC complaints by area:
Kingsland 1
Newton 1
Mt Eden 4
Ponsonby 5
Freemans Bay 3
Grey Lynn 7
Eden Terrace 1
Saint Lukes 1
Anonymous 4