A local artist who played at a Calgary Stampede tent said that the city’s noise exemption rules impacted the set quality of up-and-coming talent, and that both they and the city’s reputation will feel the effects if it isn’t updated for next year.
Before Blackpool-born DJ Dan Palmer moved to Canada, he saw what nightlife in places like England and Australia had to offer — starting your night at 2 a.m. and going until the club closed at 7 a.m.
He named other destinations with relaxed restrictions, like Miami, Ibiza, and Las Vegas, as places where people are willing to pay thousands of dollars to party until dawn.
Palmer, who has, in the last few years, taken up the titles of DJ, producer, and event curator, said he came to Calgary in 2016 because of the opportunity he saw here.
But with the sun having set on this year’s Stampede, he said that he’s grown skeptical. Palmer said that if the city wants to make it on the map of music festival hot spots, something needs to change — citing the noise rules as item number one.
“We’re in a great turning point where Calgary could really be an internationally recognized entertainment and nightlife destination,” he said.
“People are moving here, but there will be a tipping point where if people move here and there’s nothing to do, they’ll just turn the other way, and people will go elsewhere.”
Palmer and other new artists have debated doing just that after their experience playing at the Badlands Music Festival this year, where, in an Instagram post, he explained that the volume cap stole the show in a rather disappointing way.
Taking a look at the decibel dilemma
After closing out the night for Dom Dolla on the first Sunday, Palmer said that the atmosphere he experienced not only during his set but also as a fan and talent recruiter compelled him to make the post on July 10.
“I went to many, many sets and watched friends, artists that are growing, and it was painful to watch them not get the noise volume that they deserved,” he said.
“The volume just wasn’t adequate — it’s nothing to do with the talent of the artist.”
What he’s referring to are changes to the noise requirements at major events, which Calgary’s Chief Bylaw Officer, Ryan Pleckaitis, confirmed occurred in February, when all tent proprietors were informed.
After some tweaks, the updated noise exemption rules instructed Calgary Stampede-related events to cut off loud music at midnight, while permitting quieter cool-down music to play until no later than 1 a.m. on weeknights and 2 a.m. on weekends.
While the decibel levels remained the same as last year for pre-midnight sets, the bass levels were reduced by 3 dBC, no matter the time. Additionally, any sets scheduled after midnight had to comply with a maximum of 65 dBA for noise and 80 dBC for bass.
Although the changes look small on paper, Palmer said that the updated regulations hit hard for both rising talent and audience members.
Lower volume means local talent has more to lose
Badlands booked him to play over a year ago, but Palmer said that he and other artists didn’t learn about the new conditions until the public did in late June. He said that at that point, he knew it would be different, but he didn’t expect it to be devastating.
Palmer stressed he was happy with his set and that none of this was the tents’ management’s fault — but the impact was still felt, mainly by smaller acts, who already get lower volumes than headliners.
That’s standard in the industry, he said, but the bylaw made things even quieter.
“No one’s expecting to be bigger than the headliner,” said Palmer.
“I never once expected that…but to get even less than last year is a really hard pill to swallow when we’re fighting to ensure that we can be on the big stage as local artists.”
Being scheduled after midnight has also always come with a volume cap, but, in addition to being an emerging artist playing under the new bylaw, Palmer said he was shocked to receive a warning in place of a pat on the back before taking the stage.
“One of the artists, who played the first slot, messaged me and said, ‘good luck, you’re going to be able to hear them clearing the cans on the floor of the festival parkade more than the music,’” he said.
“I’ve never walked on stage being told ‘don’t get discouraged,’ it’s normally ‘have a blast.’”
Battle over balancing resident and artist wishes
Ward 7 Coun. Myke Atkinson serves the downtown commercial core and the west end, where some of the tents, including Badlands, set up camp for 10 days each year.
He pointed to his CJSW show as evidence that he is an avid fan of this music genre, but said it should be enjoyed within the confines of a club, not in a tent near a residential area.
“EDM, dance music, rap music is actually probably best felt in a hot, sweaty club where you can get the bass going, and you’re not having the same kinds of impacts on the surrounding communities,” said Coun. Atkinson.
“This is an issue with that form of music and the scale of that form of music, and also trying to land it within our urban centers.”
It’s an ongoing balancing act that the city, music festival operators and artists will have to manage, he said.
“I understand that volume plays a big part in listening to that kind of music and the enjoyment of that kind of music,” said Atkinson.
“But when you’re using the public realm and public space and doing things in an open environment like that, we have to balance the needs of the public alongside the needs of festival goers and artists who are performing in that space.”
Residents’ concerns in the downtown area first sparked changes to the noise bylaw. However, even with volume restrictions, this past Stampede saw more than 30 percent more noise complaints than the 2025 total.
The most recent data released by the city on the morning of July 12 showed that 275 noise complaints had been issued through 311, with the Cowboys Music Festival taking first place at 165 and Badlands coming in second with 43.
Palmer cited the number of complaints from the 2026 event and said that, since lowering the volume did not fully satisfy residents, the city council should take into account the perspectives of music industry leaders before proceeding with future changes.
“Of course, residents need to be heard and understood, and there needs to be a balance when it comes to the decisions that are made,” said Palmer.
“If we want to be an economic force and something like a Vegas or another city that is attracting these types of events…we need to come up with a much more sustainable solution when it comes to next year.”
