The suburb of St-Lambert wants to force concert promoter Evenko to turn down the volume at Parc Jean-Drapeau for festivals such as Osheaga and Heavy Montreal.

Representatives from the South Shore community of St-Lambert were in Quebec Superior Court Wednesday seeking an emergency injunction forcing concert promoters to turn down the volume after 7:00 p.m.

The group argues the noise from concerts is making life difficult for people who live across the water from the festival site.



The first event of the season, an electronic dance music festival called Full Flex Force Tour with headliner DJ Skrillex, is set to begin Friday night.



Superior Court judge Chantal Corriveau has promised to rule on the injunction before then.

Meanwhile, last year after St-Lambert residents began complaining about the noise levels, Osheaga festival director Jacques Aubé told CBC/Radio-Canada that organizers had spent $150,000 on measures to better control the sound.

"We invested in…technology to improve the quality of the sound at the site," he said last summer, adding that the measures would help with the reverb making its way across the water to St-Lambert.

Alain Chevrier, the lawyer representing the city of St-Lambert, presented affidavits from residents in court Wednesday morning.

Residents say earplugs not enough

Chevrier told the court that people in St-Lambert say it's impossible to sleep because of the noise, even with their windows closed and with earplugs. He said some people can only hear their TV sets by wearing headphones, and that their windows and doors rattle from the throbbing music.



Chevrier said a neighbour would never be allowed to cause such a ruckus.



Parc Jean-Drapeau is managed by the City of Montreal, and most of the concerts there are organized by Evenko.



The city and Evenko are expected to present their arguments later Wednesday or possibly Thursday.



Evenko president and CEO Geoff Molson, who also owns the Montreal Canadiens, was in the courtroom Wednesday for arguments.