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A crowd assembles for a Paper Mill Island holiday party of music and fireworks on a summer Saturday in Baldwinsville.

(Jim Commentucci | The Post-Standard)

Last summer, national acts from Ani DiFranco to Trampled By Turtles to Alabama Shakes traveled to play the small amphitheater on Paper Mill Island in Baldwinsville.

That amphitheater was built in 2000 as part of a $3 million rejuvenation project designed to stimulate the Baldwinsville economy and community. More than $1 million for the project came from state and federal money.

In all, the island hosted more than a dozen major concerts last year, in addition to a regular schedule of free, town-sponsored community events.

In 2004, one of the island's busiest summers, Paper Mill drew 35,173 people to Baldwinsville with cover bands of Shania Twain, the Dixie Chicks and Jimmy Buffet performing every weekend for three months.

This year, there is a dearth of the major, original acts fans have come to expect at the venue, leaving many asking, "What's going on at Paper Mill?"

Little River Band is the only national non-cover act to perform this summer, along with four scheduled cover bands like the Parrots of the Caribbean and a July 4th event with local cover band Under the Gun. That's in addition to the annual free concert series on Tuesdays sponsored by the village and the Town of Van Buren.

But the wealth of national acts filling the island last year and years before has dried up.

According to some promoters, the truncated schedule is due to a demand by village officials that limits music at the sound board to 90 decibels. For comparison, a gas lawn mower or snow blower typically produces between 100-110 dB.

Such ordinances are common in most municipalities. But most municipalities don't boast a quarter-million-dollar amphitheater.

Alabama Shakes lead singer Brittany Howard at right performs along with bassist Zac Cockrell at left at the Paper Mill Island Amphitheater in Baldwinsville last summer.

The noise ordinance has warded off several local promoters, including Dan Mastronardi, Chuck Chao and Eric Binion.

All three promote together through Upstate Shows, an umbrella organization that includes their latest venture, Creative Concerts.

Upstate books venues like the Westcott Theater, Landmark Theatre, Oncenter and NYS Fairgrounds. They've brought Tiesto, Skrillex, Trey Anastasio and countless other big acts to CNY.

Starting in 2009, Mastronardi, Chao and Binion began booking bands at Paper Mill, including Disco Biscuits, The Wailers, Ani DiFranco, All That Remains and Bright Eyes.

Last year, Upstate brought six concerts to the island, culminating with Alabama Shakes in August. The band had just played Bonnaroo and the Newport Folk Fest and would go on six months later to play at the Grammys.

"They absolutely loved the island," said Binion, who lives in Baldwinsville. "They emailed this year and asked about playing there again, but the scheduling didn't work out."

Mastronardi says the concert August 19 brought at least 1,500 people to the island.

But the tail end of the Sunday night show violated the noise ordinance. According to village board minutes from August 16, a request to turn the volume down was ignored by a roadie. In fact, the board alleged, when asked to turn it down, a roadie turned it up.

The following week, though the village received no complaints about the noise, the board voted to keep Mastronardi's $1,500 security deposit. The fine was later reduced to $200 after Mastronardi appealed.

Following the ordeal, Upstate pulled its final two Paper Mill Island shows -- Rusted Root and Keller Williams -- citing weather and "recent changes governing the noise ordinances in Baldwinsville, NY," respectively.

This year, they booked only one show at Paper Mill over Memorial Day weekend -- local cover band Under The Gun over Memorial Day weekend -- and don't plan to book any further shows, Mastronardi said. They also helped promote the 93Q Summer Jam event.

"If Baldwinsville did away with the noise ordinance, we would do shows out there every weekend," Mastronardi said. "We love that place. But I don't foresee them doing that any time soon. So in return, we don't foresee us doing shows out there any time soon."

Baldwinsville mayor Joe Saraceni says he is a big fan of the summer concerts and is willing to work with promoters, but they should be able to work within the confines of the venue and take responsibility for their events.

"This isn't the State Fair," he said. "It's essentially in a neighborhood and I've got residents to worry about. If you want to bring in the Rolling Stones or Bruce Springsteen, we'll consider [waiving the noise ordinance]. But the responsibility ultimately lies with the promoter."

Professional eater Joey "Jaws" Chestnut slaps hands with members of the audience after winning in the first Salt Potato Eating World Championship at Paper Mill Island in Baldwinsville on Saturday. Chestnut of San Jose California split a $10,000 among two other top finishers. Photo by

Saraceni noted the village has granted variances for some shows increasing the limit to 106 dB (115 dB peak). Mastronardi was approved for such a variance for a potential show later this summer but was unsatisfied.

"At real concerts, sound isn't even an issue," he said. "At any venue we work at, the Oncenter or F Shed, we're not going to have problems with sound. I understand they've got neighbors. The island just wasn't designed for big rock concerts."

Mike Chemotti has been booking IslandFest at Paper Mill Island since it opened in 2000. He used to bring more than a dozen events to the island every summer on weekends.

"Six or seven years ago I would do a show every Saturday from May until the fair started [in August]," Chemotti said.

This year, Chemotti is doing seven events throughout three months, including the Little River Band - a 70s-era pop band. He says the sound ordinance is an issue when booking a band, but he has other concerns, including rising costs of doing events at the island.

"It used to be $325 on a weeknight and $725 on a weekend to rent the place," he said. Current contracts list the rate at $1,000 any night plus a $1,500 security deposit. Chemotti and Mastronardi both say there are many added costs, including police and maintenance.

"It's gotten a lot more expensive to do events there," Chemotti said. "Plus you need to find exactly the right act to play within the noise confines."

A history of loud music

Paper Mill Island was part of a Baldwinsville development project begun 15 years ago that cost over $1 million. The $250,000 amphitheater was donated by Anheuser-Busch and $900,000 came from a federal HUD grant. Other money came from local and state taxes.

The island amphitheater opened in 2000 and immediately raised concerns with frequent concerts.

Karen Mayo lives on Charlotte St. in Baldwinsville. Her yard faces the island and her back door is about 500 feet from the amphitheater.

"The bass would rattle the dishes in my cupboards," Mayo said. "It was more than just loud music, it affected our homes. One of my neighbors had an heirloom fall off her shelf and break."

Mayo says she used to sleep with earplugs if she had to be up early. In 2008, she organized a petition among neighbors to urge the village to enforce the noise ordinance. The village, she said, responded.

"It's been so much better the last few years because of Joe [Saraceni]," Mayo said. "There's been no thunder in my home this year. I can actually sit and watch TV."

Enforcement of the ordinance includes taking sound measurements at various points on the river's banks. Village employees measure the decibel output along Charlotte St., River St. and Water St. It was those measurements that Mastronardi violated with Alabama Shakes.

Taking their business elsewhere

Chuck Chao, co-owner of Creative Concerts, has been booking shows in upstate New York since 1976. He booked Umphrey's McGee at Paper Mill in 2009 (along with Chemotti).

"I knew the day they opened that place that noise would be an issue," he said. "It's in a residential area and on water. I understand why they have the noise ordinance, but there are fewer opportunities [for booking] than there would be without a limit."

Dan Mastronardi, left, and Chuck Chao in the F- Shed at the Regional Market, Syracuse, NY.

Chao says there are many bands he can't book at Paper Mill. With metalcore band Killswitch Engage, for example, Chao wouldn't even "broach that subject." Killswitch played Syracuse's newest venue, the F Shed, on June 7.

Mastronardi and Chao recently began booking events at the massive indoor/outdoor F Shed at the Regional Market. They hope to grow the venue into a major Syracuse stage and a replacement for shows they might have otherwise brought to Paper Mill.

"It has parking," Mastronardi said. "It's open year round. On nice nights we open the doors and it's like an outdoor show. And there's no sound limit. It's going to be a great venue for us."

But there is still hope for major shows at Paper Mill. Chemotti continues to work there and Mastronardi says he hasn't ruled out returning.

"I'm not saying I wouldn't go back out to Baldwinsville. I love it out there," he said. "But we just know we're going to deal with the same petty [attitude] after the show is over. Do we want to deal with that or not? That's up to us."

Chao, too, said he would bring shows to Paper Mill Island, but only if they're "a perfect fit."

"Something like Ani DiFranco is great for that place," he said.

Residents chime in

As far as this summer is concerned, many patrons are left wondering what's going on at Paper Mill. The village website lists six dates as "TBA" and until a few weeks ago, details about IslandFest events weren't available.

Even Sharon Reiser, director of the Baldwinsville Chamber of Commerce, had been left in the dark about the 2013 series at the island. She says she's only received the schedule from the village regarding the free Tuesday concerts.

"I receive at least one call a day from people asking about the island this summer," Reiser said. "The village doesn't even know what's going on. I'm guessing it's going to be pretty quiet this summer."

A Paper Mill Island Facebook page is littered with requests for a schedule of summer events:

Paper Mill Summer Schedule: