Dance Festival Cancelled After Locals Call Music A "Form Of Torture"

A psytrance festival in the UK has been cancelled after locals protested, describing the music as "a form of torture". The Goa Cream Festival was scheduled to be organised at Yewtree Farm, near Thornbury, from September 12 to September 14, for the third year running, but the organisers have now been forced to look for new avenues, according to a report in the BBC.

The South Gloucestershire council refused to give permission for the event after locals complained last year about "non-stop heavy bass music".

"It was non-stop heavy bass music; it was almost inhumane and a form of torture," read the complaint to the police, filed by one of the residents.

Florence Fisher, an environmental health officer, told the council meeting that last year's festival resulted in 11 complaints. She added that the environmental health team was only shown poor screenshots of the equipment readings and given "numbers scribbled on pieces of paper".

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Update on festival

In an attempt to convince the residents not to cancel the festival, organiser Piers Ciappara said they had contracted a professional sound and acoustic engineer for this year's event. He added that the speakers could be reoriented further away from homes and they would also reduce alcohol sales if the application was approved.

Mr Ciappara later took to Goa Cream's official Facebook page to provide an update about the festival.

"Hi friends, Goa Cream is NOT cancelled!!" Mr Ciappara wrote, adding: "For all of you freaks looking forward to being tortured at Yewtree farm in September. I'm afraid South Gloucester Council have objected to our licence application, the long and short of it, "Yewtree farm is an unsuitable venue for music/dance festivals?"

"Just putting it out there, if you know of a suitable venue with like-minded land owners, please let us know One World, One Love, One Dancefloor."

As per Mr Ciappara, the festival raises money for Bristol Suicide Prevention and Sharpness Lifeboat Station and attracts a mature audience with an average age of over 40.