A proposed Salt Lake City ordinance banning the consumption of alcohol between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. has been paused, indefinitely. Going beyond the state-mandated “last call” that bars must adhere to, this proposal would have a major impact on after-hours music collectives like BLAQ VOID, Plumhouse, Ferver, ETA45MINS, Occult Cats, EDM Elevated and many more.
These collectives banded together to start a petition that has amassed nearly 10,000 signatures, and they have been making collaborative social media posts directed at their followers, urging them to reach out to the City Council in protest of this proposed ban. Critics argue the proposal is an example of government overreach that directly threatens the local music culture, which values collective safety and respect, as well as the freedom to gather.
While the ordinance was initiated by the city’s administration and police department to address nuisance and alcohol-related issues, the City Council felt that there were too many unanswered questions about the ordinance’s necessity and the actual problem it was intended to solve…