Great Wall?

John Renna, owner/operator of the Coaster Saloon in Mission Beach, recently began hosting live bands outdoors on Friday and Saturday.

Attorney James Pyle says he owns apartments behind the Coaster Saloon. "I received some complaint calls from tenants," says Pyle. "They say it sounds like drums are in their bedrooms. Police have been called on a number of occasions."

Renna says, "I anticipated this, that's why we built a sound wall. It just went up last week." The wall, 30 feet wide and 20 feet tall, is made of wood and filled with foam insulation. "We ordered a sound meter to make sure we weren't in excess of 55 [decibels].... We'll go another 10 feet higher if we have to." Renna says police have shown up, "but there have been no citations. They have to have evidence that we violated the law, and they have no proof."

Pyle says there is no lawsuit at this time.

Renna says, "A lot of bars have replaced live bands with DJs, but I would like to stick with live entertainment if I can."