Gambo Oyster Bar hearing: commissioners ask licensee and landlord to explore sound mitigation after resident complaints

At a hearing Oct. 15, the License Commission heard competing testimony over the Gambo Oyster Bar’s entertainment programming at 159 Main St. Neighbors said bass and noise from live music interfere with sleep; musicians, patrons and community groups described the venue as a small, carefully run music space that contributes to downtown culture.

Owner Cassidy Bowman said Gambo has used just a few hours of its entertainment allowance — typically two nights a week for about two hours of live jazz or blues — and that the business takes steps such as posted notices asking patrons to be considerate when leaving. A resident who identified herself on the record said the music and after‑hours noise disrupt sleep and that prior complaints to the city and landlord had not resolved the matter.

Building owner Sandeep Searing told the commission he had tried to schedule meetings with residents and the tenant and was open to discussions; Cassidy and others said they had invited direct conversations with the complainant without success. Several musicians and community members described Gambo as a small cultural venue and urged the commission to preserve the space.

Commissioners asked whether any acoustic mitigation had been tried; Cassidy said the venue had not completed a formal acoustic study or installed absorptive panels, though she noted recent changes that might reduce interior sound levels (new seating that absorbs sound) and that the business was open to solutions. A staff member clarified the municipal classification: because the occupant load is under 50, the space is currently a B use group (business/mercantile) for building-code purposes; an occupant load reaching 50 would trigger A-2 occupancy rules and more extensive fire/sprinkler requirements.

After discussion commissioners voted unanimously to request that Let Me Be Lucy LLC (d/b/a Gambo Oyster Bar) work with the property owner to consult a sound expert and identify feasible mitigation options, and to report back to the commission with an update. Commissioners did not modify the license at the hearing.