Editorial: Rock on, for a fee

Friday, Sept. 8, 2006 | 7:30 a.m.

A Clark County ordinance passed in the 1970s requires promoters of rock concerts to submit to criminal background checks and pay higher fees than promoters of other types of concerts under the assumption that rock 'n' roll imperils the "morals and welfare" of residents.

Maybe that was the case back in 1973 when, as the Las Vegas Sun reported Thursday, the ailing lead singer for Deep Purple said he was too ill to perform and it caused what the concert promoter described as a "near riot" among concertgoers.

But that was eons ago. Many of those who flicked Bic lighters with such rock bands as Deep Purple, the Rolling Stones and Fleetwood Mac are now eligible for AARP membership. And their music, defined by the county regulation as having "a persistent heavily accented beat," is fodder for oldies stations.

Still, those who promote concerts in Clark County are required to pay for and submit to a background check, pay extra fees and carry a $10,000 bond to pay for any ensuing damages if the music they are hawking is rock 'n' roll as it is defined by the county's ordinance.

Those who promote gospel, jazz or other types of music are exempt, as are many of the large venues on the Strip, the Sun reports. And, of course, the 1970s regulations don't take into account newer types of pop music, such as hip-hop or gangster rap. Last year Sheriff Bill Young asked that casinos stop booking rap groups because of violence often glorified in the music's lyrics.

We think the whole idea of having different rules for different types of music is ridiculous - not only for a city that calls itself the nation's "Entertainment Capital," but also for any American city. It is a matter of free speech.

And concert security is a matter that police and county officials should address in the same manner they would address any large public gathering - with consistency, fairness and few exceptions. Rewriting this antiquated ordinance undoubtedly will be time-consuming. But it needs to be done.