About sprinkler systems.

Just got the word that there will be no more shows at The Seven Barrel Brewery in West Lebanon. Apparently they've been hit with the 'sprinkler ordinance'. In a nutshell, they've been told that they must have an adequate sprinkler system in place if they are going to have bands that perform to a certain crowd capacity.

If I had to guess, I'd say this ordinance is in response to the tragedy in Rhode Island some years ago when the pyrotechnics at a Great White concert went awry. I can understand the need to keep people safe; I certainly don't want anyone getting hurt at my shows. But here's a breakdown of why I think this ordinance is useless and stupid.

1) I have never seen a band in New Hampshire use pyrotechnics on stage. This includes trips to the Verizon Wireless Arena and Meadowbrook.

2) The crowd capacity of the bars/clubs can (and sometimes does) reach the 'sprinkler ordinance' threshold WITHOUT a band present, I'm sure. Apparently the addition of four guys with musical instruments creates a fire hazard that did not exist previously.

3) The ordinance seems to be applied/enforced randomly. Some clubs are hit with it, and others are left alone. It's a law or it isn't, guys.

I'll be the first to say my information regarding this ordinance is incomplete. But based on what I know, it seems like a hamfisted effort to protect the public, and it's preventing me from doing safe work.

I welcome your thoughts on this. I'm going to look for some state documentation of the ordinance, and I'll update as I find anything relevant.

UPDATE: It looks like the ordinances are by TOWN, which helps to explain their seemingly spotty implementation. Still looking for a well-laid-out example of the ordinance itself.