Popular Elmwood Village restaurant seeks permit for concerts, residents air concerns

BUFFALO, N.Y (WIVB) – Jack Rabbit, a popular restaurant and bar in the Elmwood Village wants to be able to have two concerts annually starting next year, in their parking lot, but there’s been some opposition to those events from residents in the area.

Last year, Jack Rabbit had concerts here, which were met with some complaints on noise and congestion and trash.

At a public hearing Tuesday, one resident said that she felt her windows and walls shaking and had to leave her home due to the concerts.

Jack Rabbit is requesting a special use permit to host their anniversary celebration concert with live music through the day and night ending at 10 p.m., the second concert would be their end of the summer bash also ending at 10 p.m., with as many as 1,400 people attending both events.

“Live, local musicians who have been supporting us since we were open and we’d like to continue that we’ve had hundreds of Buffalo musicians come through and play our stage and they are all chomping at the bit, in the parking lot, because it’s such a great time for the community,” said Kevin Sampson of Jack Rabbit.

Jack Rabbit says that these events will be safe and secure with security personnel on site and the restaurant would work with the community to minimize unnecessary noise.

“The windows of my house, every single one of them shook the entire time I had to leave my home and I could still hear it a half mile away I can provide the recording for you it was loud enough to hear the lyrics,” one resident said at the public hearing in opposition to the idea.  

It’s possible that council members could approve one concert and then see about allowing two, council will address this permit at a later date.