Duluth police were called twice Saturday to a fundraiser and dance held by Robert Wagner, 32, who's running for the city's 2nd District council seat. The noise and fight complaints might even warrant citations for disturbing the peace, Duluth Police Sgt. Chad Nagorski said.
The fundraiser essentially was an all-night rave held at Thrillz in Canal Park from 10 p.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Sunday. Shortly after the show started, Nagorski said police were called about 10:45 by the nearby Suites Hotel, where guests complained about loud noise.
The manager of the Suites declined comment for this story.
Concert organizers assured police that the music would be turned down, but about 2:50 a.m. police were called back -- this time to the report of a fight near the entrance to Thrillz.
"The music was so loud again that officers could feel vibration on the street," Nagorski said.
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Again, concert organizers assured police the music would be turned down, Nagorski said. Officers also were told that rave organizers had Police Department permission to hold the event.
"Then they changed their story and said the owner of the place made arrangements for this," Nagorski said.
Nagorski said no one with the Police Department was contacted about permission to hold the event, though he said he wasn't sure if that was needed.
Wagner said he believed that Thrillz had the necessary permitting to hold the concert, but Thrillz owner Jim McMains said Wagner told him that he would get everything required for the event.
"He stood there and told police that he's been doing this for nine years and has never been required to have a permit," McMains said.
Wagner said he and other event organizers complied with police requests to turn down the music, and he noted that police allowed the show to go on.
A graphic designer and owner of Wrekt Records, which does concert promotion and events, Wagner ran for mayor in 2007. During that campaign, he said entertainment would be one of his main priorities.
This year Wagner is running to replace longtime 2nd District Councilor Greg Gilbert, who has said he won't run again. The other declared candidate so far is Patrick Boyle, a neighborhood activist and nurse practitioner and the son of former Wisconsin State Assemblyman Frank Boyle.
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The date to file for city office runs from July 7 to July 21.
