Curfew is the hardest time on the sheet. It comes from a licence, a noise permit or an agreement with the people living next door, and the venue will not spend money testing it.
Where it comes from
- The municipal licence, common in Dutch and German city centres
- Noise limits measured at the nearest homes
- A festival site agreement or the last public transport
- The next event loading in the following morning
What it controls
The last note, not the load-out. A 23:00 curfew with a 90-minute headline set and a 20-minute changeover fixes doors and every set time back down the day.
When it is missed
The venue pays the fine and a repeat can cost it the licence, so some contracts pass the fine to the artist. If the show starts late the set gets shorter. The curfew does not move.