MITCHELL — Who will have the loudest bass speakers radiating from their vehicles?
That’s what Shawn Holland, a local car audio enthusiast, is aiming to find out on June 4 in Mitchell during a Bass Wars competition.
Holland’s shop along Burr Street will transform into a bass stereo system competition arena, as he will play host to the Bass Wars event that he says will feature some of the “best bass systems” around.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun. We don’t really have these types of events here, and it will be something new,” he said. “The person with the loudest bass speakers in decibels will be the winner of the competition.”
The setup will mimic a drag race with two lanes for contestants to drive their cars on and show off their bass speaker systems. Holland is estimating 10 to 15 contestants will be competing.
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During Monday’s Mitchell City Council meeting, Holland was asked why he picked to host the competition on a Sunday afternoon.
Holland said Sunday, June 4, is the day following Wheel Jam in Huron, where many car enthusiasts converge for a weekend event. The goal, Holland said, is to capture some of the Wheel Jam crowd who will be traveling back from the Huron event with their cars.
“Wheel Jam is a big event, and it brings out a lot of people who like these types of bass competitions,” Holland said.
As a longtime car audio enthusiast, Holland has competed in bass competitions around the state. He’s ready to host one of his own at his 505 S. Burr St. shop.
Holland is known in Mitchell for turning scrap materials into functional pieces of equipment and art, including vehicles. One of his most memorable creations was the “Hulk van,” which helped him earn awards at bass competitions in the past. While the Hulk van is no longer in existence, Holland has another vehicle backed with powerful bass speakers he’s eager to show off at his event.
“The Hulk van did 160 decibels. That thing was a crowd favorite it seemed wherever I took it,” Holland said of his Hulk van, which remnants of it can be seen in front of his shop.
To break down the intensity of the sound his Hulk van radiated, sound levels for fireworks are considered to be 140 decibels.
Considering the loud noise levels that the event will produce in the central portion of Mitchell, Holland was required to secure a special event permit from the city of Mitchell. During Monday’s Mitchell City Council meeting, Police Chief Mike Koster addressed some concerns about the competition, including the size of the competition area and parking.
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“The area he does have is quite small, and our concerns are — with having such limited space for contestants and spectators — that it could potentially wind up being a hazard being on the sidewalk or roadway,” Koster said.
After the Mitchell City Council approved Holland’s special event permit on Monday, contingent upon Holland submitting insurance paperwork, it paved the way for him to host his first sanctioned Bass Wars competition in front of his business.
Although the council unanimously approved the special event permit, Council President Kevin McCardle suggested Holland stick to picking a Saturday if he plans to host similar events in the future.
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