JONI MITCHELL and the Persuasions were too popular for their own good at the Sept. County Bowl concert. As a result, Old Spanish Days, which operates the Bowl, is being slapped with a $1000 fine for violating the County Bowl Sound Control Plan.

It wasn't the performers who made the noise, either. It was the crowd. According to the report by Diane Kobayashi, who eavesdropped from a balcony over the bowl with a Bruel & Kjaer noise analyzer, "As soon as Joni Mitchell began her performance, the exceedance level went up to 71.3 deciBels (A). This was due to the response of the crowd which ranged from 64-80 dB (A)."

The noise limit is 72dB (A).

In case you are interested, some of Joni's songs logged in at 60-66dB (A), 48-66dB, 56-70dB and 50-71. But it was the crowd that got Old Spanish Days in trouble. "The audience response during this period generally was 66-76dB and reached 84dB," said Kobayashi.

The Persuasions, who sang without any musical accompaniment, also incited the crowd to excessive noise levels. "The singing itself produced sound levels which would have met the established sound level limits ... however, the enthusiastic response of the crowd produced levels from 66-76dB and peaking at about 80dB."

Mitchell won the popularity rating. Her peak audience response was 84dB. The Persuasions hit 80dB.