Celine Dion: Residents in small NZ town Porirua are being tormented by ‘siren kings’ driving around blasting power ballads at 2am
Residents of a New Zealand city are being terrorized by gangs performing Celine Dion songs in the middle of the night.
Power ballads by the French-Canadian singer can be heard until 2 a.m. some evenings in Porirua, north of Wellington on New Zealand’s North Island.
The tunes are played by drivers known as “siren kings” who equip their car’s stereo with sirens mounted on the exterior of the vehicle.
The Titanic-themed singer is known as a favorite of siren kings for her soaring treble and minimal bass, making it easier to boost the sound without the use of subwoofers.
Songs like ‘My Heart Will Go On’ and ‘It’s All Coming Back To Me Now’ are carried through the city of 60,000 inhabitants because it is located at the bottom of a valley where the sound bounces back and forth.
Residents of a New Zealand city are terrorized by gangs performing Celine Dion songs in the middle of the night
The police have received almost 150 noise complaints about the bizarre phenomenon in the past year.
The city’s mayor, Anita Baker, said in a statement that police have “limited powers to stop this type of activity.”
‘Often the sirens and sounds are spontaneous and we have no control over where this happens.
‘We will continue to work with all parties involved – including the siren clubs – to find solutions.’
Police responding to noise complaints in the city often arrive on the scene long after the siren kings have left to blast music elsewhere.
Even when they arrive on time, officers usually do not have the equipment to disperse large crowds.
The tunes are played by drivers known as “siren kings” who equip their car’s stereo with sirens mounted on the outside of the vehicle.
The Siren King subculture has gained popularity over the past decade after a ‘Siren Jam’ by a young South Auckland artist, Jawsh 685, became an international hit.
One of the leaders of an Auckland-based Siren King group, Paul Lesoa, said the club was nothing more than a hobby that helped children stay off the streets.
“You’d be surprised how talented and creative these guys are,” he said, according to the NZ Herald.
‘It’s not easy to connect all these sirens together and there is also real camaraderie as you learn and help each other. It keeps guys off the streets, it keeps guys out of gangs, and it’s a brotherhood here.”