Music, as Longfellow once put it, is the “universal language of mankind.”

Whether that language, however, was harmonious or profane depended on who was listening during Saturday’s “Silent Exchange” music festival in Black Rock.

Three times, Buffalo police say, they responded to noise complaints at an all-day, open-air electronic music and arts festival at The Yard, an entertainment industrial complex on Tonawanda Street, before shutting down the event three hours early, at about 7 p. m.

The event’s organizer, Meghan Mann, 24, said police were heavy-handed.

“It’s just so ridiculous,” said Mann, when reached by phone Monday. “We did everything to make sure it was 100 percent by the book.”

That included, Mann said, obtaining a special-events permit from the city, getting required permits from the State Liquor Authority to serve beer and wine, and approval by the Erie County Health Department to serve food.

Still, the event attracted the attention of law enforcement at 1, 3:30 and then again at 7 p. m., when Northwest District police shut it down.

“There were numerous noise complaints from neighbors,” said Michael J. DeGeorge, Buffalo police spokesman. “Many of these complaints went to Council Member Joseph Golombek’s house Saturday afternoon and evening.”

DeGeorge said police paid the two earlier visits and warned organizers that if they had to return a third time there “was a good chance they would have to shut down the event.”

“I think [Mann’s] heart was in the right place. She meant well and tried to do good,” De- George said, “but they misunderstood that just because you have a permit, doesn’t mean you have carte blanche.”

Mann, however, thinks there might be more to it than that, alleging some sort of political feud between city leaders and those associated with The Yard may have sparked the police presence.

DeGeorge was unaware of problems with the patrons either during the event or after police shut it down. No arrests were made.