Sound Issues
by Kill3rKeen on 10/12/24Central Bank Downtown Live - ColumbiaRating: 3 out of 5Attending the Colter Wall concert in Columbia, Missouri, was something I had been looking forward to for months. As a long-time fan of his unique blend of country, folk, and Western music, I was excited to experience his live performance. Unfortunately, what should have been an incredible night of music was overshadowed by severe sound issues that plagued the majority of the concert.
The evening started off on a high note with two warm-up acts that really set the stage. The first opener was enjoyable, but it was Corb Lund who truly stood out. His energy and stage presence were impressive, and, importantly, his sound was clear and well-balanced. Despite the anticipation of hearing Colter Wall, I found myself pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Corb Lund’s set. His vocals came through beautifully, and each instrument was distinguishable. No audio problems here, and it was the perfect start to what I hoped would be a great night of live music.
However, everything went downhill the moment Colter Wall took the stage. The sound issues that became immediately apparent during the first third of his performance were almost unbearable. Wall’s deep, rich voice, which is a defining feature of his music, was nearly drowned out by poorly mixed audio and an obvious lack of sufficient speakers. For a venue of this size and a crowd this large, there simply weren’t enough speakers to adequately distribute the sound. It was frustrating to see such a talented artist struggling to connect with the audience because many of us simply couldn’t hear him well enough.
The first third of Wall’s performance was marred by these technical problems. The vocals were muffled, the instruments sounded unbalanced, and the whole set felt off. I could see others around me visibly disappointed and straining to catch the nuances of his performance, but the audio issues made that impossible. Given the size of the venue, it was baffling that the organizers hadn’t accounted for the appropriate number of speakers to ensure everyone could enjoy the concert.
Thankfully, things began to improve during the middle third of the show. It seemed like the sound crew had finally recognized the issues and made adjustments. Wall’s voice began to shine through more clearly, and the balance between his vocals and the instruments improved significantly. While it wasn’t perfect, it was much better than the rocky start. By this point, I could actually enjoy the songs I came to hear, but it was hard to forget the poor first impression.
By the final third of the concert, it felt like things had mostly worked themselves out. Wall’s iconic baritone voice, the steel guitar, and the fiddle finally blended together in a way that showcased his music in the way it deserved. Unfortunately, the damage had already been done. Many in the audience, myself included, had spent too much of the concert frustrated and disappointed by the earlier sound issues.
In conclusion, while Colter Wall himself put on a solid performance and the warm-up acts, especially Corb Lund, were fantastic, the sound issues seriously detracted from the experience. It’s a shame that a concert so highly anticipated by so many was undermined by poor planning and inadequate sound equipment. If future shows in Columbia can’t guarantee a better audio setup, I’d hesitate to attend again.