Morgan Wallen’s Friday, May 29 performance at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver turned into an unexpected test of showmanship when technical issues left him unable to hear his on-stage piano.
Morgan Wallen was a few notes into his Friday, May 29 set at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado, when the frustration spilled onto the stage.
Social media footage shared on both X and Instagram shows the country star flipping over his on-stage piano mid-performance after it appeared he couldn’t hear the instrument. TMZ and Billboard also reported on the incident.
When the technical problems didn’t quickly resolve, Wallen still kept the show moving. He was forced to perform his hit song “Sand In My Boots” a cappella, pushing forward despite the apparent ear piece issues.
There’s also a broader through-line to Wallen’s public life: he first rose to national attention in 2014 on season 6 of The Voice as a member of Adam Levine’s team. then was knocked out during the playoffs. In May 2020. he was arrested outside Kid Rock’s Nashville bar. Big Honky Tonk. for public intoxication and disorderly conduct. before later being cleared of the charges. He previously faced backlash for partying without a face mask—kissing multiple women—at college bars in Tuscaloosa. Alabama. during the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. That sequence of events cost him a gig on Saturday Night Live; he later said he was getting ready for SNL in New York City when he received a call that he would no longer be able to play because of COVID protocols. adding that he understood the decision and took ownership for actions that affected his long-term goals.
Even with the show scrambling around him in Denver, the night still centered on one immediate fact: the performance continued, even when a key piece of his stage setup didn’t cooperate.
Us Weekly reached out to reps for Wallen for comment but did not hear back at the time of publication.
Morgan Wallen Denver Empower Field at Mile High Sand In My Boots country music piano technical difficulties X Instagram