Morgan Wallen appeared frustrated during a concert in Denver on Friday, May 29, after technical problems interrupted his performance at Empower Field at Mile High. Social media footage shared on X and Instagram showed the country star flipping over an on-stage piano mid-song after it seemed he could not hear the instrument properly. Reports from TMZ and Billboard said the incident happened during the show, and Wallen was later forced to continue performing his hit “Sand In My Boots” a cappella while the technical issues persisted.
Wallen, 33, did not publicly comment on the incident at the time, and representatives for the singer did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The moment added to a long public history of controversy surrounding the “Whiskey Glasses” singer, who rose to fame after appearing on season 6 of The Voice in 2014 as part of Adam Levine’s team.
In May 2020, Wallen was arrested outside Kid Rock’s Nashville bar, Big Honky Tonk, on charges of public intoxication and disorderly conduct. He later apologized on X, then known as Twitter, saying he and friends had not meant any harm and expressing regret to bar staff and others affected by the incident. He was later cleared of the charges.
That same year, Wallen faced another setback after he was seen partying without a face mask and kissing multiple women at college bars in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The episode led to the loss of a scheduled Saturday Night Live appearance. Wallen later said he understood the show’s decision and took responsibility for his actions, saying they had jeopardized the program and his own goals.
He eventually made his official SNL debut on December 5, 2020. But controversy followed him again in 2021 when TMZ published video showing him using a racial slur. In response, Wallen issued a statement saying he was embarrassed and sorry, called the language unacceptable, and promised to do better.
The latest Denver incident comes as another public moment in a career that has been marked by major commercial success as well as repeated backlash. Wallen remains one of country music’s biggest stars, but his live performances and offstage behavior continue to draw attention.
