03/31/2026
Sonic Sabotage at the Popcorn: Why La Crosse's "Inclusive" Stage is a Fraud
For two and a half years, I have been a Tuesday night fixture at the Popcorn Tavern. In a city that loves to pat itself on the back for its "vibrant local arts scene," I viewed my weekly performances as a "service”a free donation of time and energy to a room full of people just looking for a reason to stay for one more drink.
But it turns out, in the dark corners of La Crosse's "most inclusive" live music spot, there is a secret requirement for entry: you have to agree to sound like garbage.
The Audiological Diet
For months, I noticed my sound was being filtered through what I can only describe as a "low-end-ectomy." My music, which should have been rich and resonant, was hitting the floor sounding like it was being played through a tin can at the bottom of a well.
I did what any professional would do: I spent weeks in my own domicile, obsessively testing my gear, my cables, and my sanity. The result? My equipment was flawless. The problem wasn't in my wires; it was in the hands of the people behind the soundboard. I was being intentionally clipped, my frequencies neutered to ensure I didn't take up too much "space" in a room that claims to celebrate expression.
The "Sabotage or Incompetence" Test
On my final Tuesday, I decided to stop playing the victim of a bad mix. I brought my own speaker. I bypassed the house system and, for the first time in years, the Popcorn Tavern heard what actual music sounds like. The back of the room vibrated. The patrons actually looked up. The "missing" frequencies were back, and the result was undeniable: I had been silenced by the booth for months.
When I confronted the sound person in charge asking the very simple, very blunt question of whether this was a case of malicious sabotage or pure, unadulterated incompetence, ”I didn't get an answer. I got a tantrum.
A Masterclass in Fragility
There is a specific kind of cowardice required to scream "get off my stage" at a performer who has helped keep your lights on for years. This "guardian of the soundboard" didn't offer a technical explanation; they offered a violent outburst, culminating in my equipment being physically thrown off the stage.
It was a pathetic display of "gatekeeper" energy. It was the sound of a small person realizing they couldn't control a big sound.
The Message to La Crosse
To the musicians and creators of this town: Stop being grateful for crumbs. We are told that venues like the Popcorn are the pillars of our community, but if those pillars are built on the fragile egos of technicians who would rather throw gear than admit their own bias, the building is already rotting.
People do not attempt to destroy or obstruct you unless you are on a trajectory that scares them. If you are a musician in La Crosse and you feel like you're being "dimmed" to fit the room, you probably are. Don't give up your journey. Don't let a person with a power trip tell you that your sound is wrong when you know it's right.
I'm moving on, and frankly, I'm moving up. To the Popcorn Tavern: keep your "exclusive" stage and your clipped frequencies. Some of us are built for a full range of sound, and we won't be silenced by a tantrum and a broken speaker cable.
Stay loud, La Crosse. The gatekeepers are only winning if you let them turn your volume down.
