Maverik Center, why have thou forsaken us?

The West Valley venue is usually one of the most dependable indoor places to see a show, with superior acoustics that at times can nearly mirror the pristine, clean experiences of outdoor shows.

But Monday night, both opening act Frightened Rabbit and Death Cab for Cutie suffered from a murky, echo-laden sound that diminished each band's considerable strengths.

For the Seattle-based Death Cab, those strengths include nuanced pop songs that rely heavily on frontman Ben Gibbard's delicate, introspective, clear tenor that roams along the band's sunny melodies. But when the voice is buried in the mix, and the electric guitars overwhelm the rest of the instruments, all you are left with is a very good band sounding very bad.

And that is incredibly frustrating. Especially after a summer filled with satisfying outdoor experiences at Usana Amphitheatre, Red Butte Garden and Pioneer Park, where even if you don't like or know the artist, you are virtually assured aural pleasure. In contrast, Death Cab's "The Sound of Settling," for example, was almost unrecognizable amid the wall of sound.

To their credit, bassist Nick Harmer and drummer Jason McGerr were solid, and the concert's best moments (aside from Gibbard's solo acoustic rendition of "I Will Follow You Into the Dark) were rhythmic epics such as show opener "I Will Possess Your Heart" and "Doors Unlocked and Open." But those songs are few and far between in the quartet's catalog.

Otherwise, there were other elements that served as much-needed tonic. I have seen Gibbard several times over the years, and he was the most energized and enthusiastic I have seen. With his body swaying incessantly from left to right and back again whenever he was at the mic, he had a magnetism that drew you in.

Gibbard's fervor was even more admirable considering that Maverik Center was embarrassingly empty, with far less than half of the seats filled.

The band performed many songs from its latest album, "Codes and Keys" — one of the best albums released this year, with the band experimenting and exploring without diluting the appeal that has made it so interesting over the years.

It is a shame that the album is best heard playing in your car with the windows open, rather than at Maverik Center.

dburger@sltrib.com

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Twitter: @davidburger —

Death Cab for Cutie with Frightened Rabbit

When • Monday

Where • Maverik Center, West Valley City

Bottom Line • Bad sound mars Death Cab for Cutie's melodic brilliance