What is ASMR? It stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response — a feeling of well-being caused by a specific stimulus, like a sound.

There are certain sounds you’ll hear around downtown Columbia that will either have you wondering “what was that?” or offer you a sense of place. Whether it’s the whizzing of cars down Gervais Street or the buzz of thousands of students trekking through campus between classes, these ambient noises give our city life.

While much of the downtown area is dominated by honks and the hum of city traffic, there are a few sounds that are uniquely Columbia. Let’s take a look at some of those, and how they make us feel at home.

🛤️ Choo choo

If you’ve driven down Assembly Street you know the unmistakable sound of a train horn and dinging bells as red lights flash and the crossing gates come down. Could these sounds become part of Cola’s history? A new $250 million plan could create overpasses at some of Cola's busiest crossings.

🐓 Cocka-doodle-doo

On weekdays in the fall, you’ll hear a rooster crow and UofSC-related songs blaring throughout downtown. Gamecock football lovers will get goosebumps when they hear their mascot’s battle cry followed by the theme from “2001: A Space Odyssey,” but visitors to town may just appear confused. The sounds come from four giant speakers atop the Keenan Building, as reported by The Post and Courier in 2019.

🏗️ Construction

The sounds of construction might seem like a nuisance, but they are the sounds of a growing city. Cola’s most notable current downtown construction project is The Standard, a 17-story student housing building being built next door to Richland Library that’s expected to be completed next summer.

🎻 Street performers

If you’ve walked the streets of downtown Columbia during First Thursday or at Soda City Market, you’ve undoubtedly heard one of Cola’s most recognizable street performers, Brian the Vocalinist. Brian’s renditions of popular songs sung through the notes on his electric violin echo through the streets and often stop onlookers in their tracks.