In 2014, Garth Brooks kicked off his final world tour with Trisha Yearwood, his wife and fellow award winning musician. Over the past three years, the two have toured in 60 cities and performed 301 shows, with many more shows to come.
Over the past year, I have seen 6 shows on the Garth Brooks World Tour in 6 cities.
In 30 hours, I saw Garth Brooks at 3 shows in Philadelphia.
When I tell people that I have seen Garth and Trisha 6 times in one tour, they look at me like I am crazy. They’ll say, “Why do you need to see the same exact show over and over again?” But the thing about the Garth Brooks World Tour is that he and his crew make every single show personal.
Sure, each show is similar in that Garth and Trisha perform their music with the same band they’ve been with for over 20 years. And each show contains introductions of the “Cool Cat who has forgotten more about music than [Garth] will ever learn, Bob Bailey” and “BRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCE”.
What differs, though, is everything else. Garth and Trisha make each person in the stadium feel as though they’re singing directly to you, whether you’re in the first row on the floor or touching the ceiling in section 212. They respond to the crowd. Sure, there might be a general set list for every show, but Garth will change the whole pace of the show if one single person in the crowd needs him to.
See, Garth never acts like he’s famous. He makes sure to remind the audience that he is just like everyone else because he “pays[his] money, stands on [his] seat at concerts, and wants to hear the old stuff.” When he hears the whole audience singing his music, his eyes light up like it’s the best thing he’s ever heard. He actually giggles on stage in response to thousands of people singing along, like he doesn’t experience it every night.
The Garth Brooks World Tour is an experience that anyone and everyone should have the opportunity to see at least once before it ends. For anyone who has ever sang along to “Two Piña Coladas” or “Friends in Low Places” in the car with their friends, in the bar at 2 AM, or alone in the shower, this show is for you. For anyone who has ever cried when they heard “Unanswered Prayers” or “The Dance,” this show is for you. For anyone who has ever fallen in love to a country song, fallen in love with a country song, or gotten over love with the help of a country song, this show is for you.
