Garth Brooks leaves no song behind in return to Boston

Garth Brooks made a triumphant return to Boston for the first time in 17 years as part of his Garth Brooks World Tour with Trisha Yearwood.

The northeast, Brooks said, is often overlooked as a country music hotbed.  Brooks remarked that, “There’s a common misconception about the Northeast is they don’t know their country music but if you have that misconception, it’s gone the first time you play here.”  After a seventeen year break, “Now what you’re hoping is you’ll see faces you recognize,” said Brooks.  Statistics from Ticketmaster reveal there will be more than a few new faces.  More than 43-48% of those buying tickets would have been younger than 10 the last time Brooks came around. 

Brooks will play six nearly sold out shows over four nights.  When asked about the energy required for playing such a packed set, Brooks referenced a fundraiser performed for the Los Angeles Fire Department in 2010 when the band played 5 shows in 24 hours.  Brooks stated the real workout would be for the drummer, but that he knew they were all up to the task. 

The addition of Brooks’ wife Yearwood has made this, “the easiest and most fun tour I’ve ever been on.”  Brooks remarked that when touring, the 2-3 hours of playing each night is the fun part.  The challenge can be the other 20 hours of free time.  Touring with Yearwood has eliminated the boredom of downtime.  With sellouts across the tour, Brooks says of the response to the tour, “It’s been really humbling and flattering,” and that it’s been a dream to be able to come out of retirement and see such success.  In 1997, Brooks’ Denver shows sold 50,000 while the most recent tour sold 150,000 tickets.  

As for those who don’t like how today’s country music has changed, Brooks said, “Anyone condemning the new sound of country music, is hey, find what you like, stick to it, and what you don’t like, let go.  There’s plenty to choose from”.  Brooks remarked that country has always been influenced by the popular music of the time.  He said his early music was influenced by: George Strait, Meryl Haggard, Keith Whitley, Chris LeDoux, Queen, Dan Fogelberg, and Billy Joel.  He said that we shouldn’t be surprised that today’s country artists are influenced by past country artists and current artists such as Pink, Adele, and Bruno Mars today.  Brooks has long been considered the man who paved the way for today’s younger country artists.  Brooks says that it can go both ways.  A song like the third track of Man Against Machine, “Cold Like That” wouldn’t have had a place on the record without younger artists like Jason Aldean leading the way.  Brooks is also a fan of Joe Nichols, who he said brings back sounds of Meryl Haggard, Lefty Frizzle, and Keith Whitley.  Brooks wishes that there were more females on country radio today and counts himself a fan of Miranda Lambert because every song sounds different.  Brooks said he’s always excited to see what she is going to come up with next because he knows it’ll be different than previous tracks.  

Ghost Tunes, Brooks, newest business partner, is attempting to gain entry into a market currently dominated by iTunes.  Ghost Tunes is the exclusive online retailer for his newest release, “Man Against Machine”.   Of Ghost Tunes, Brooks says, “it’s been a fun ride” so far and that the company hopes to move into additional media, such as books and movies, in the coming year.

Prior to the show, Brooks stated that, as a fan, you “came to hear the stuff you fell in love with.”  That certainly factored into the packed set list featured later that night.   The show started off with “Man Against Machine”, one of just two tracks played off of his newest album.  From there, Brooks didn’t make his fans wait for the classics, playing “Rodeo” followed by a few of his #1’s including ”The Beaches of Cheyenne”, “The River” and “Two Pina Coladas”.  The 360 degree stage allowed Brooks to interact with the entire packed arena and as he made his way around the stage, he would be met with a rousing cheer.  Brooks seemed genuinely moved and amazed by the response from the crowd.

After the most fun murderous affair song, “Papa Loved Mama”, Brooks brought out 1993 #1 “Ain’t Going Down (Til the Sun Comes Up)”.  For his next song, the packed Garden serenaded Brooks for much of “Unanswered Prayers,” prompting him to say incredulously, “I don’t know if I’ve ever heard it sung better than that”.   “That Summer”, “The Thunder Rolls” (complete with actual thunder) and “People Loving People” led us into the second act of the night, Yearwood. 

Starting off her set with a duet of “In Another’s Eyes”, Yearwood kept the Garden rocking, playing her own hits “An American Girl”, “Prizefighter”, “How do I Live?” and “She’s in Love with the Boy”.  Garth returned with even more hits including “Shameless”, “Callin’ Baton Rouge” and everyone’s favorite drinking song, “Friends in Low Places”.  Brooks teased that they don’t sing the third verse any longer before finally relenting and belting it out along with the Garden crowd.  Brooks raced around the stage the entire night, and seemed to be so perfectly in his element, it seems almost amazing he was able to stay away for so long.

The encore included favorites “The Dance” and Aerosmith’s “Fever”.  Brooks slowed it down with “If Tomorrow Never Comes” before ending the night with a rambunctious “Standing Outside the Fire”.   At the conclusion of the show, Brooks fell to his knees and took on the loudest cheers I have ever heard at a concert. 

“The truth is, fifty years from now, if I had a choice if they remember who Garth Brooks was or they know what “The Dance” is, I hope they know what “The Dance” is,” said Brooks.   If the show last night after a 17 year layoff was any indication, country music fans will know both.