Love for Garth Brooks
I don't have many memories of California or of being a kid there.
I do, however, have a very vivid memory of the smell of wood being cut in the garage, the sound of the saw, and the distinct voice of Garth Brooks singing out from a tape within a black stereo. My dad was rarely home back in those days, and while he was around I must have liked to be near him. A more blurry part of this memory is my asking what the songs were about, because I could tell they were about a story, but I didn't have enough reading or auditory comprehension to be able to figure it out. I'm sure my dad did his best explaining country music to me. The fact that I have this memory is literally a miracle. I remember almost nothing from California.
So when I found out Garth Brooks was back on tour, after being gone for 17 years, I immediately searched for concert tickets. I realized I would have to go to this concert with my dad.
We found our way to the concert thinking that it would start at 10:30 pm, however, this was just the "gates open" time; The concert started at 11:30 or so. The late-night Salt Lake City crowd is the crowd to go to a Garth Brooks concert with. Every single song from the second to the twentieth was followed up with roaring applause. Garth said it felt like "every single song he played was our favorite." I was giddy with laughter at the enthusiasm of the crowd. I always have a great time at concerts, but this felt like everyone there had 10 times the normal enthusiasm level. We sang the River and Unanswered Prayers, and Garth congratulated us on our perfect pitch fully endorsing the karaoke.
Greatest versions of songs: Friends in Low Places, The Thunder Rolls, Baton Rouge. I can't remember what he "ended on", because we all knew he was coming back. The encore started with acoustic versions of songs the crowd wanted to hear, then a fiddler joined him and then everybody was back for round two! The final song was Standing Outside the Fire. It was at least 2:00 am at that point, so I told my Dad we could go. It wasn't going to get better than that ending. It was one of the only songs I really wanted to hear, and it was wild and fantastic and full of energy and passion. I have never been to a concert that was that much fun and with that much energy. Garth Brooks is a brilliant crowd-wielding performer. Being there with my Dad was perfect. I wish I were a better writer to do this concert justice. It's so cliche to say that you had to be there to get it, but that's the only way to describe it. I called my sister the next day and was so happy when I found out that she is going in April. I literally don't listen to country music anymore, but there is something so deep about this music. After 17 years, I still knew almost every single word of every single song. I don't think I can gush anymore about this, so maybe I'll just leave you with lyrics:
I do, however, have a very vivid memory of the smell of wood being cut in the garage, the sound of the saw, and the distinct voice of Garth Brooks singing out from a tape within a black stereo. My dad was rarely home back in those days, and while he was around I must have liked to be near him. A more blurry part of this memory is my asking what the songs were about, because I could tell they were about a story, but I didn't have enough reading or auditory comprehension to be able to figure it out. I'm sure my dad did his best explaining country music to me. The fact that I have this memory is literally a miracle. I remember almost nothing from California.So when I found out Garth Brooks was back on tour, after being gone for 17 years, I immediately searched for concert tickets. I realized I would have to go to this concert with my dad.
We found our way to the concert thinking that it would start at 10:30 pm, however, this was just the "gates open" time; The concert started at 11:30 or so. The late-night Salt Lake City crowd is the crowd to go to a Garth Brooks concert with. Every single song from the second to the twentieth was followed up with roaring applause. Garth said it felt like "every single song he played was our favorite." I was giddy with laughter at the enthusiasm of the crowd. I always have a great time at concerts, but this felt like everyone there had 10 times the normal enthusiasm level. We sang the River and Unanswered Prayers, and Garth congratulated us on our perfect pitch fully endorsing the karaoke.
Greatest versions of songs: Friends in Low Places, The Thunder Rolls, Baton Rouge. I can't remember what he "ended on", because we all knew he was coming back. The encore started with acoustic versions of songs the crowd wanted to hear, then a fiddler joined him and then everybody was back for round two! The final song was Standing Outside the Fire. It was at least 2:00 am at that point, so I told my Dad we could go. It wasn't going to get better than that ending. It was one of the only songs I really wanted to hear, and it was wild and fantastic and full of energy and passion. I have never been to a concert that was that much fun and with that much energy. Garth Brooks is a brilliant crowd-wielding performer. Being there with my Dad was perfect. I wish I were a better writer to do this concert justice. It's so cliche to say that you had to be there to get it, but that's the only way to describe it. I called my sister the next day and was so happy when I found out that she is going in April. I literally don't listen to country music anymore, but there is something so deep about this music. After 17 years, I still knew almost every single word of every single song. I don't think I can gush anymore about this, so maybe I'll just leave you with lyrics:
"we call them cool, those hearts that have no scars to show...we call them weak, who are unable to resist, the slightest chance love might exist and for that forsake it all...there's this love that is burning deep in my soul, constantly yearning to get out of control, wanting to fly higher and higher, I can't abide standing outside the fire...life is not tried, it is merely survived if you're standing outside the fire."
Comments