Garth Brooks, Blake Shelton and Granger Smith Rock boise [Photos]
Garth! Garth! Garth! I've never seen an event come through and wreck Boise like I just witnessed with Garth Brooks. I'd like to say that I have a pretty good scope on things that buzz and I haven't seen anything like this.
Garth Brooks stormed the city Thursday evening with selfies from the Greenbelt and surprise soundcheck. Garth mania began the beginning of May and finally touched down in Boise over the weekend. Garth brooks has been the talk of the Treasure Valley since Friday.
I received a phone call back in May regarding a blog I posted about Garth Brooks coming to Albertson's Stadium. I reached out to my source at Taco Bell Arena and was told my blog was okay but they couldn't speak on the record. I immediately got a call not even 5 minutes later asking me where I got my information and that the record label wanted my blog pulled from the website. This is when I knew Garth Brooks was going to be the first major artist to host a show on the sacred blue turf.
Fast forward to Friday, July 19, 2019, and nobody knew what was about to take place. Friday nights performance would be tangled with miscues, un-organization and epic memories that people will talk about for years.
I'll sum up Friday in 3 words; Garth, Blake, and Granger. If you missed out on Saturday nights original date that sold out in less than an hour you might have just been blessed. Despite the complete organization in the parking lot at BSU, everyone forgot once they went through the security checkpoint.
Access to drinks was pretty easy but not without a hefty $10 price tag on beers. Then again, nobody complained. The night opened with Granger Smith in which nobody knew about. This was a total surprise and there was only a rumor because one of our guys saw him in the airport Friday.
We knew Blake Shelton was going to show after an Entertainment Tonight announcement by Garth Brooks presenting the Dive Bar duo performance. So, we were expecting that. We also knew that Garth was shooting a video for the entire performance which including special emphasis on the "Dive Bar" duo.
Nobody could have predicted what would happen Friday night. Granger Smith lost his son a few months ago and gave a performance that had 40,000 people in tears along with a tribute song. They let a red balloon go and I couldn't stop thinking of Lennox and Leo. My emotions were definitely put in check Friday night.
Garth took the stage and maybe a song or two in the power went down. I'm mean like everything was off. Garth Brooks continued like the pro he is but finally gave up because nobody could hear anything. I'm guessing 15-20 minutes later Garth came out on stage as the sound came back up and he said,
Well, it looks like tonight you're gonna get the show of your life! It's gonna be a long night so get ready Boise!
I'm paraphrasing but it went something like that as the sold-out crowd went nuts. I don't think you could have scripted a better night. The temperatures hovered 80 degrees, the crowd was ecstatic, and those performances were mind-blowing. Friday nights show couldn't be topped even if Garth had planned it. What an emotional night. I ran into random people at the gas station the next day and we're all talking about it at checkout.
I hosted a remote on Saturday for Homestead Steaks and everyone kept coming up talking about the show.
If you went on Saturday night you might be having the same feeling with different memories. Garth Brooks is a magician with emotion. Damn, that dude sounded just as good on Friday night as he probably did 25 years ago. Think about that, 25 years ago.
I took a video of him performing his 1992 smash, "The River" during his Friday night performance. That song is almost 30 years old and Albertson's Stadium lit up like a Christmas Tree as fans swayed and sang every lyric. Name another artist that possesses that type of emotional star power. I grew up with Garth back in Texas and my wife did too all the way out in Oakley, Idaho.
Garth Brooks isn't just an artist, he's a masseuse of emotion. Brooks knows how to tip his hat like a country gentleman, remind you of someone special and bring back heartbreak. Who else does that in 2019? The list is short.
I'm so sorry if you missed the show because I wouldn't expect him back anytime soon. A guy like this doesn't maintain his popularity by performing every year. I'll say Garth is definitely like that fine wine that gets better with age. His vocals were as our boy Simon Cowell would say, "Pitch Perfect!"
This was a night to remember forever.