GARTH... at Wynn

Garth Brooks

I love experiencing things in the pop-cult, even if they fall outside of my comfort zone.  For instance, I’ve attended concerts by The Grateful Dead and Phish and The Dave Matthews Band, even though I’m a fan of neither Birkenstocks nor patchouli nor jam-bands, in general (not to mention that I’ve got a serious aversion to flying glow-sticks hitting me in the head).

Now, I know that when people look at me, the first thought to come to mind might not be “country fan” and they’d be right; to a point.  While I’m not as erudite in matters pertaining to country music as I am in other genres, as an enthusiast of music in general, I’m a fan of Johnny, Willie, Patsy, and Porter; Reba, Dolly, and Bobbie, too.  But those giants aside, my sphere of country knowledge comes rolling to a screeching halt.  And then there’s Garth.

In the fall of 1991 I was a freshman at Tulane University in New Orleans, and one of the guys who lived in the room next to mine, Keith, was from Texas and loved Garth Brooks.  He was a big guy, tall and sturdily built, wore a black Stetson cowboy hat, and silver tabs on the collars of his shirts.  It’s no exaggeration to say that (since Keith and his roommate, DJ, were the only two guys on our hall to have cars) we listened to No Fences and Ropin’ the Wind more times than I could ever possibly count.  Hey: his truck, his music; as it should be.

After that, Garth got away from me.  Until last summer, some 18 years later, when I went and saw him perform at an invitation-only performance at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas.  Like I said, I’m up for anything that tickles my pop-culture fancy, and a live performance by the best-selling solo-artist of all-time, named “Entertainer of the Century” by the Recording Industry Association of America – well, consider me tickled.

And while Brooks is a fantastic performer (something for which I was prepared, going-in), he is an entertainer of the highest order.  His interaction with the audience is phenomenal, and even for a country nudnik like me (my Garth Brooks songbook pretty much consists of Friends in Low Places and The Thunder Rolls), I was on the edge of my seat from start-to-finish.  It was Garth in a t-shirt, jeans, and baseball cap with a guitar, telling tales, doing covers of James Taylor and Jim Croce, taking requests, and putting smiles on peoples’ faces.  I enjoyed myself so much, in fact, that I went back to watch Brooks, again, last fall, for the premiere of his five-year residency at Encore Theater.

Garth Brooks

This weekend, Garth Brooks returns and will be doing four-shows during a trio of August dates.  If you’ve already seen this show, you’ll be itching to go back.  (I know I am…)  And if you haven’t yet born witness to the greatness that is Garth, what the heck are you waitin’ for: an engraved invitation?

GARTH…at Wynn
Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas
Friday, August 6th: 8pm
Saturday, August 7th: 8pm and 10:30pm
Sunday, August 8th: 8pm
Tickets - $125
Ticket Information: (702) 770-9966

Get into it!