THE garth

I am of the Garth Generation. If you were a country girl or boy in the nineties (or really just any teenager), you knew Garth Brooks. You probably knew every word of Garth. You probably had one or two or five high school dances with a Garth theme song. (Hello, The Dance?) And if you know anything about Garth, you know the man is a music legend. He changed everything about the country music industry, not to mention the production of a concert. I've always adored the man, quite honestly. I know most of his songs by heart, and I vividly recall blasting my two disc compilation of his best hits in my Chevy Prizm on the way to school every morning.

When he announced the added on Salt Lake concert dates to his tour, I was so excited. I would gladly give up my left arm for a ticket. But then I saw the dates - right before my due date. And when Jess' boss offered him tickets it took all my willpower to turn them down. I figured I'd either be in labor or a giant fat pregnant woman. It killed me too. I spent hours watching Garth concert clips and playing his music on repeat, sorrowing over my loss.

And then we had our little J and I promptly forgot about Garth as my brain filled with insomnia and feedings and diapers and the softest baby cheeks in the world. Until Jess called a few days ago and said, "How much do you love me?" Me: "Um you tell me?" Jess: "You're going to Garth tomorrow night."

I think I screamed. Dropped the phone. No lie. Teenage status.

He was able to get four tickets, and I went with two of his sisters and a cousin. And ohmygosh it was everything I hoped it would be. He is an amazing performer. It's not about the stage or the tricks for him. He is there to sing his brains out. He performed all the classics, and the sold out venue screamed every word to every song, and it was just amazing.  (You should have HEARD "Friends in Low Places." I'm now partially deaf.) I was legitimately star struck. Total magic and I never wanted it to end. He did four encores. Four. And I think the only reason he didn't do a fifth was he was literally spent. That fifty something year old man was running and jumping and singing just like he did decades ago. He gave us a piece of his heart on that stage.

I'm a country girl at heart. And this was seriously one of those experiences I'll never forget. I feel so lucky to have gone. I really do. He's playing two shows tonight, one at 7 p.m. and one at 10:30 p.m. (the 10:30 p.m. was an add on when his original dates sold so quickly). It is taking every ounce of my self control to not scoop up a ticket and sneak out to see this magic one more time. 

This was during one of my favorite songs - Unanswered Prayers. The crowd was of course booming it out with him, 
and at one point Garth got emotional and stopped singing and turned it over to us.
Everyone had their cell phone flash lights waving like twinkle lights, and it was the most magical moment.
I'm not a huge concert goer (I really usually hate them), but this moment - I get it. Magic.

P.S. J still hasn't a middle name. I'm now pulling for Jess Brooks Cheney. I know, right?