By LINDSAY MORAN
Contributing Writer
The Times Union Center filled its seats for the third consecutive night Sunday as concert-goers were entertained by longtime country artists Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood. The four-hour show showcased the talents of Brooks and Yearwood, as well as openers Karyn Rochelle and Chris Lane.
This show presented an interesting turn of events for me and my mother that made for some great photo opportunities and a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We arrived at the venue a little earlier than usual to get a decent parking spot, as we knew the power couple had sold out all three shows over the course of the weekend. We entered the seating area via our designated section and realized we paid $160 for a pair of seats situated approximately five rows from the back wall.
We sat in our nosebleed seats, surrounded by the chairs of those who hadn’t arrived yet. While we were laughing and cracking jokes about how unideal our circumstance was, a man approached us. He asked us how our night was going and, since it hadn’t quite started at that point, we were confused. The man went on to explain to us that “small miracles” sometimes happen at Brooks’ shows. We knew nothing about this, but we learned quickly after he reached into his pocket and handed us second-row tickets.
About 1,000 steps toward the stage later, we were surrounded by a group of excited fans who were also gifted floor seats by Brooks and his crew, the Garth Guys. Fifty-somethings and teens alike were in awe that they had been given the opportunity to stand just feet away from Brooks, who has earned more than 90 music awards over the course of his 28-year career.
Karyn Rochelle and Chris Lane each graced the stage to sing their own four-song sets before Brooks and Yearwood stole the show. Rochelle, a singer-songwriter from North Carolina, blessed the audience’s ears with her soft and sweet country twang that complimented Brooks and Yearwood’s styles. She performed original songs off her self-titled album, as well as songs she wrote with other country artists. She took the audience on a journey that began with a jealousy-undertoned jam titled “Jezebels,” and ended with the catchy better-off-without-you anthem, “Red High Heels,” which she wrote with Kellie Pickler in 2006. Sections of the crowd left Rochelle with a standing ovation.
When Lane took the stage, teenage girls screamed and reached out their hands to touch the 32-year-old, who topped charts with his hit “Fix” last summer. His country-pop crossover feel, similar to that of Sam Hunt, appealed to the younger fans in the audience. He performed stripped-down acoustic covers of his own songs that are flooding the airwaves of country radio, among them being “For Her,” a heartfelt, windows-down love song.
He also performed a mash-up of covers that he features in every show, which included mid-2000’s classics such as “Let Me Love You” by R&B artist Mario, as well as “Can’t Feel My Face” by The Weeknd. Though somewhat out of place at a classic country concert, Lane kept audiences engaged with a mid-set toast to law enforcement and soldiers.
Moments later, the deafening sounds of the young and old cheering on one of their most cherished country artists rang through the arena as the screen walls lifted and Brooks stood silently with his band. Brooks opened with his newest tune, “Lay Down and Dance,” a modern spin on his old-school sound. He blew the audience away with his lungs of steel and agility, as he was literally sprinting and jumping around the stage and off its fixtures during his 29-song set.
After a sectioned crowd cheering battle led by Brooks and his pointing finger, he played some of his classics, such as “The River,” “Poppa Loved Momma,” “Ain’t Goin’ Down (‘Til the Sun Comes Up),” and “The Thunder Rolls,” all of which he encouraged fans to sing along.
The stage was equipped with bright lights of all colors, a large screen for those sitting in the back and behind the stage, offering the audience with just as beautiful a visual experience as it was pleasing to the ear.
Brooks’s wife and fellow country superstar, Trisha Yearwood, joined him for a sentimental rendition of “In Another’s Eyes.” Yearwood’s set left the audience wanting more of her effortlessly beautiful vocals, as she only sang five songs to cut the middle of her husband’s lengthy, but enjoyable, showcase. She sang her 90’s chart-toppers “XXX’s and OOO’s (An American Girl)” and “How Do I Live,” before taking a look at the crowd and thanking them for their support.
Yearwood spotted a sign that read “We are Katie and Tommy, and I’m in Love With the Boy,” a parallel to her song “She’s in Love With the Boy,” which tells the story of a fictional romance between young lovers Katie and Tommy. Not only did Yearwood invite them on stage while she sang the dance-worthy song, but Brooks greeted Tommy with a beer and sent the couple off with a signed poster and one of Brooks’ own guitars.
Brooks took fans down memory lane with a cover of Billy Joel’s “Shameless,” before performing the long-awaited “Friends in Low Places.” The crowd roared with excitement as they held their drinks to the sky and stood arm-in-arm, shouting the words along with Brooks. He closed the show with “The Dance,” an award-winning ballad that provided a proper end to an action-packed show.
After taking a final bow and exiting stage right, he and his band returned for an encore within a minute’s time. At this point in his shows, Brooks takes the time to read fan signs, some of which have requests for songs. He played snippets of well-known songs such as “Amarillo by Morning” by George Strait, “Piano Man” by Billy Joel and “I Told You So” by Randy Travis. What served as more of an extended set rather than an encore, Brooks admitted that the crowd better leave because he was ready to play all through the night.
His finale, “Standing Outside the Fire,” was a bookend to a show filled with Brooks’s true passion for music, fun-loving energy, and appreciation for his fans. After coming out of a 15-year retirement to tour and promote the release his newest album, “Gunslinger,” Brooks proved he’s still got it and the fans still want it.
