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Update: Despite a storm that delayed the Garth Brooks concert for more than two hours, fans came out of the stadium with grins.
Many described the concert as “great” and “fantastic”.
“I cried three times, I laughed, cheered. It was amazing,” said one woman.
Some fans said their favourite part was when Brooks played The Dance, while others couldn’t pick one, saying their favourite part was the whole thing.
The two storms that passed over the stadium Friday night caused chaos as hundreds of fans were left waiting in the rain for shuttle buses or had to seek shelter in the Brandt Centre.
Evraz Place tweeted the concert would still go ahead once the storm moved through, and fans gave a big cheer as the show got underway shortly after 9 p.m.
After the show ended all the fans 980 CJME spoke to said the wait was well worth it.
For everyone’s safety we are waiting for the storm to pass before we can let folks to their seats. We are hoping for a 9 pm start. Thank you for your patience -Team Garth #GARTHinREGINA
— Garth Brooks (@garthbrooks) August 10, 2019
Now this is entertainment!!@BrandtCentre #GarthBrooks#GarthBrooksStadiumTour#YQR pic.twitter.com/MqDl25edfw
— Just Scott (@NoZoneScott) August 10, 2019
— Lisa Schick (@LMSchickler) August 10, 2019
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Garth Brooks will have friends in low and high places as his stadium tour rocks Regina’s Mosaic Stadium for two shows.
“It looks like it’s going to be the perfect place to put a stage like this in the middle. You can call it a stadium, but we’re going to call it a big-ass honky-tonk,” the country music legend said Friday afternoon before the first of his two shows.
Brooks is to play both Friday and Saturday night. He announced his first-ever headlining show in the Queen City on May 29. A couple of weeks later on June 10, he announced he was adding a second show.
“When you get multiple nights, it takes all the pressure off and you get to go out and just have fun,” Brooks said. “You know you’re going to get to do it the next day and the next day. At stadium shows, the pressure’s a little tougher because it’s a one-night thing.”
He said having multiple shows helps the band and crew relax because of how familiar the city becomes in a short amount of time.
Garth Brooks spoke to the media before the first of his two shows in Regina on Aug. 9, 2019. (Nathan Meyer/980 CJME)
“It also makes you feel very welcome, which means you’re among friends, which means you don’t have to impress,” Brooks said. “You just come here and do what they’re wanting you to do and that is play the songs hopefully they recognize and everyone’s seen together.”
This isn’t the first time Brooks has rocked the land of living skies. In 2016, he and his band played six shows in four nights at SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon. It was a part of a comeback tour for the biggest-selling solo artist ever in the United States.
“The crowd was like stupid crazy. We barely got out of there with our lives. I want that. I love those people,” Brooks said.
The Grammy Award-winning artist expects to see many of those hardcore fans at his shows in Regina.
“We’re coming back for more of it. The pressure’s not on (us), the pressure’s on you guys because we came back for more of that,” Brooks said.
“If they’re who I think they are, they’ll know every syllable of every word in every verse, not just the choruses, and they’ll be singing. The second I hear that, this becomes a party. I’m done working for the night and now I’m just going to take the ride with everyone else.”
Brooks said he wasn’t sure what it would be like playing in stadiums due to the size of the venue, but he felt like the band had earned the opportunity to do it.
“(This band) has earned the right to play stadiums because they’ve played every honky-tonk, dive bar, every arena and every state fair. They have earned the right to get to try stadiums,” Brooks said. “What allows you to play stadiums are those sweet people who fill up those seats.”
One thing he has learned is that no matter where you go, the fans can make any stop special.
“There’s as much energy in Denver with 85,000 people (and) there was that much energy in Joe’s in Chicago with 500 people,” Brooks said.
Both concerts are to begin at 7 p.m., when the opener is to take the stage. The show Friday will feature Brett Kissel while fans at Saturday’s show will get to hear from Jesse Labelle.
Tickets are still available for both shows.
A list of what you need to know for the show can be found here.
— With files from 980 CJME’s Lisa Schick