Full disclosure. I am sitting here as I write this weighing the choice of whether or not I want to see Garth Brooks in concert. Sounds ridiculous, right? What’s so hard about that decision? Well, I’m gonna run through my thought process with you.
I love Garth Brooks songs, just like you. He’s not my all-time favorite Country artist, but he is no doubt one of the premiere live performers in all of music in our lifetime. I think that is undeniable. I have also never seen him in concert, so the opportunity to cross that off my list is very tempting. The fact that I am fortunate enough to not have to pay the $100 for a ticket is also a bonus. Although I don’t think that price for that artist for this kinda show is that egregious.
It’s hard not to love Garth Brooks. From what I can tell, he seems like a really good person. He’s also very good to his fans, and in this current world of ticket scalpers and secondary ticket market price gouging, he is not selling main-floor seats to his shows, but rather reserving those to upgrade fans who bought upper-level tickets.
Another enticing factor is understanding I will get a show I won’t soon forget. As I mentioned, Garth Brooks is one of the premiere live performers of all time. I also know that I will know every word to every song and so will the other 60K+ people there.
And that’s where I start to grapple with my decision. In spite of the heat and the $10 beers and the $40 for parking and what will surely be miles of walking just to get to and from the stadium, I know the show itself will be amazing and I will have that story to tell for a lifetime. That is until some idiot decides that after 12 months of no live music they forgot how to act in public. Not that some people knew how to act before, but we’ve all seen the stadium brawls at sporting events since COVID restrictions have been lifted and, quite honestly, I just don’t want to deal with it.
I understand that months and months of not having an escape has taken a toll on everyone. I also think maybe not being able to adapt and find a new release or escape could be an indictment of our society BUT that is a conversation for another day. What I don’t get is spending $100 or more on a ticket and then money on food, drinks, parking and maybe even new clothes to either get sloppy drunk or get into a fight and ruin the experience of those around you. That ticket in your hand does not grant you the right to behave in that way. And it bothers me that those people are a factor in anyone, myself included, having to weigh the pros and cons of having the opportunity to see not just Garth Brooks, but any artist.
More than likely I will be there. I will pay way too much for parking and food and beer. It will be crazy hot and there will be a lot of people. Most of them having the time of their lives. Yes, there’s gonna be “that guy” or “that girl” in the crowd, but I think we’ve all come too far to let them ruin our time. So I’m not gonna.
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-by Greg Almond
About the Author: Greg Almond is an on-air personality for Goober 95.1.
