| You know how some days are good and some days are bad, some days are boring, and some days just suck. Then, every now and then, you have a day that makes up for thousands of crappy days in one. We'll that's how Wednesday was for me this week. The great thing was that when I woke up Wed. morning, I had absolutely no idea that it would be different than any other day. It started when I saw my publisher at Texas Music Magazine at a career fair on campus. He asked me if I wanted to go with him to watch the Garth Brooks soundcheck for Austin City Limits. Now, ACL is one of those Austin institutions. Taped in a studio right on campus, it has had some of music's best artist playing to a very small, intimate audience. ACL is celebrating its 25th season on PBS. Anyway, this was a hot ticket, because only 400 people could attend the actual show. The rehearsal had tight security, but somehow we made our way up there. Now, if you know me, and some of you do, then you know that I dig the soundcheck, behind the scenes stuff, so I would go to any soundcheck. I was never a big Garth Brooks fan, but something of this magnitude doesn't happen everyday. The man has sold zillions of CDs and has played to hundreds of thousands in Central Park. I had to seize the opportunity. The soundcheck was really amazing. Garth was just hanging out in sweat pants and hiking boots. He wore a black baseball cap, no cowboy hat until later on during the show. He had two separate bands with him for this performance. One for his traditional country hits and then another band for his Chris Gaines material, the rock 'n' roll alter ego that he will play in an upcoming movie. He rehearsed for over three hours, playing about everything that he would play later in the show. There were very few people outside of the stage hands, roadies, and cameramen that were allowed in the soundcheck, so I was feeling pretty satisfied with my afternoon by then. It didn't hurt when Garth looked up at me in my seat and smiled and said "hi" either. Other soundcheck excitement included Lance Armstrong (you know, the guy who won the Tour D' France) and his wife and new baby showing up for a photo opp while Garth was between bands. Another thing was watching how nice Garth treated his band and crew, at one point, going off stage himself and coming back with an armload of bottles of water for everyone. So, if that had been it, if I had just gone home at this point, I would have considered it an awesome day. But what happened next is the stuff that makes life worth living. I got it in my head that I would have to try to talk to Garth if the opportunity presented itself. My pubisher left and suggested that I try to get a quote from GARTH BROOKS! So after he was done with both bands, I sauntered over to him as he laid down on the bleachers for a little siesta. I was not wanting to disturb him, but it was now or never. Anyway, I woke Garth up and introduced myself, and he was just the nicest, most sincere, most friendly gentleman I have ever met. He jumped up, asked me my name, and chatted with me for a good 15 minutes or so. Then, here's the best part, when he found out I didn't have tickets to the taping for that night, he personally went and got a pair for me. I'm still a bit amazed. Our conversation focused on the tightness of the Chris Gaines band (two Grammy winners for writing Eric Clapton's "Change the World" and a very talented female singer/percussionist who has toured with Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen). I was able to get permission from him to use a quote for an upcoming article in TX Music. When I asked him how he thought the ACL audience would react to the Chris Gaines material, he said "The Austin audience is an intelligent one. They will get it. Texans in general have a diverse appreciation for music." I think I was the only one in town who got him quoted on the record this trip. He also talked to me about his upcoming Saturday Night Live appearance. His first time hosting definitely had some of my favorite skits and he told me he hopes that they will let him do another Mango skit, but this time as Chris Gaines. So, enough with my gloating. The ACL show was great. Garth came out, this time in traditional cowboy hat and wranglers, with his country band and got the crowd really going with his usual hits like Shameless, The Thunder Rolls, Beaches of Cheyenne, Rodeo, The Dance, and of course, Friends in Low Places. Particular favorites of mine are his Unanswered Prayers and a song that his female guitarist wrote We Shall Be Free. Ending the first part of the show with a standing ovation to her (can't remember her name right now), Garth started one of the recurring jokes of the evening. "When someone else gets a standing ovation, the whole band has to leave the stage." So they left. Garth played a few tunes by himself, remembering when he was first in Nashville as a solo artist. Later the Chris Gaines band joined him for some of the new rock/pop material. It is definitely influenced by light rock of the seventies, but some songs were particularly pleasing, like Way of the Girl and a remake of the 60s hit Right Now. He had mentioned to me during our conversation that much of the Chris Gaines stuff is too difficult (vocals) to do live right now. They played about six songs,and ended the set to everyone in the place on their feet and a standing ovation. I'd say his assessment of the Austin audience was accurate. So, with a few more tunes and coming back for an encore, Garth left everyone of the 400 lucky people in the audience completely satisfied and exhilarated. He is an amazing performer, no matter what type of music you like. And,now I can say, he is a really amazing, sincere, friendly, delightful person. I will always have such a fond memory of the day that I met Garth Brooks. On That Note, I'm outta here...... C |
