November 14, 2007

November 14th, 2007. Garth Brooks had announced that he would be coming out of Retirement to do a show for Wal-Mart. It was to celebrate both his new 2 disc best of collection and to thank Wal-Mart for being his biggest distributor of his music. Well, one show sold out in like 15 minutes. So he decided to add another, and another and soon had NINE shows lined up for Kansas City.

They decided to do this in Kansas City, rather than Fayettville, Arkansas (Home of Wal-Mart.)

Kansas City had just built the Brand New SPRINT CENTER! I think they did this because of several comments and complaints from other artists that refused to come to play at the Kemper Arena, which was really the only place they could play for the Kansas City area. U2 had actually stated that they would not be returning to KC if they had to play at Kemper again. So we missed out on their last tour! I have missed seeing them since 93!!! Still to this day I have not seen them!! That's another story.

Anyway, The Sprint Center is AWESOME!!! There are six story escalators that hang in mid air the whole way!!! That was crazy! But it's a huge venue and Garth's people decided to use it. I think it had opened in time just for this concert! I can say, having been to both Kemper and Here, it's a 1000% improvement!

I was able to park in the Kansas City star Newspaper parking lot which was only a block away. So I walked up to the building and they already had all the Garth Swag out and started selling it. So I got Dawn some stuff. Got me a hat and was able to walk back to my car and put it away. I didn't have to carry it with me. I Did think it was funny too that when I purchased my stuff there was hardly anyone infront and I got everything I wanted with no problem. I tried to get something after the show and it was all gone. And when I got back from my car the front was filled with concertgoers!

I was able to get a ticket for the sold out show from someone on the net. It was risky but for $30 more than the actual selling price, I was fortunate. It was going to be in the top but it was close to the stage. Some people were selling a $30 ticket for outrageous prices. But I found a good guy from SMSU trying to sell his ticket. I didn't know anything about this concert until I tried to call my friend Josh to see how he was doing and when he answered his phone, I could only hear people screaming. He was at one of the earlier shows! I then started looking for tickets. And found this one. They also were planning on showing this in theaters Live across the country!

So the show started promptly at 8pm. And it was TRUE GARTH greatness. If you ever get a chance, watch the GAC ONE NIGHT, ONE CITY, ONE MAN concert (or named something like that.) That was the show I was at!!! I wish they would put that out on DVD! I watch it and totally remember all sorts of stuff.

THE SETLIST
The Fever; Two of a Kind (Workin’ On a Full House); Rodeo; Good Ride Cowboy; The Thunder Rolls; Shameless; We Shall Be Free; Unanswered Prayers; The River; Papa Loved Mama; The Beaches of Cheyenne; Callin’ Baton Rouge; More Than A Memory; Friends in Low Places; The Dance. Encore: Ain’t Goin’ Down (Til The Sun Comes Up); That Summer; Much Too Young (To Feel This Damned Old); Two Pina Coladas; medley (“Fire and Rain,” “Turn the Page,” “Unwound,” “The Fireman,” “Amarillo By Morning,” “Piano Man,” “American Pie”).

This last picture is one of my Favorites. It's one of those shots that you do and you don't realize what you have in the picture. I think it sums up the whole experience. A bunch of cowboys and gals having a great old time! And one Lone Indian in the mix! hehe. I really enjoyed the show. Got all sorts of pictures and things from it. I just said to myself, that this was the last concert I would go to by myself. I had fun but it would have been way better had Dawn been with me. And this was a bittersweet time as well. This would be the last visit to Missouri to see my Father alive. He passed away a few months after this last visit. I got to spend some time with him and Mom. They were very excited for me to see this concert.