Country purists frown upon Garth Brooks’ rockist tendencies. Rockers deride his country base. Though Brooks may get flak from both sides for his crossover success, someone is obviously out there buying millions of his records. Brooks’ massive sales would have humbled even Elvis had the King lived to witness Brooks’ ascension to pop royalty.
Still, the criticism Brooks attracts is somewhat warranted. His songs tend to streamline the grit that makes so many country artists great, and his shows approach a level of spectacle that makes the music almost superfluous.
Yet there can be no denying the man’s way with a crowd. In a live setting, Brooks is second almost to none — rock, country or otherwise. Not the funkiest performer around, Brooks nonetheless runs a mean mother ship, his stage like something from another planet. His crack seven-piece band stars in its own right while Brooks becomes a whirling dervish of energy and excitement.
Thursday night’s sellout performance at the Rosemont Horizon, the first of two, followed an eight-night stand this past October. “Thanks for coming back, Garth!” read one banner. Brooks is the one who should be thankful: He sells more records in Chicago than he does anywhere else in the world. But for a man whose ear-to-ear grin alone is enough to spark overwhelming applause and cheers, Brooks sure does work hard for his fans. And at these live lovefests, it’s hard to tell who adores the other more.
Brooks drew heavily on his impressive catalog of hits like the irresistible “Friends in Low Places,” “Thunder Rolls” and “The Dance,” but he also unveiled a few surprises. For his encore, he asked singer Trisha Yearwood onstage for a duet on their hit ballad “In Another’s Eyes,” from his new album “Sevens.” He then encouraged her to sing one of her own hits, “How Do I Live,” to a rapt crowd. Brooks also announced that the show was being taped for a future live album, prompting the audience to sing each song that much louder.
When Brooks called the show the “best of the tour,” the unskeptical crowd cheered him like an old friend. Waving, shaking hands, and giving the thumbs up, he seemed as if he’d like to invite the whole arena back to his house for barbecue and beer. Thursday night’s party atmosphere, where performer and audience seemed united, was the next best thing.
