Garth Brooks: ‘I’ve been waiting for this my whole life. Tomorrow night, I stop waiting’
Country music superstar Garth Brooks during his press conference in Dublin ahead of his first concert at Croke Park on Friday. Picture: Nick Bradshaw/PA Wire
“I’ve been waiting for this my whole life. Tomorrow night, I stop waiting.”
Those were the words of an emotional Garth Brooks, whose eyes watered at several points as he spoke to journalists ahead of his opening night at Croke Park on Friday.
Some 400,000 people are expected to see country music star perform over five nights after his 2014 dates were scrapped in a row over licencing for the events.
Brooks, who was dressed in a pair of blue denim jeans and a hoody, admitted he was feeling “the pressure” ahead of the shows, particularly given events in 2014.
"You want it to be worth what the hell these people have gone through,” he said.
But, the singer said what happened eight years ago may have been “a blessing” in disguise as he “can't think of a better way to end the comeback tour, and the stadium tour” than in Croke Park.
“Whoever stopped this in 2014, I must say thank you for allowing this to happen in 2022,” he added.
The singer said he wasn't being "modest or humble" when he said he didn't think he'd sell five nights after what happened in 2014.
"I think that was a bigger statement than selling five in '14."
When it comes to what fans can expect, it sounds like Brooks devotees are in for a stellar night, with the country superstar taking to the stage at 7.30pm every night and planning to play right through to the 10.30pm curfew.
“I didn’t come here to play five minutes,” he promises, “I am going to try to pace myself... but there’s no way to put numbers on passion.”
Asked what the setlist for the shows will look like, Brooks said “the people in the seats are the boss” and indicated the songs played will vary night to night, depending on what he thinks people are feeling – and what songs might appear on signs fans have in the crowd.
“Our job is to make each night different somehow because there will be some people crazy enough to be here all five nights.”
The 60-year-old, who shared that he's lost 50lbs as part of his preparation for the shows, said he’s hoping the enthusiasm of the crowds each night will ensure he won’t hear himself sing, joking that he hasn’t sung Friends in Low Places in 25 years as all he does is strum the first four notes and the crowd takes it away.
As for his plans while off the stage, Brooks said he and wife Trisha Yearwood have plans for a “second honeymoon” - despite the documentary crews that will be following him around for much of his time here.
The Unanswered Prayers singer wouldn’t confirm rumours he’ll be staying in Kerry in between his time in Dublin, saying he didn’t know where he was being put up.
He also stayed silent on whether these shows really would be his final stadium shows, alluding to the fact he “retired” previously and then "let back in.”
Indicating this may not be the last time he plays in Ireland, he said: “I can tell you, as long as I am playing music, and Ireland will have me, I’ll be there.”
