A tip of the hat to Rodeo opening
Sold-out performance kicks off concerts, and star will be back to wrap up event
Country superstar Garth Brooks kicks off the 86th annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s concert series with a performance after the first day of competition Tuesday at NRG Stadium. Folks from at least 70 countries were among the visitors on opening day.
RodeoHouston is just getting started. But Garth Brooks’ opening performance set the bar so high that it’ll be tough for any other artist to clear.
Brooks is unparalleled in country music as a live performer. He puts his entire being into every song, every hat tip, every guitar strum. It’s a marvel — and often exhausting — to watch.
He promised “a lot less talking and a lot more country music” because of the time constraints. That meant a constant stream of energy between Brooks and the raucous crowd, which totaled 75,018 paid attendance.
Brooks kicked off, of course, with “Rodeo” as the first act to play the new RodeoHouston stage. It’s the first upgrade in 31 years. The new stage is 126 feet wide, tip to tip, and includes a 48-foot diameter rotating performance area. It also boasts five-star points, each extending to a length of 36 feet, which can be individually raised or lowered.
Brooks zipped through “Two of a Kind, Workin’ on a Full House.” He was accompanied by thousands of twinkling cell phones during “The River.” He inspired top-of-lung singalongs during “Papa Loved Mama,” “Two Piña Coladas” and wistful highlight “That Summer
Brooks last played RodeoHouston in 1993. He’ll return March 18 to close out the season with a second sold-out show.
Brooks’ RodeoHouston victory lap began long before he took the rotating stage. He met with the press Tuesday afternoon, where he paid homage to his country heroes.
“I was about 20 when I heard a cat named George Strait. And that’s what I wanted to do for the rest of my life,” Brooks said.
He credited his trademark high energy performances to a late country legend.
“We stole everything we know from a cat named Chris Ledoux,” he said. “That guy lit it up. He never phoned it in once.”
Brooks then admitted he might be open to venturing outside country music, if the pairing was “sincere.”
“I love Ed Sheeran. I think he’s fantastic. The guy’s so talented,” Brooks said.
Brooks said he had a writing session last year with Pink and sang her praises. But another woman is atop Brooks’ wish list.
“Gaga is kind of my girl. She’s an entertainer, which I really like as well,” he said.
Brooks was onstage Monday night at NRG Stadium for Inside Studio G, his popular Facebook series. He took fans on a tour of the new stage and marveled at its features.
Brooks was joined by a trio of astronauts during the 24-minute broadcast, including Tracy Caldwell Dyson, who sang Brooks' "The River" before launching into space. He also invited a pair of fans onstage to ask him questions, including what household chore he hates the most.
“It's usually washing the dishes,” he said. “That and taking the trash out."