Longtime Fan

One of the first artists I took a liking to was country superstar Garth Brooks all thanks to his Ultimate Hits album. My cousin had left the CD in our grandmother's car and my brother and I would listen to it on repeat. We eventually graduated to the Double Live album. My brother had the CD I had it on cassette.

At one point we lived across the street from a campground where they did karaoke each weekend. Right around 8 or 9 years old I would go over there and sing strictly Garth Brooks songs. And yes, at least for this day, I dressed as a cowgirl.

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Garth eventually put his career on the back burner to raise his kids.

Garth in Foxborough

Fast forward to last year and Garth announced his Stadium tour and he'd be making a stop at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA. I knew we had to go. I snagged tickets for me and my brother only to then have the show canceled due to an uptick in COVID-19 cases. We were very disappointed.

That is until a few months later as he was trying the tour again. Again, I knew we had to go.

Ticketmaster Hassle

I got on Ticketmaster about 45 minutes before tickets were on sale. There were already THOUSANDS in the queue.

Once I finally got in I'd click on seats only for the site to tell me multiple times that the tickets had already been sold.

I finally secured two, went to check out, and then got kicked out of the site! I was LIVID. But I went back into the queue. The tickets I ended up getting were disappointing, to say the least. I was happy to go but the hassle of it all triggered me for months. I knew regardless we'd have a good time.

Everything Happens for a Reason

The big day finally came. We planned to get there at 3 pm to enjoy some tailgating. Good thing we did because we got caught in traffic about 3/4 of a mile away from Gillette that took us a solid hour and a half to get through and park.

The gates opened at 5 and we made our way over shortly after. Neither one of us had been to Gillette so we were excited to see it.

Our seats were in the 300 section, meaning the very top. The walk up seemed endless but we made it!

We decided to go to our seats to scope it out before getting food and merch and it's a good thing we did.

We got to them and I pulled out my phone to do an Instagram story showing off our view. Not 10 seconds after a man approaches us.

Read until the end to see the clip from my Insta Story

I can't remember exactly what he said. He asked us if we were fans if this was our first time seeing him, and things like that.

We explained that we are brother and sister and this is our first time and we're so excited.

Then he did something my brother and I had fantasized about but didn't think would actually happen.

He then asked how we'd like to watch the show from the front and pulled out two tickets to the second row.

I screamed. I cried. I jumped up and down. Obviously, we said yes.

Garth's Billy Joel Rule

Likely taking advice from his buddy and icon Billy Joel Garth doesn't sell tickets to the first two rows. This is to keep scalpers and the ultra-wealthy at bay. He wants real fans up there that might not otherwise have the opportunity.

Those in the crew then are tasked with what must be the best job in the world, surprising fans in the nosebleeds with the opportunity of a lifetime.

We were two of the lucky ones. We couldn't believe it.

We spent the next few hours before the show started looking at each other saying, "CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?...NO WAY...THIS IS CRAZY!" There we were on the field at Gillette Stadium in the middle and about 5 feet from the stage.

The Show

The concert was everything I had hoped for and more. I'll admit that I ugly cried several times. I cried when he came up from the middle of the stage unable to believe this was finally happening and from such an incredible vantage point. I cried during several of my favorite songs.

What's incredible is that Garth is 60 years old now. You'd never know it by seeing him live. He still has the energy and enthusiasm he's been known for since his younger years. Running across the stage, yelling, jumping, and soaking in the crowd.

One woman held up a sign saying that she got his guitar pick 30 years ago at his show in Bangor and asked him if he wanted it back. He then gave her a new pick and his guitar!

A little girl from Thomaston, Maine held up a sign that said it was her first concert and she wanted a high-five and a picture. Garth got off the stage and she got her picture and mom got to hug her favorite artist.

Halfway through the show Garth started to sing Shallow by Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga from A Star is Born, his wife and fellow country icon Trisha Yearwood came up from the stage and joined him. It was amazing seeing them perform together and the obvious love they have for each other. She then sang her own smash hit, She's in Love with the Boy.

True fans will understand the fun in singing the mysterious 3rd versions of Friends in Low Places and The Thunder Rolls.

The band was incredible. The crowd was amazing. I still can't get over the evening and how lucky we were.

Thank you Garth and team for a night we will never forget.

See the adventure from the parking lot to our seats in the 300s just before we got our golden tickets to Garth popping out from the middle of the stage and incredible music!: 

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