Garth Brooks loves playing sets at “crazy” dive bars. They’re intimate — a singer can interact with the audience.
Most of all, it’s easier to control the setting. And control is key right now. Garth Brooks is headed to these tiny venues because it’s easier to make sure everyone attending is either vaccinated for Covid-19 or has tested negative for the virus.
The country star explained his thinking earlier this week during a session of his Inside Studio G Facebook series. Last month, Brooks canceled his remaining stadium tour stops, which also had been postponed in 2020.
“The dive bars are vaccinated!” Garth Brooks said. “That’s how you get to do it.”
In the meantime, Brooks said he watches the numbers after other big events to see if the Covid cases spike after well-attended NFL or college football games. Covid-19 hits close to home with his family. Wife Trisha Yearwood spent weeks getting over the virus after testing positive for it in February. She said Brooks wouldn’t even isolate himself from her. He stayed by her side.
“He was really wonderful,” Yearwood said of Garth Brooks.
Garth Brooks Said He Isn’t Sure How Bigger Events Can Pull It Off
Brooks said he’s not sure how the bigger venues can pull off the events without anyone getting sick. But he’ll continue to see what unfolds.
“Like we said a month ago, we’ll watch — watch how college football is doing, professional football. We’ll learn from CLEAR (an app that logs vaccine information) and similar companies with vaccine passes. And also watch the numbers. What’s going on out there with our children in our schools. With people out and about. Seeing what’s going on.”
Garth Brooks also added that “the thing that scares me that you have to look it is: I never saw the second wave coming, right. I didn’t know there was going to be such a thing. Well, is there a third wave? So you just watch this.”
Last month, when Brooks said he was ending his stadium tour, he told everyone he was vaccinated. “Everybody on the freakin’ tour, vaccinated. I cannot make you get vaccinated. Until it becomes a law, it is a choice. And people, when things are a choice, you have to understand and respect that we’re all going to make our own choices.”
Brooks’ first dive bar concert is set for Oklahoma City. The only way to see him on stage is by winning a ticket lottery through a radio station contest. More than 500,000 fans registered for 700 tickets for the Oklahoma City show.
“The dive bars are crazy,” he said. “You remember showing up [but] I don’t remember anything during the dive bar [shows]. It’s just nuts. And it never slows down… It’s just foot to the pedal. Just all the way to the floor. From when you start to when you finish. So much fun. I’m so looking forward to this.”
