ABC Radio“Welcome to the very last show of the World Tour,” Garth Brooks told the crowd Saturday night at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, before teasing he was free to play all night, since he doesn’t have another gig for a while.
In the end, the six-time CMA Entertainer of the Year sang for close to two-and-a-half hours, in a set that started with its only newer song, “Baby Let’s Lay Down and Dance,” before Garth blazed through scorching renditions of his biggest hits and classics. Wearing a Jack Daniels t-shirt and brown plaid, he often literally ran laps around his circular stage to have a moment with different sections of the audience.
“Thank you guys for helping us finish this 3-year, 4-month, 12-day, 8-hour — I don’t know — tour in Nashville, at home,” Trisha Yearwood said during her set. “Thank you for joining us for this very special night.”
The two-time CMA Female Vocalist of the Year closed with her breakout hit, “She’s in Love with the Boy,” showcasing the crowd on kiss-cam on the big screen. The song — and the kissing — ended with an extra-long smooth between Garth and Trisha, as they displayed their obvious affection for each other.
From there, it was more big songs and at least one big secret from Garth. Before going into the popular, apocryphal third verse of “Friends in Low Places,” the Oklahoma native revealed he’d been recording the final night of the tour for an upcoming live album.
In lieu of a traditional encore, Garth closed with what’s become known as “housekeeping” on this tour: fans hold up signs requesting their favorite songs, and he does as many of them as he can. For the final night of the trek, Garth revealed the new tradition would probably be unique to this outing.
In addition to his own tunes, Garth threw in a couple personal favorites: Keith Whitley’s “Don’t Close Your Eyes” and “Fishin’ in the Dark” from Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. He brought Trisha back out to fulfill her own requests, and sang harmony on both “Walkaway Joe” and “Where Your Roads Leads.”
“So this is what the deal is,” Garth concluded. “Tonight, I’m not as sad as I am anxious, and let me explain why. ‘Cause it’s time, after 390 shows,” he laughed, “It’s time to close this chapter, and with God’s help, and you guys’ help, it’s time to start writing the next, bigger, better chapter!”
Here’s the complete set list from Garth’s final North American date on his World Tour:
“Baby Let’s Lay Down and Dance”
“Rodeo”
“Two of a Kind, Workin’ on a Full House”
“The River”
“Two Pina Coladas”
“Papa Loved Mama”
“Unanswered Prayers”
“If Tomorrow Never Comes”
“That Summer”
“The Thunder Rolls”
“In Another’s Eyes” (with Trisha Yearwood)
“XXX’s and OOO’s” (Trisha Yearwood)
“How Do I Live” (Trisha Yearwood)
“Wrong Side of Memphis” (Trisha Yearwood)
“She’s in Love with the Boy” (Trisha Yearwood)
“Shameless”
“Shout!”
“Callin’ Baton Rouge”
“Friends in Low Places”
“The Dance”
“She’s Every Woman”
“Don’t Close Your Eyes”
“She’s Gonna Make It”
“Wild Horses”
“Turn the Page”
“Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)”
“Fishin’ in the Dark”
“Walkaway Joe” (Trisha Yearwood)
“Where Your Road Leads” (Trisha Yearwood)
“The Song Remembers When” (Trisha Yearwood)
“On a Bus to St. Cloud” (Trisha Yearwood)
“Standing Outside the Fire”
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