Brooks-Yearwood pairing perfect for Las Vegas
Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood sang together Saturday night. Allegiant Stadium erupted in happy noise as Yearwood showed up for a duet and a cover of the Lady Gaga-Bradley Cooper hit, “Shallow.”
Brooks and Yearwood also argued a little, as a married couple will, about … guitar chords.
“Honey, I think you’re in the wrong key,” Yearwood said to Brooks during the opening of “Walkaway Joe,” at Allegiant Stadium. The two drew close as Brooks strummed his acoustic as a live tuning session. It was as private a conversation as two people could have while miked up for 65,000 rowdy fans.
Finally, Yearwood pulled back, and said, “I have to say this. You! Are! Right!” That sent Brooks on a strut around the stage. He’s not right always, or enough, or maybe ever, so this disclosure was worth a victory lap. The triumph was short-lived, though, as Brooks took another guitar and found that it was in the right key — I think he had been playing the “F” guitar, and needed the “E” (not sure, as we specialize only in air guitar).
“If you’re going to kick off a stadium tour, Las Vegas is the place to do it.” @garthbrooks @reviewjournal #GarthInVegas #RJNow @AllegiantStadm pic.twitter.com/yqSvAmBz3a
— John Katsilometes (@johnnykats) July 11, 2021
“YOU are right!” he called out.
Whether intended or not, Yearwood’s participation in Saturday’s first live-music concert event carried a message beyond Allegiant Stadium. The couple’s back-and-forth could easily play well in a cozier venue, in a residency run on the Strip.
During his meeting with media types Friday at the stadium, Brooks mentioned his vision for an intimate co-headlining show with Yearwood. The two have been married for 15 years.
“I know, anywhere I go, the difference in a Garth Brooks show and a Trisha Yearwood show is, nobody at a Trisha Yearwood show asks where Garth is, right?” Brooks said. “But with me, the whole time is talking about Trisha. People love her, people worship her, she’s one of the greatest singers ever, when she gets to do her thing. I think it’s a no-brainer to do a Garth-and-Trisha show.”
The market research for such a show has been achieved. The deafening roar that greeted Yearwood when her image was beamed across Allegiant Stadium was all the data we need.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
