Garth Brooks, BB & Friends: A Great Day For Music In Las Vegas

On Friday music took a giant step forward in Las Vegas as two legends took their places on the local landscape. The afternoon featured a small press conference with Garth Brooks (left) and the evening the opening of BB King's at the Mirage Hotel and Casino.

First up, Garth Brooks:

Brooks began a five-year, 300-show residency at Steve Wynn's Encore Theatre last night. Unlike his touring show that features a full band and all that a large show of that kind involves, Brooks' stand at Encore will feature just singer onstage with his guitar and, perhaps, the occasional guest. He'll take the audience through his life in music, beginning with the songs he heard when he was young.

Brooks retired since 2000, giving up touring to spend more time with his children. Now, he says, with his three daughters (aged 13, 15 and 17) he hopes to resume live touring in 2015 when the youngest is out of high school. Meanwhile, he and his wife Trisha Yearwood (whom he calls "Miz Yearwood") live mostly on his ranch outside of Tulsa and in Tennessee.

His press conference began about an hour late as inclement weather caused his plane to be delayed. That plane is a much-hyped part of his deal with Steve Wynn and was, he has said, the clincher to the offer that saw him come out of retirement. He noted that he flew into Las Vegas just in time for the press conference and to perform. He was planning to leave right after the show, fly to Memphis — stopping to pick up one daughter in Tulsa— for a kids' soccer game, fly back for two shows Saturday night, go back east for another game Sunday, come back to play Sunday niight and, then, back home for the school week.

Being a parent is clearly Brooks' first priority. He noted, in fact, that December 10 was his and Yearwood's fourth wedding anniversary. The entire family celebrated. "When we got married my girls got married, too." They all have "wedding" rings.

Brooks played the Desert Inn — coincidentally the site of Wynn's hotels today — about 20 years ago. This time, he says, "Every night is a flip of the coin. The show is for people my age and my dad's age" recalling, as it will, the music he heard growing up. He began singing in his senior year at college at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater when he began frequenting a bar on the student "Strip" there called Willie's. That was where Brooks developed his music and first attracted an audience. The careeer that followed is historic — he has sold the second greatest number of records of any solo recording star in history (Elvis is first) and the third greatest number of any recording artists (the Beatles are second).

Asked if he's been writing songs during his retirement Brooks said he's been writing screenplays, mostly mysteries. A question about whose music he listens to elicited from Brooks a recap of kids today and kids when he was a kid. He recalled that, when you were in your parents' car you weren't allowed to change the station on the radio, so you listened to your parents' music. Noting that his daughters listen "to everything from Miley to Conway [Twitty]," he added, "Our music bonded us. I don't know if [this generation] has their own music.

He did say that he listens to James Taylor and George Strait. Asked what movies he likes he laughed and said, "Quiz Show. That was so good, wasn't it? And Seabiscuit. Not too current."

Very casually dressed, Brooks paced constantly, his left hand fequently curled up "worrying" his left sleeve. "Are you nervous," he was askd. "How can you tell?" he responded. He said he'll shed the jacket to go onstage but it will be a casual, intimate show. There will be a question-and-answer segment, too.

"Instead of looking back, it's like looking forward and starting the Willies thing again."

Then, on to BB King's:

There were no interviews, no questions and answers from the press. Just really good food (I had never eaten chicken-fried pickles and am happy to report that they are wonderful!), lots of people gathered for two hours before the main event and, finally, a brief but very, very memorable all-star show.

King has lived in Las Vegas for many years and, with his Blues Clubs located seemingly everywhere, it was really about time he had a blues home near his home.

The blurb about BB King's Blues Club on the Mirage website says, "The “B.B. King All-Star Band” – a hand-selected house band complete with a full horn section – will have you jamming nightly to music inspired by the King of Blues, the Queen of Motown and the Soul of Funk. They will remind you why Aretha demanded R-E-S-P-E-C-T, why Tina left her good job in the city, and why Ray has Georgia on his mind. Come eat, drink and dance your blues away!"

It is as advertised. The house band was terrific and, with the din of the opening night revelers, that's no small accomplishment.

Finally, the main event came. It opened with some formalities — thank-yous to corporate types who worked on the project — then the music began. First up was Lee Ritenour, master guitarist. He was followed by Willie Nelson, who sayg the always-moving Always On My Mind. Next was current Grammy-® nominee Robert Cray who was followed by Buddy Guy. Then, BB King came on, toasting the audience with a glass of red wine before he did his thing.

Since 2006, when the legendary Ruth Brown stopped appearing regularly in Las Vegas, tblues music hasn't been a regular presence here. Thus, BB King's Blues Club is a very welcome addition to Las Vegas because, while so many who come here to play end up singing the blues, too few people were coming here to play the blues. And that is long overdue.

Garth Brooks: www.encorelasvegas.com/index.cfm#/entertainment

BB King's Blues Club: mirage.com/restaurants/bb-kings-blues-club.aspx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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