Machine Beats Man in (another) Garth Brooks Stage Fall
If 2013 was the “Year of the Woman” in country music, 2014 may go down as the “Year of the Fall.” Along with a troika of notable tumbles by Luke Bryan in 2014, Garth Brooks has now bit it on a couple of occasions during his comeback tour. It first happened on Friday, September 5th as his “Garth Experience” was just getting under way in Chicago. The 52-year-old entertainer took a spill and stopped himself only inches from going off the edge of the stage like his hat did. Then this Friday during his Halloween show in Lexington, KY at the Rupp Arena, Brooks took another tumble, but this one involved some extenuating circumstances.
Garth’s stage setup on the tour has more gadgets than a Swiss Army knife. It breathes fire, shoots lasers, belches smoke, has retractable video screens, endless lights, and a glowing “orb” as a centerpiece. Apparently another feature of the stage is some sort of conveyor belt-type device, or a couple of them running opposite ways that work like a suped-up people mover at an airport, rushing Garth from one side of the stage to the other.
While in the midst of singing his cover of Aerosmith’s “Fever” from his 1995 album Fresh Horses, it appears Garths loses his footing on the one conveyor belt, making him accidentally put his foot on the other conveyor belt running the opposite way, and ends up sending him careening out of control. Luckily he recovered quick enough to strike a pre-planned Run-D.M.C. crossed-arm pose with his fiddle player to finish the song.
Earlier that morning, Garth was in Nashville giving music press and industry insiders a sneak peak at his new album Man Against Machine scheduled to be released on November 11th. “Anybody who knows us knows we’ve never named an album after a song, but for some reason this is how it’s been for us since the start of thinking about coming back into music. A lot of things have changed and it’s all up hill,” Garth said. In this instance, it appears the machine won out against man.
November 2, 2014 @ 6:22 pm
What a clown
November 2, 2014 @ 6:23 pm
Saw Garth this weekend in Lexington on Saturday night. It was a great show, will definitely go back if he returns to KY. And regardless of how much he may be responsible for the “popification” of country music, I will respect a guy who A) plays Keith Whitley, George Jones and Merle Haggard before he comes on stage, B) still sings cowboy songs and C) prominently features a fiddle and steel guitar in his show. All in all, it was a great time.
November 3, 2014 @ 7:28 am
I’ve always noticed the pre-show music too. Not that all of it is selected by the performing artist, but as you near a start time, you can tell when the artist’s tastes in music hit the speakers.
I can totally understand how some think Garth is a joke, but he might not be someone’s cup of tea, however, he does it his way in every way, and that is truly all many of us ask of a true artist.
The guy proved he can stand on stage with a just a guitar and do very well.
November 2, 2014 @ 6:25 pm
God, is that clips hard to watch. I watched it with the sound muted – it’s like a bad SNL skit. Garth is going from having a Sanford stroke, to drunk running, Chris Farley falling. Sad to see one of the greatest fall (literally and figuratively)
November 2, 2014 @ 6:59 pm
Is it just me or did anyone notice that he doesn’t seem to miss a beat singing during the fall?
I wonder what else garth brooks could sing through… Car wreck? Animal attack? Root canal?
November 2, 2014 @ 7:09 pm
“Doctor, you ain’t got a pill/ To stop the pain of this root canal…”
November 3, 2014 @ 11:37 pm
That seems to be a pretty good giveaway that we’re hearing a pre-recorded vocal.
November 2, 2014 @ 10:43 pm
If you watch this without turning the sound up , this cowboy looks like a fat ol drunk trying to hail a cab at rush hour . Quite a show .
November 2, 2014 @ 10:50 pm
I just realized ‘hoptowntiger’ had the same reaction I did …..very funny …in a sad way . Someone should tell Garth to ” get off the pony and let someone else have a turn “.
November 3, 2014 @ 1:07 am
If you read the youtube comments, it’s all choreographed for that song. So he’s suppose to look like Fred Sandford having a stroke and Chris Farely falling. That’s why when you listen to it with the sound, the vocals don’t miss a beat. So, he’s suppose to look like a fool… I guess.
November 3, 2014 @ 12:04 pm
‘So, he”™s suppose to look like a fool”¦ I guess.’
Mission accomplished .
Without a doubt one of the MOST insincere entertainers I’ve ever listened to or seen interviewed . Its all about “G” and the marketing .
November 3, 2014 @ 12:53 am
What the HELL is he doing? :O
November 3, 2014 @ 12:53 am
Would like to hear what you guys thought of the Preview Garth did of his new album?
I loved it myself.
November 3, 2014 @ 1:07 am
I personally don’t believe in judging music on 60 second snippets. I think it is disrespectful to the music, and can lead to wrong conclusions. I look forward to hearing the album in full.
November 3, 2014 @ 3:06 am
Cool, look forward to hearing your thoughts on the album.
November 3, 2014 @ 6:15 am
A conveyor belt on stage? I don’t think Hank did it that way.
November 3, 2014 @ 12:35 pm
Modern, durable conveyor belts did not really exist until 1957 (when B.F. Goodrich invented the turnover conveyor belt) and only became popular in the 1970s.
November 3, 2014 @ 1:40 pm
So you’re saying Hank probably would have used one in his stage show if they’d been available at the time?
November 3, 2014 @ 2:02 pm
Well, I’m at least impressed that you are the only person who actually knows the inventor of the conveyor belt!
But if Hank wanted to walk around on stage, he would have just used his legs…like country boys do.
November 3, 2014 @ 7:04 am
What fool dreamed up THAT idea to have on stage…? I didn’t hear one note of the song, watching his antics…was the song any good?
November 3, 2014 @ 7:33 am
But as always, his show is all about the music. Or so he says.
I admire the guy for going all out to put on a show for his fans. But from what I’ve heard it sounds like he’s jumped the shark with this tour.
November 3, 2014 @ 7:54 am
I’ve never done more than wear a goofy hat on stage, or maybe a Porter Wagoner-esque sparkly suit; this has never happened to me. Garth kind of sets himself up to fail with the amount of effects, and Luke Bryan is almost invariably intoxicated.
November 3, 2014 @ 5:20 pm
I can say I really enjoyed the show in Rupp Arena, and I’m willing to say that Garth is back in full mode. Even if he falls very now and then. 🙂