Garth Show #6--Glendale

This year's vacation destination was decided in November when we secured two tickets to see Garth at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ, on March 23. 

Here are a few highlights we learned/experienced while in Arizona . . . .

1. Reserve your car ahead of time. 

We arrived at the airport to find--no cars! This had never happened to us before. As it turns out, it was a busy weekend for Phoenix, and the concert wasn't even first on the list of events. As we hopped in the taxi to drive to another rental place, the taxi driver said he hadn't heard the name Garth Brooks in a long time. Whaaaattt? I told him my husband hears me say it too much. :) At that point, I realized we weren't in South Dakota anymore, where Sioux Falls devotes pretty much all of its news coverage and attention to Garth for weeks ahead of time and weeks after, too!

2. Reserve your parking spot--because it's fun.

Because they were expecting 75,000 people for the concert and another 25,000 for other events in the Glendale area, it was suggested to reserve a parking spot and arrive between noon and 4 p.m. to avoid the worst of the traffic. We arrived at about 1:30 p.m. and, after turning around several times to find the right parking lot, finally found the Red Lot. We were caught off guard when the parking attendant asked us our name. We answered "Melius." They found our name on a list and let us in. We felt so important. That was fun. :)

3.  Discover the area. 

Since we had several hours before the show, we walked a few blocks away from the stadium and found the Westgate Entertainment District. It was here where we met some nice Garth fans, and were glad we arrived at the restaurant when we did after the rest of the 75,000 started to arrive. We finally entered the stadium an hour and a half or so ahead of time--plenty of time to walk around and meet some more Garth fans.  I even got to take an excited couple's photo. So fun.

4.  If you're not going to stand/sing/dance/scream for 2-3 hours, watch Garth on TV.

No matter how many Garth concerts I go to, I always fall into the anticipation that builds in the seconds before it starts. I feel like I'm 18 again and back in Bismarck, ND, at my very first concert as the clock counts down to 0. . . the music starts and Garth appears. . . . always in a different way. 

And then I choose to remain 18 until it's over. . . standing/singing/dancing/screaming and crying as he sings "The River" and the place lights up.

A huge shout out to Section 204--thank you, thank you, for getting into the concert so that I could, too. :)

Section 204 wasn't close enough for a sign or an air hug from Garth this time, but the concert was a fabulous experience as always. As we drove back to our rented condo, David asked if I was "Garthed-out." 

Never!

And that brings me to my final point. . . .

5. Life is short. See Garth as much as possible.

With 6 shows at about 3 hours each, I have been blessed to spend about 18 hours of my life in the same room with Garth singing along to the music that has made up so much of the past almost 30 years of my life.

Garth said he is hoping for 30 more years.

I will be there.

**Thank you to our children's grandparents who made this trip, and several others, possible!! :)