Mother Nature Attends Garth Brooks Yankee Stadium Show

Garth Brooks takes over Yankee Stadium in New York City for a second consecutive night on Saturday, July 9, 2016.

Garth Brooks took over Yankee stadium in New York City for a second consecutive night on Saturday, July 9, but this time Mother Nature also purchased a front row seat.

Due to pounding rain and sporadic lightening, the concert was delayed for three hours. Fans were evacuated from the field and ordered to take shelter after workers had to pull out protective tarps for the stage and equipment.

But everyone knows Garth isn’t going to leave without a show. When the rain and lightning let up and fans were allowed back in their seats, Garth, as only Garth can, took what Mother Nature dealt and created a new fantastic show on the fly.

Nashville industry guests joined superstar Garth Brooks at the second night of his two night stand (7/8 and 7/9) at Yankee Stadium in New York City. The shows at Yankee Stadium marked the first time in nearly 20 years that Brooks has played New York City. The previous time was his historic 1997 performance in Central Park, which drew nearly one million spectators. Pictured: Top row L-R: Sarah Trahern, Steve Buchanan, Ray Waddell, JR Schumann, Trisha Yearwood, Bill Mayne, Blair Garner, Robert Deaton, John Hamlin. Bottom row L-R: Sherod Robertson, Shawn Parr, Garth Brooks, Lon Helton, Charlie Cook. Photo: Ben Krebs.

As the drizzling rain continued and water pooled on stage, Garth appeared a few minutes before midnight and told the audience he wasn’t going to be able to give the same show he did the preceding night. Due to the weather, he admitted this would be a completely different show adding, “And we will play anything you want!” The bad weather gave the audience an unprecedented opportunity to give requests in a stadium show and several of those requested songs were not part of the tour’s original set list.

Garth Brooks takes over Yankee Stadium in New York City for a second consecutive night on Saturday, July 9, 2016.

Even Trisha Yearwood admitted, “We are off the grid!,” after joining Garth midway into the concert. However, the production and performances were so engaging with the enthusiastic crowd, other than the references to the weather’s disruption, it was easy to forget this wasn’t all part of the original plan.

The rain delay caused many fans to head home before it began, in order to make their trains back home. However, the majority remained and for them, Garth rose to the occasion, making the night one they will never forget.

The two New York City shows over the weekend in Yankee Stadium marks the first time Garth has played in New York City in nearly 20 years.

Pictured (L-R): Garth Brooks, MusicRow Publisher/Owner Sherod Robertson, and Trisha Yearwood backstage before Garth Brooks’ Yankee Stadium show in New York City on Saturday, July 9, 2016.