Review by Paul Monkhouse for MPM
It was a perfect day in central London. The sun beat down but the slight breeze in the air brought a little, very welcome relief from the heat as the largest crowd that the series had ever seen gathered to see one of the biggest artists in the world. It’s quite possible that every Stetson in the country could be found in Hyde Park and the atmosphere was electric as the masses gathered to celebrate the long awaited return of a genuine superstar. After thirty years away, Garth Brooks was back in town.
Before the main man took to the spotlight there was the not inconsiderable matter of a fine array of talent on the rest of the bill, spread over three locations. With brilliant and shimmering sets by Crowe Boys, McGrath, Mae Estes, Chanel Yates, Jackson Dean and Leah Blevins entertaining on the Rainbow and Birdcage stages, the main draw was on the huge Great Oak stage.
Kicking off there, English duo The Shires brought their own very classy and individual take on country, Ben Earle and Crissie Rhodes having found the sweet spot together following their individual journey from ‘The X Factor’ onwards. There’s an easy charm with the pair, Earle’s vocals and guitars, along with Rhodes voice weaving magic and they and the band brought their own sunshine with numbers like ‘Lightning Strikes’ and ‘Daddy’s Little Girl’. With new album Bonfire due imminently there was a lot to celebrate and by the last chords of the closing ‘A Thousand Hallelujahs’ there were smiles all round, the band having won a legion of new admirers.
Much to her credit, Alexandra Kay has always worn her heart on her sleeve, the confessional and heartbreaking honesty of her lyrics cutting deep. That sort of rawness has always been a compelling feature of Country music and given that Kay’s 2023 debut album ‘All I’ve Ever Known’ centred around her painful divorce, there was an instant connection around the globe. With the UK feeling like a home from home, the singer was in buoyant mood and last year’s sophomore ‘Second Wind’ was an optimistic release that shone like a diamond. Mixing material from both, ‘Backroad Therapy’ and ode to drinking ‘Tomorrow Problems’ along with a cover of Chappell Roan’s ‘Pink Pony Club’ got the crowd moving but it was ‘Painted Him Perfect’ and ‘Everleave’ that hit the hardest. With a promise to come back soon, Alexandra Kay has the voice and material to reach the big leagues.
Ashley McBryde is a survivor too, her openness about battles she’s had to fight a rich seam to mime and all of that she does with heart and humour. With most recent album ‘Wild’ adding a little more rock ‘n’ roll to the little bit of country, she’s on electric form and when she says that the audience is larger than the whole population of the towns that she and her band come from you know its not just rhetoric. Multi-award winning, she’s a tattooed powerhouse in front of a live audience and the chemistry she has with her fellow musicians a very palpable thing. You’re not just watching a show, you’re watching family and friends. Opener ‘Arkansas Mud’ sets the scene in a defiantly hard rocking way, songs like ‘Rattlesnake Preacher’ kicking up dust and the hilarious ‘Brenda Put A Bra On’ a blast of feel good whimsy. Amongst the feet-shuffling tunes there was moments of quite introspection too as the gorgeous ‘Light On In The Kitchen’ and the anthemic ‘What If We Don’t’ brought their own, different highs. The world is certainly a better place with McBryde being in it.
With his acoustic guitar slung high and rich, distinctive voice, the newly married Zac Brown has a lot to smile about and playing to a huge crowd was something that he and his band were absolutely made for. It’s been a long road for the Atlanta born artist but he always seems to bring a bit of home with him and with his touring band firing on all cylinders there couldn’t have been a better sight to witness at that time in the capitol. A big bear of a man, he’s a commanding figure onstage and roams the full length of the stage, trying to connect with everyone in the audience. Certainly, he’s a showman and the band with him, showing that sense of a huge canvas to paint whilst having as good a time onstage as the audience are.
An explosive cover of the Charlie Daniels Band’s ‘The Devil Went Down To Georgia’ brings a thrill of rock show energy and his own self-penned funky Bluegrass licks in ‘Knee Deep’ and the delightful ‘Jump Right In’ shows off different facets of the band’s character to hugely entertaining effect. As with everyone on the stage today, the musicianship is faultless and the complex layers of a genre that was initially viewed as stripped back cowboy songs all come to life in breathing and fully formed life. Again, the slow numbers seem to have the most impact and their blend of ‘Free’ with Van Morrison’s ‘Into The Mystic’ and an incandescent ‘Colder Weather’ are special moments that will long be remembered. More than earning their place just under the headliner, the Zac Brown Band are something very special indeed.
Having sold more records than Elvis and played to enormous crowds for decades, it would be possible to think that Garth Brooks wouldn’t be fazed by huge audiences but at times during his Hyde Park set the singer seemed genuinely overwhelmed by the reaction of the massed people there. For someone so at home in stadiums, the close up shots on the giant screens of his face full of genuine wonder and emotion were both revealing and deeply moving, his place as one of the finest live performers on the planet strengthened with this show of humanity and humility that was felt all the way to the back of the park. From tiny moments like this to the biggest of gestures, this was a show that united.
Stripped of nothing but the bare stage with a towering letter G projected onto the back of it, this was Brooks at his rawest, the sheer love of the music and high octane performances carrying him and the band ever forward. The night was about the soul, the fun and the songs themselves, shining gems that showed just how good the material is and just how universal. Just how opening song ‘Rodeo’ connects with several thousand people from all over the country and further afield is a wonder in itself but the euphoria felt and heard when Brooks walks onstage is intoxicating, his statement “We’re going to play a lot of cowboy songs tonight. That’s just what we do when we roll in” transcending any barriers.
While a lot of huge shows rely on bombast, what was present here was good times turned all the way up to ten and Brooks and the band made the most of every inch of the stage, often walking along to the far wings to play and connect with the crowd. The response from those there was loud and long, every word sang of ‘Two of a Kind, Workin’ on a Full House’, ‘The Beaches Of Cheyenne’ and ‘Two Pina Coladas’. Amongst the mayhem, there’s plenty of spontaneity as an audience member is seen holding a placard asking for Bob Seger’s ‘Night Moves’ and Brooks, having jokingly berated her, and the band comply, the singer seemingly being the only person in the band who knows the song intimately as some gentle ribbing ensues.
As well as stellar musicianship, country is additionally famed for its storytelling and there are few narrators as good as Brooks, from the drama filled ‘The Thunder Rolls’ to a rocket fuelled ‘Ain’t Going Down (’til the Sun Comes Up)’ the ability to draw the listener in and connect is masterful. As well as the laughter and dancing, there’s tears as a wonderful ‘Unanswered Prayers’ and the cover of Billy Joel’s ‘Shameless’ and a tender ‘The Dance’ tug hard at the heartstrings, the passion sincere and never faked. Similarly, the love and respect that Brooks has for the members of his band shines as he proudly introduces them, throwing an unplanned spotlight on Gordon Kennedy who he gets to sing his award winning ‘Change the World’ and getting Robert Bailey to relive his appearance in ‘National Lampoon’s Animal House’ with a singalong and showy cover of the Isley Brother’s ‘Shout’. Again, this feels more like a close knit family than just a band that travels stadiums across the globe, everyone seemingly determined to give the show of their lives.
Concluding with a triumphal communal singalong to ‘Friends in Low Places’, Brooks and band left the stage with ears ringing with the sound of seventy thousand people roaring in appreciation, the artist promising to come back soon. This was always going to be a special night but the extent of just how special it was throwing seemingly every single person there, a long awaited show turning into something that will be remembered for decades to come. A jaw dropping performance to top an already superb day, this is going to be hard to beat and stands as a clear frontrunner for concert of the year. Absolutely magnificent. Welcome back Garth, the UK loves you.
BST Hyde Park continues with headline sets by Maroon 5 (03/07/26), Mumford & Sons (04/07/26), Duran Duran (05/07/26), Pitbull (10/07/26) and Lewis Capaldi (11/07/26 and 12/07/26). Tickets for shows are available at www.bst-hydepark.com
