When the surprise announcement that Auditorium Shores was going to serve up another night of free music for SXSW 2017 on Saturday, March 18th with Garth Brooks, you could almost hear the very red state of Texas hootin’ and hollerin’ in response. While the crowds were decently sized the previous two days for Latin and Prince nights, people had to be turned away from the shores of the Colorado River as capacity was limited to 4,500.

For nearly two hours, Garth played his classic hits and paid homage to Texas country legends like his cover of “Amarillo by Morning” by George Strait. Cutting up jokes and running from side to side of the stage, he proved he is still the performer he has always been. Just as Weezer became a drunken sing along at Rachael Ray’s Feedback Party earlier in the day, Brooks’ show was no different as he had the thousand in the crowd singing the chorus of “Friends in Low Places” in the mild Texas evening.