Why Garth Brooks Doesn't Sell the Front-Row Seats at His Concerts

Have you ever tried to buy front-row tickets to a Garth Brooks concert, only to find out that the option is unavailable? As CMT reports, the country superstar and touring veteran revealed why that's the case in a recent #AskGarth segment of his weekly Inside Studio G Facebook Live event.

After a lifetime of touring, Brooks has had enough of ticket scalpers and "disinterested spectators not really into the music and looking around to see who's seeing them being there at the show." So, instead of selling the tickets publicly, Brooks found a new way to fill those sought-after rows with true fans.

The singer reveals that the first two rows of every concert are reserved ahead of time, and his crew members distribute the tickets themselves. Before the show starts, they head up to the seats that are furthest away and give unsuspecting fans a major upgrade. Brooks reasons that those fans will be "very excited" to sit closer to the action.

Brooks isn't the only touring icon to do this: Metallica, U2, Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen have been known to do the same thing for their fans. In fact, Brooks says he consulted with them before he implemented the plan.

After the COVID-19-induced touring hiatus of 2020, Brooks is back on the road in full force. His sold-out Stadium Tour picked back up in Las Vegas, Nev., on July 10, and is currently scheduled to run through October, with more dates to be announced.

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5 Hottest Country Tours of Summer 2021

There’s a lot to consider when making a list of the hottest tours of summer 2021, including star power, opening acts, venues and set lists. Add to that concerns and cautions as the country begins to emerge from a pandemic and that no one has seen live music in 14 months. It’s quite likely you’re craving live music like a drug that’s just out of reach ... or you’re scared shirtless to surround yourself with 10,000 fans indoors.

All the emotions about reengaging with the live country music community are valid. While at first it seemed September would be start-up month, several tours on this Hot List begin in July and August at outdoor venues across America. The No. 3 tour and No. 1 tour on our list are mostly indoors, but both are banking on increased safety that comes from a majority of the population having the COVID-19 vaccine.

Once those lights go down, all of these worries will be carried away by the buzz in the air (and maybe, from your cup). Find five total professionals on this list of Hot Summer Tours, each bringing a total stage show, plus several in-demand opening acts with a proven track record of live entertainment at the highest level. There’s no fat on any of these country tours — if you stick to the tailgate through an opener’s set, you’ll truly be missing something special.

As always, let us know who you can’t wait to see on tour in 2021 via Twitter or email.