Garth Brooks kicked off his Blame It All On My Roots Arena Tour in Indianapolis, delivering a nostalgic 90-minute Sunday matinee that brought the spirit—and some of the production magic—of his legendary 1996 arena tour back to Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
There was something wonderfully old-school about spending a Sunday afternoon at a Garth Brooks concert. Instead of waiting until evening, fans walked into Gainbridge Fieldhouse for a 2 p.m. show on August 23, 2026, knowing they would be home at a reasonable hour. For a touring artist whose shows are known for massive energy, the matinee proved that Garth can turn an afternoon into prime-time concert territory.
The Indianapolis run marked the beginning of the Blame It All On My Roots Arena Tour, which officially launched August 20. What was originally announced as two Indianapolis performances quickly expanded to four shows—August 20, 21, 22 and 23—after demand soared.
A Throwback to the 1996 Arena Tour
The entire concept of this tour is built around nostalgia. Thirty years ago, Brooks’ 1996 arena tour changed the way country concerts were staged, most famously with the return of the Drum Pod.
The original production placed drummer Mike Palmer inside a distinctive plexiglass-and-aluminum enclosure that brought him out from the traditional backline and made the drummer part of the visual spectacle. That drum pod became one of the most recognizable elements of Brooks’ 1990s shows, and the recordings from that era eventually became Double Live.
For 2026, Brooks brought the iconic design back. It wasn’t simply a reproduction of a memorable stage prop. The Drum Pod helped recreate the intimacy and energy of the arena shows that turned Brooks into one of the biggest live acts in the world. The current tour combines the throwback production with both end-stage and in-the-round configurations, making the experience feel intentionally connected to the past while still working for today’s arenas.
Garth Brooks Still Knows How to Entertain
The show began building anticipation before Brooks even appeared. Around 2:15 p.m., the pre-show featured video footage, including a Queen medley from his unreleased 2022 Croke Park Dublin concert film.
Then, around 2:20 p.m., Brooks appeared in a simple all-black look—black button-down shirt, black jeans and black boots—and immediately launched into “The Old Stuff.” From there, the afternoon became a celebration of classic country, rock influences and songs that have been part of Brooks’ catalog for decades.
He moved through “Rodeo,” “Two of a Kind, Workin’ on a Full House” and “Two Piña Coladas” before unexpectedly shifting gears into a George Strait tribute featuring “The Chair” “Amarillo By Morning”, and “The Fireman.” Rather than waiting until the end of the concert to read fan signs and take requests, as Brooks often does, the George Strait mini-set was incorporated into the middle of Sunday’s performance.
The result was a show that felt less like a carefully predictable greatest-hits package and more like Brooks was pulling songs out of a jukebox.
The G-Men Finally Take the Stage
One of the most special elements of the 2026 tour is the addition of two members of Brooks’ legendary Nashville studio crew, the G-Men.
Brooks has relied on the same core group of Nashville musicians across his recording career. The G-Men have been responsible for the musicianship behind his studio albums and helped create the recognizable “Garth sound.” The group was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame in Nashville in 2016.
For this tour, Brooks brought guitarist Gordon Kennedy and drummer Milton Sledge into the live lineup. Kennedy is a Grammy-winning songwriter and guitarist, while Sledge has been part of the G-Men since the beginning.
What made their appearance especially meaningful was Brooks’ explanation that he wanted these musicians—who have played on his records for decades—to finally experience the reaction of a live audience to the music they’ve helped create. It was a fitting tribute to the musicians behind some of country music’s biggest recordings.
Keeping Concerts Accessible for Fans
Another refreshing part of the Blame It All On My Roots Tour is Brooks’ continued effort to keep tickets accessible. Indianapolis tickets were promoted at a single $154 price point, creating a straightforward approach where fans weren’t paying wildly different prices based on seat location.
He has taken a similar approach to merchandise. The official tour store lists items such as $35 T-shirts, a $25 hat, a $20 tote and even a $5 koozie. In an era when concert tickets and merchandise can quickly become a major expense, Brooks’ approach feels intentionally fan-friendly.
A Sunday Afternoon Full of Country Classics
The final portion of the show moved through emotional favorites and singalong standards, including “The Thunder Rolls,” “The River,” “That Summer,” “Callin’ Baton Rouge,” “Shameless,” “Shout” and “The Dance.”
The encore was equally eclectic, beginning with “That Girl Is a Cowboy” and “To Make You Feel My Love,” followed by snippets and covers before the inevitable crowd eruption of “Friends in Low Places” including the famous Third Verse.
Brooks wasn’t finished. After the first encore, he returned for “Standing Outside the Fire,” closing the approximately 90-minute performance with one more reminder of why he remains one of country music’s greatest entertainers.
For longtime fans, the Indianapolis show was a trip back to the 1990s. For younger fans, it was a chance to experience a piece of country music history recreated in an arena setting. And for anyone who loves a concert that doesn’t consume an entire Sunday night, the 2 p.m. start was nearly perfect.
Garth Brooks’ Blame It All On My Roots Arena Tour is nostalgia done right—big enough to feel like a major concert, intimate enough to feel personal, and packed with the songs that made an entire generation fall in love with country music.
Garth Brooks Indianapolis Setlist – August 23, 2026
Pre-Show
- Queen Medley — from the unreleased 2022 Croke Park Dublin concert film
Main Set
- The Old Stuff
- Rodeo
- Two of a Kind, Workin’ on a Full House — Dennis Robbins cover
- Two Piña Coladas
- The Chair — George Strait cover
- The Fireman — George Strait cover
- Amarillo by Morning — Terry Stafford cover
- Ain’t Goin’ Down (‘Til the Sun Comes Up)
- Turn the Page — Bob Seger cover
- The Thunder Rolls
- The River
- That Summer
- Callin’ Baton Rouge — The Oak Ridge Boys cover
- Shameless — Billy Joel cover
- Shout — The Isley Brothers cover
- The Dance — Tony Arata cover
Encore
17. That Girl Is a Cowboy
18. To Make You Feel My Love
19. Cold Like That — snippet
20. Unanswered Prayers
21. Piano Man — Billy Joel cover
22. You Never Even Call Me by My Name — Steve Goodman cover
23. Friends in Low Places
Encore 2
24. Standing Outside the Fire
Garth Brooks — Upcoming 2026 Tour Dates
- September 4, 2026 — Denver, CO — Ball Arena
- September 5, 2026 — Denver, CO — Ball Arena
- September 10, 2026 — Rosemont, IL — Allstate Arena
- September 11, 2026 — Rosemont, IL — Allstate Arena
- September 12, 2026 — Rosemont, IL — Allstate Arena
- September 13, 2026 — Rosemont, IL — Allstate Arena — 2 p.m. matinee
- September 18, 2026 — Washington, DC — Capital One Arena
- September 19, 2026 — Washington, DC — Capital One Arena
- September 25, 2026 — Orlando, FL — Kia Center
- September 26, 2026 — Orlando, FL — Kia Center
The Orlando dates are the newest addition to the tour, announced August 26.