Garth Brooks and Colorado: A Story Decades in the Making

Years before Garth Brooks set attendance records in Colorado, the state was already a sentimental part of his story.

When Brooks brings the Blame It All On My Roots Tour to Ball Arena for two nights on Sept. 4 and 5, he'll return to a place that has shaped some of his favorite career memories — from playing Denver's beloved Grizzly Rose and the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo, to setting attendance records at Empower Field at Mile High.

"The people just get it," he explained. "I didn't grow up in Colorado, but there is a kinship there ... a shared feeling of common sense ... like you WERE raised together, you know?"

Brooks' admiration dates back to the earliest days of his career, when he was balancing club circuit shows with state fair concerts. He played Denver's Grizzly Rose twice, a venue that became so meaningful it earned a mention in "The Old Stuff," Brooks' nostalgic look back at life on the road before stardom.

In the song, Brooks fondly remembers "The Buckboard, Bear Creek, Cowboys and The Grizzly Rose," celebrating the places and people who helped shape his career.

Some of Brooks' favorite early Colorado memories, however, didn't happen in the nightclub. They happened at the Colorado State Fair.

"The Colorado State Fair is one of the greatest memories of my life," Brooks said. "We played multiple nights there. The crowd brought gifts for Taylor, our first and only child at the time. I distinctly remember this big ass stuffed animal floating across the crowd. The crowd handled it like they would a newborn child ... so gentle. It just kept riding on top of the crowd 'til it fell in my arms. That stuffed animal is STILL in the kid's room today :)."

To Brooks, it’s more than fitting the retro arena tour is coming through Denver.

"Playing Denver has ALL the butterflies of like the first time you played there, and at the same time, it's like an old friend who has ALWAYS been there for you." Brooks said. "This one's personal."

The Blame It All On My Roots Tour brings Brooks' biggest hits back to the arenas where they first came to life. Each performance will also serve as the foundation for a new live album, capturing history in real time.

Tickets for the Sept. 4 and 5 Denver performances go on sale Friday, July 31, at 10 a.m. MT SHARP through Ticketmaster and the Ticketmaster app. There is an eight-ticket limit per purchase. Every ticket is priced at $155.25 ($140 ticket price, $5.25 facility fee, and $10 service charge), with every seat in the house sold at one fair price. All tickets will go on sale simultaneously, with no presales or advance box office sales. For the best chance at getting tickets, fans should sign in to their Ticketmaster account — or create one — before the on-sale and enter the waiting room so they can join the queue when tickets become available. Tickets will be available at Ticketmaster.com/garthbrooks or through the Ticketmaster app.