The obvious question: Why in hell was Garth Brooks playing South by Southwest, a festival that, at its core, is about giving necessary shine to emerging artists? Mega-stars like Brooks and Kanye West (2014’s big cheese, along with Jay Z) tend to suck up all the air in the room. Maybe Brooks draws media that otherwise wouldn’t be at his headlining showcase, and maybe those folks arrive early enough to catch Colter Wall, Cale Tyson or Sunny Sweeney. But it’s a thin argument.

That said, Garth Brook’s Saturday-night headlining slot at the outdoor Auditorium Shores stage – probably the biggest show ever held there – was a class act, like the rest of his Austin tour of duty.

Click here to find out more about Garth’s weekend performance in Austin.

Photo Credit: Gary Miller/FilmMagic