Garth Brooks slates press conference; Dublin shows in jeopardy?

Garth Brooks has alerted fans that “the wait is over,” the key remaining question being “The wait for what?”

Earlier this year the country superstar announced that he would soon return to the road following a self-imposed touring hiatus that has lasted more than a dozen years.

To date, the only confirmed shows on Brooks’ calendar are five sold-out stadium concerts slated for July 25-29 in Dublin, Ireland.

But Brooks appears to be letting the other shoe drop with a recent post to his official website announcing “The wait is over…. 7/7.” Today, the message on the website invites people to tune into a press conference in Nashville he has scheduled for Thursday. It will be live streamed at 9 a.m. Pacific time.

There are no details as to the subject of the press conference, but there is widespread speculation that it will address the specifics of his first full-fledged concert tour since the early 2000s. Brooks stepped away from touring to devote his time to his three daughters until all three were through high school and ready for college.

There’s also talk that he may also have information about a new album, on the heels of the eight-disc box set “Blame It All on My Roots” released last fall as an outgrowth of his series of solo-acoustic performances at the Wynn Encore Theatre in Las Vegas over a span of four years.

It’s also possible he may address a snag in the plan for the shows in Ireland after the Dublin city council recently denied permits for two of his planned performances at the 83,000-capacity Croke Park Stadium.

Irish promoter Peter Aiken told the Irish Independent, “I can’t say for definite that the three shows are definitely going to happen,” and Brooks has been quoted saying he wants to play all five shows, or none of them.

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