Garth Brooks causes latest earthquake at LSU’s Tiger Stadium

The LSU Tigers are known for their raucous and rowdy atmospheres. Night football games at Tigers Stadium can be especially loud. Fan noise has even registered as an earthquake on a seismograph in LSU’s geosciences department.

Over the weekend, however, it wasn’t a football game that rattled the Baton Rouge, Louisiana, area. Country music icon Garth Brooks played Tiger Stadium on Saturday as part of a nationwide tour in football stadiums.

One of Brooks’ signature songs is “Callin’ Baton Rouge,” released in 1993. The song has become an unofficial anthem at LSU games, and Brooks gave fans in the massive crowd their song during Saturday’s concert.

Dr. Patricia Persaud at LSU anticipated the crowd’s reaction and had the seismograph ready. Around 9:30 p.m. CT, the crowd noise during the song registered as a small earthquake.

From the “Garthquake” in Baton Rouge to the @CountryMusicHOF!!!!
love, g

Watch #StudioG here: https://t.co/Yq90fZUHvL #GARTHinBATONROUGE pic.twitter.com/xqcE9LoPwX

— Garth Brooks (@garthbrooks) May 3, 2022

This is just the second time the seismograph has detected shaking at Tiger Stadium. In LSU’s 1988 game against the No. 4 Auburn Tigers, LSU QB Tommy Hodson helped upset rival Auburn with a fourth-down touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter. That also registered on a school seismograph, and the reading was preserved by the Louisiana Geological Society.