The same thing happens at every concert. It’s just part of the program and I have never been to a concert in which the main attraction does not come out for an encore.
Did you not know this?
Did you notice that when George Strait comes out for his encore, he wears a different hat that he tosses into the crowd when he walks off for the first time?
So basically it is a “planned encore.” Yes, I noticed it the very first time I saw him live, then noticed it was repeated every time thereafter.
The first time it happened, I said to myself “this really isn’t the end, because the last song is ‘The Cowboy Rides Away.’” And sure enough, he came back.
Now, however, lol the question is, is it REALLY an encore? To me, an encore is truly spur of the moment. In the case of George Strait, a “true” encore would require that he return AFTER “The Cowboy Rides Away”
And thanks, I never noticed any change in hat.