Anytime you can see a band perform a show in their hometown is always a must. The reason being is that usually the show turns into something more special. This was indeed the case as Goo Goo Dolls played a show this past Saturday night in their hometown in Buffalo, NY. They are on the ‘Summer Anthem” tour with Dashboard Confessional. The Goo’s are just about to release an EP of new music as well on August 22 under the same name. This is the first appearance at KeyBank Center since the band played the there on September 24, 2022. Besides founding members Johnny Rezeznk and Robby Takac, the band is rounded out by Jim McGorman on keyboards, Brad Fernquist on lead guitar and Craig Macintyre on drums.
I never seen dashboard Confessional so I was very interested in seeing what the band can offer a live setting. The band has been around for over a quarter of a century and has 8 studio albums. The 6 piece outfit went through over an hours worth of music. They went back to their 2nd record ‘The Places You Come to Fear the Most’ to open up with “The Best Deceptions.” After a few songs the band went to its more recent release and played “Southbound and Sinking.” Led by vocalist and primary songwriter Chris Carrabba, the band seemed to establish a very good response from Buffalo crowd during their 13 song set.
Taking the stage at 9:10pm, The Goo Goo Dolls didn’t waste any time and went back into their catalog and played “Naked” off of their mega album ‘A Boy Named Goo’ disc. The big hit in “Slide” was up next so the band kept that initial momentum going. Their were a few black balloons floating around at the start if the show but the band did a major drop of them during the song “Black Balloon.” There were an over abundance of them you can say. Rzeznik even made a funny comment to the crowd saying “This is what $10,000.00 of balloons like like.” The staple “January Friend” was in the setlist and the first appearance of Robby Takac on vocals. After “Miracle Pill,” vocalist/guitarist Johnny Rzeznik asked “If everyone felt good? Now this is the time where Johnny plays songs that make everyone feel like shit. Sometimes, you need a song to make you feel like complete shit” as Rzeznkik went on to say. This drew a lot of laughs from the crowd. Rzeznik then proceeded to do a few acoustical numbers including “Sympathy” and “Acoustic #3.” During the next song “Name,” the rest of the band joined him to finish the song out. Rzeznik talked about how he remembered writing “Name” in an apartment on Norwood Avenue (about 2 and half miles away.) He then thanked the crowd for taking care of them when people thought they were bums. More lead vocals by Takac as he delivered songs “Life’s a Message and “Bringing on the Light” back to back. A few more hits in “Better Days” and “Broadway” were up next. The Goo’s decided to cover the Tom Petty classic in “You Wreck Me” and did a commendable job in doing so. They closed the set with “Iris” and Rzeznik had everyone singing the verse towards the end of the song. It should be noted on how strong and crisp Rzeznik’s voice still sounded throughout the show.
With almost a 40 year history and a catalog like the Goo’s does, it will always be a conundrum to form a setlist. The band threw in a few new songs like “Ocean” and “Not Goodbye (Close My Eyes), the latter was the only 3rd time it was played in a live setting. The vibe the band gave all night was amazing. Songs like “Long Way Down’ and “So Alive” were obvious omittances but its that fine line a band like the Goo Goo dolls has to battle through. It’s a good problem to have. I thought it was great mix of old and new. Playing before a sold out crowd at their home venue will always spike the adrenaline as well. Rzeznkik made comments how he loved the crowd and thanked them for coming. The obligatory remark made by Rzeznik that “This was the best crowd on the tour so far.” This time, a band delivered that message and it was very believable (obviously due to where they were.)
Setlist:
Naked
Slide
Think About Me
Here is Gone
Black Balloon
Big Machine
Nothing Last Forever
January Friend
Feel the Silence
Miracle Pill
Sympathy
Acoustic #3
Name
Come to Me
Over and Over
Stay With You
Ocean
Run All Night
Life’s a Message
Bringing on the Light
Better Days
Broadway
Not Goodbye (Close my Eyes)
You Wreck Me (Tom Petty cover)
Iris
We would like to thank Steve Masi of Pat Magnarella Management, Inc. for the credentials to review the show.
