There are few shows that touch your soul and make you feel proud of where you come from. Buffalo, NY is my home and many may not consider it a hotspot or mecca for music, but we exported our fair share of some amazing talent over the years. Some of that talent would include Billy Sheehan, Ani DiFranco, and Rick James to name a few. In addition to that list is The Goo Goo Dolls, who were born and bred right here, in the birthplace of the chicken wing, Buffalo, NY. When it was announced that the Goo’s were playing an intimate show at the Bear’s Den, inside the Seneca Niagara Casino, with an approximate capacity of about 440 people, it instantly became the hottest show of the year. The band is currently on tour in support of its latest studio effort “Magnetic.” The tour is called “The Otis Midnight Sessions.” BackstageAxxess.com was lucky enough to be a part of this show and what a show it was!
The stage was decorated with a Japanese lantern style type of lighting which changed colors throughout the entire set. Lead singer and guitarist Johnny Rzeznik first appeared by himself and played the first 2 songs without bassist Robby Takac. Rzeznik was at home with his many acoustic guitars that he kept on switching throughout the evening’s performance. Rzeznik remarked how when his manager called to say “Name” was the 1st single to be released and become a hit off of “A Boy Named Goo,” he was upset. He wanted another song to be the breakthrough song. His manager set him straight on how lucky he was that any song would become a hit song and Rzeznik said he would appreciate any successes that would come his way. Rzeznik joked that a DJ once remarked that this song was called the darkest song of the 1990’s. “Yes, the same decade where Nirvana had a song called “Rape Me,” he quipped, as the crowd laughed.
“Slide” was next up on the set list, and it was played beautifully. Rzeznik went on to talk about how he used to drive up and down Route 5 growing up and how Buffalo was a “real roots” city. He joked how every time there is an earthquake in LA (where he currently lives), he looks at real estate back here immediately. This drew a crowd chuckle.
“Writing a song with Paul Westerberg of the Replacements was one of the highlights of my career,” remarked Reznik. “We Are the Normal” off of “Superstar Car Wash” was that track as a background singer from their opening band Run River North (didn’t open this show though) came out to lend harmonies on it. Again, this was pretty much an acoustical set with various players from Run River North coming out to help on various songs with violins, shakers, vocals, drums, etc. The Goo Goo Dolls touring drummer for the electric shows is drumming great Kenny Arnoff, but he only came out to play on “Broadway.” The most touching part of the evening was when Johnny honored his mom by dedicating “Acoustic#3” in her memory. Takac got his chance in the spotlight as he enjoyed taking lead vocals on “Already There” and “Happiest of Days.” What’s a show without acknowledging the people who serve in the military, thus Rzeznik asked politely for the crowd to pay respect to a current serviceman who was in attendance.
I haven’t seen the band since 1995 when “Name” actually became a top 10 song and the Goo’s were just on their way to super stardom. In speaking to others, who see them on a regular basis, they agreed that this was the most personal the band has been for any show in the area since the club days. The Goo Goo Dolls made a connection not only with me, but with the entire audience. Again, Rzeznik and Takac both made you feel that if you weren’t a part of the Buffalo scene growing up, that you sure wish you were.
Setlist:
Sympathy
Two Days in February
Name
Slide
Already There
We Are the Normal
Black Balloon
Come to Me
Rebel Beat
Think About Me Better Days
Bringing on the Light
Happiest of Days
Slow It Down
Broadway
Acoustic #3
Iris
Encore:
Become
We would like to thank Jill Augusto from Warner Brothers Records for the credentials to cover the show.
