Gig Review: Goo Goo Dolls at Cardiff University - 12 October 2020
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The Goo Goo Dolls are pro’s by any standards. For many fans, they hit the commercial radar in the mid 1990’s. The band has actually been around for twenty years and they have released eight albums to date. Their ‘Let Love In’ tour has already taken the trio; John Rzeznik, Robby Takac and Mike Malinin, across the UK and they will be heading back across the Atlantic to Canada and the US for the last leg of the tour.
Admittedly, I wasn’t too sure of what to expect from their gig in Cardiff. The longevity of their career provides the band with scope in the hits which they could perform. It was, however, an undoubted expectation from the outset that we were all in for a rocking night…
As the lights switched off, darkness descended on the crowd and everyone began to clap furiously with anticipation. The heat was already unbearable in the hall. A bright green light flickered to illuminate the drum-kit positioned centre stage.
Suddenly, the band appeared and immediately launched into the opening chords of ‘Stay With You’, their most recent release – a song laced with the staple Goo Goo Dolls soft rock sound.
This was seamlessly followed by ‘Slide’, a track taken from their 1998 album ‘Dizzy Up the Girl’ and judging from the collective cheering from the crowd; this was a firmly established favourite. Rzeznik’s vocals were astounding with a sharp rocky-edged grit that provided intensity to the song.
‘Black Balloon’, another classic, was accompanied with the unveiling of the backdrop to their stage - a tapestry of multi-coloured flashing lights. Whether the floating balloon which appeared above the audience was intentional or not, it seemed a fitting prop nonetheless.
Sampling hits from the era which arguably defined the band’s direction into a mainstream pop-rock sound, they also performed ‘Broadway’ and ‘Name’.
Guitarist and vocalist Takac provided an energetic performance and at times, it was almost like he was giving the performance of his life, with his sweat laden hair draped across his face in true rock n roll style.
Ask a Goo Goo Dolls fan which track they would most like to hear live and chances are the answer will be ‘Iris’. The song was written for the soundtrack to the film ‘City of Angels’ and became a huge hit for the band. The crowd provided the vocals to this one, with Rzeznik and Takac briskly working the stage.
‘Better Days’ provided an opportunity to slow things down, showcasing meaningful and moving lyrical brilliance. ‘Become’, another ballad from their recent album, further displayed this poignant sound. These were complemented with more upbeat tracks off the album, including ‘Can’t Let It Go’ and ‘Let Love In’. Even these ‘new’ songs had the crowd signing along as if they belonged to the Goo’s long established back catalogue of hits.
Finishing with the track ‘Give a Little Bit’, the band looked like they themselves had even more to give. Having played to audiences in excess of 60,000 people, the Cardiff crowd was far smaller in comparison, yet the Goo’s gave an enthusiastic and animated performance. And this didn’t go unnoticed by the audience. The cheering, the constant unprompted clapping, the unified singing, the crowd-surfing attempt made by one guy towards the end – these all added to the lively atmosphere.
In an industry where many artists are out for a quick stint at fame and fortune, it was refreshing to see a band that really seems to be in it for the music and their fans. Their performance was a memorable one and hopefully, this won’t be the last time we see them here in the UK.
www.googoodolls.com
By Alexis Forsyth, MyVillage 17th October
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