REVIEW: GOO GOO DOLLS – BRISTOL (16/11/10)
A substantial array of back up guitars swamp the modest Bristol O2 stage suggesting the calibre of the band about to entertain us and hint at the scale of the venue the band may be more accustom to. The packed Bristol crowd’s senses heighten and they raise their volume as the roadies’ equipment checks reach a final fury and the extinguishing of onstage torches signal the imminent arrival of the Goo Goo dolls to the stage.
Red lights flash, pulse and dart across the stage as the recorded intro shouts confusion to the crowd until red turns to white and the Goo Goo Dolls appear in front of us performing a welcome Sweetest Lie. Lead singer John Rzeznick’s calm but gruff vocals stand out and fill the room. The Goo Goo Dolls opening track is a real crowd pleaser and we leap to their attention, their live performance is excellent.
Emphasising the ambiance Rzeznick declares “forget about everything that’s going on in the world, there is nothing outside this room, it’s just all of us, We’re here to have a good time.” Dizzy is the perfect following track and the already buzzing crowd seem to sync with the lyrics and the room starts to moves together.
A steady flow of hits follows as they weave a path of entertainment along a mix of back catalogue and new album, meandering through accessible rock with punk-tipped edges to polished pop-rock melancholia and on to slick mainstream production efforts in Something for the rest of us.
Rzeznik’s bounces back and fore along the stage wooing his fans but when the lights come on bright part way through the performance it is the O2 venue itself that catches his attention “you guys are close in here, you are right there!, wow you guys are close, look at all you up there!”
This intimate gig that the Bristol O2 is renowned for and consistently delivers is appreciated by the crowd and the diehard fans next go wild for Another Second Time Around as the band’s co founder Robby Takac takes over on the lyrics as he bounds energetically around the stage and throws his whole body into his harder, punk-fuelled style.
The Goo Goo Dolls turn to newer material such as Home, Better Days and the end of the set pushes everyone to sing at the top of their voices to the classic Iris, evoking longing hugs between couples and flaming lighters are held head high as they play out the vast majority of the new album.
The encore brings the crowd to a final crescendo with the highlight of the evening as the Goo Goo Dolls perform an exceptional version of Broadway complete with saxophone solo.
As Rzeznick suggested, we did in fact ‘have a good time’.
Words: Ian Thompson
