Page 45 - Black Velvet Rock Magazine Issue 104

BV104 pg45_BV104 pg45 30/03/2020 01:20 Page 1

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GOO GOO DOLLS – BIRMINGHAM O2 INSTITUTE, 25.02.20
When speaking about their latest album release, ‘Miracle Pill’, Goo Goo Dolls frontman John Rzeznik said ‘I just want to make a real connection
with real people in real time’ – and this is exactly what they do with every album and every live show. Tonight, we’re in Birmingham – and Goo Goo
Dolls have been here many times before. They keep coming back – and so do we. After an opening set by Reading indie rockers Valeras, the band
that was formed in Buffalo, New York take over. Opening track ‘Indestructible’ starts their set, like the new album, and this is something that Goo Goo
Dolls are. They’ve been
around since 1986 and
show no signs of stopping.
Vocalist/guitarist John
Rzeznik’s voice sounds as
on point as it did way back
when. ‘Indestructible’ is an
exquisite opener with its irre-
sistible hooks, hand-clap-
ping beat and John’s
velvet-textured vocals that
you can’t help but sing along
with. It’s not long before the
band’s hit singles drop into
the set – ‘Slide’ gets a huge
cheer while ‘Black Balloon’
sees a mass of black bal-
loons fall from the ceiling
over the crowd, where they
bounce around over every-
one’s heads for the next
song or two. Bassist Robby
Takac takes over the lead
vocals for a number of
songs during the set. He be-
gins with the punkier ‘An-
other Second Time Around’
from the 1993-release ‘Su-
perstar Car Wash’ before
‘January Friend’ from ‘Dizzy
Up The Girl’ and then, later
in the set, the newer and
thought-provoking ‘Life’s A
Message’ from their latest
release before ‘Bringing On
The Light’. Robby singing al-
ways switches the set up. In
between songs John speaks
to the crowd, often light-
heartedly, recounting tales
and quipping wittily. At one
point he tells the crowd he’s
happy to be in Birmingham.
A voice from the audience
shouts back ‘You fucking
liar!’ John replies, ‘Sir, it
sounds like YOU’RE un-
happy to be in Birmingham!’
back at him. He ends up
dedicating ‘Name’ to his ‘un-
happy friend’ before per-
forming the intro on his own
with an acoustic guitar, be-
fore the rest of the band join
him as the song kicks in.
The classic hits ‘Iris’ and
‘Broadway’ are kept until the
end. There’s no encore, but
the band go out on a high
note with these always-mag-
ical, delectable tunes. We
were definitely happy that
Goo Goo Dolls came to
Birmingham and look for-
ward to them coming back
again.
YYYYY
Shari Black Velvet
John Rzeznik (Goo Goo Dolls)
Photo By Shari Black Velvet

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