Concert Review
Goo Goo Dolls
Shea’s Performing Arts Center
Buffalo, NY
Sunday Roctober 21, 2018
Review/Photos: Joseph Suto
Sunday evening the Goo Goo Dolls capped off a completely sold out three night stand at Shea’s Performing Arts Center. The band is currently on the road celebrating the twentieth anniversary of their biggest selling album to-date Dizzy Up The Girl. That album sold over 4 million records and is very special to guitarist, vocalist Johnny Rzeznik and his musical cohort Robby Takac.
This date was not on the original tour announcement as there was a initially a Toronto date scheduled for this date. After the first two shows sold out as fast as they did, it was a no-brainer with Shea’s having an open date for Sunday to add a third show. It was also no coincidence that the third night sold out as well. The band could have easily played a full week at Shea’s and ended with the same result.
The first set featured Dizzy Up The Girl played in order in its entirety. “Dizzy” kicked things off as the band made a triumphant return to the stage. Rzeznik’s guitar didn’t turn on so he welcomed everyone to night three. Once the problem was resolved the famous chords of “Slide sent the crowd into a frenzy, like it always does. The sound was impeccable. Just as good as their fabulous show inside the Bears Den a few years back. Continuing on with “Broadway”, left the crowd begging for more, which they got and then some.
The band played all the big songs such as “Black Balloon” and the smash “Iris” but it was on the obscure songs like “Bulletproof” and Takac’s “January Friend” where the band really shone.
The band ended the first set and came back out to deliver a set featuring quite a few songs that haven’t seen many set lists over the more recent years. Refreshing versions of “Fallin’ Down”, “There You Are” and “Stop The World” satisfied many of the fans who were with the band since day one.
Rzeznik and Takac couldn’t pull this off without an extremely talented backing band. Joining them were newest touring member, keyboardist Jim McGorman, drummer Craig McIntyre and guitarist Brad Fernquist who has been with the band since 2006 when he joined the band for the Let Love In tour.
While this was not the first time the band played a set of show’s at Shea’s (1999), these shows over the weekend will be remembered best for how much love their hometown showed the Goo Goo Dolls and vice versa. Playing an intimate theater such as the historic Shea’s, with its pristine acoustics and cozy interior brought a uniqueness you just don’t get at KeyBank Center or Darien Lake. Following the success of these shows let’s hope they do it again real soon.
Set List
Set One- Dizzy Up The Girl
Dizzy
Slide
Broadway
January Friend
Black Balloon
Bullet Proof
Amigone
All Eyes on Me
Full Forever
Acoustic #3
Iris
Extra Pale
Hate This Place
Set Two
Better Days
Can’t Let It Go
Two Days in February
Fallin’ Down
Lucky Star
Stop the World
Name
So Alive
Notbroken
Another Second Time Around
There You Are
Big Machine
Flat Top
