The Goo Goo Dolls last appeared in Manchester in 2018 at a much smaller venue, their absence has been felt by so many in the audience and their triumphant return has been a long time coming.
The Goo Goo Dolls came on stage to the ultra-positive crowd pleaser ‘Hey, I Like You’. This song was so easy to learn the chorus to and it made the show really accessible to a newcomer and therein lies the Goo Goo Dolls greatest skill, their ability to write fun accessible tracks without coming off too simplistic or lazy.
The band continued with ‘Home,’ a more dour track which contrasted with their bubbly chipper demeanour. If you squint with your ears, you’d be forgiven for thinking this was a softer Creed song and there were many moments like that which displayed range.
John Rzeznik was given a phone from the audience after ‘Slide’ and he took the time to talk to a woman who couldn’t be there that night – which is something not a lot of acclaimed rock stars would do but the Goo Goo Dolls seem very inviting and welcoming to their fans which is a rare sight lately.
‘Here is Gone’ had to be started again due to someone fainting but luckily the crowd and the band were all there to help. It’s important to stay hydrated at shows especially when they’re as hot as this one was. Everyone is super accommodating at shows and it benefits everyone to help each other out, the show can’t exist without everybody working together after all.
The majority of the set was made up of their most famous record, Dizzy up the Girl, ‘Slide’ was a personal favourite but it was a relief to a newcomer like myself to have the best tracks compiled in one package. The bouncy ‘January Friend,’ the ever iconic ‘Iris’ and the relaxed harmonics of ‘Black Balloon’ of which Manchester brought visual aides in the form of black balloons.
Despite being acoustic guitar driven, there were still some really engaging guitar picks and synth work that filled out the already rich and dynamic soundscapes on tracks like ‘Life’s A Message’ and it goes without saying John Rzeznik’s vocals have hardly changed since the 90s. He paradoxically sounds youthful, wide-eyed and hopeful while having an older more experienced delivery.
‘Name’ was a bonding experience for many as thousands of people came together to scream the anthemic chorus of this beautiful low-key ballad. So many people woke up the following morning with hoarse voices as they gave it so much effort and gusto.
So many bands have gotten sick of their big song and have since stopped playing it like Radiohead with ‘Creep’ but the Goo Goo Dolls still play ‘Iris’ like clockwork. ‘Iris’ still feels like a song they have a great deal of love for, perhaps it’s due to the admiration the fanbase has for it or perhaps it’s just the song they’re most appreciative of. Whatever the case is, the Goo Goo Dolls still give it their all and so did Manchester as the whole crowd sang along for the grand finale.
There aren’t many bands that have the longevity and multi-generational appeal that the Goo Goo Dolls have but they’re sure to go down in history as songwriting legends and their live show lives to that same reputation.
