Artist:  The Goo Goo Dolls

Venue:  Carling Academy, Newcastle

Date: 4 October 2006  

The Goo Goo Dolls are a band who went up in my estimation considerably after I saw them earlier this year at Glasgow Barrowlands and now Johnny Rzeznik, Robby Takac and Mike Malinin return to the our shores once again to mesmerize us with their infectious rock.

First for the support, this time saw fellow Americans The Tender Box fill the slot and what a great act to warm up any crowd.

Tender Box are a band who are proud of their East LA background and are quick to dismiss anyone who claims that East LA is all Mexican stereotypes, all taco vendors, drug addicts and Casanovas.  Guitarist Ric Moon set the record straight by once saying ... “we’ve never sold tacos!”.

But back to tonight's show, the boys from The Tender Box got things off to a roaring start with ‘Media Lies’ and straight from the off these young Americans were welcomed with open arms from the very enthusiastic sell out crowd.

The set continued with a mix of tracks taken from the bands album 'The Score', with the likes of the title track ‘The Score’, ‘Commuter’ and ‘Let Go’ really standing out as crowd favourites, although the band left the best for last with two great songs.

Firstly ‘Reload’ and then to top it all off the bands first single off the album ‘Mister Sister’, (which is used on a Chevrolet add back in the States), a track which the album version just doesn’t do justice to, because live it is just awesome and rounded a great set from a band that I hope will be back to these shores sooner rather than later.

Now on to the main event.  As the lights went out a huge cheer went out and as Johnny and Robby hit the front of the stage an even bigger cheer went out.  One thing for sure, tonight's sell-out crowd were pulling out all the stops to make sure the band knew just how much they appreciated them coming here to Newcastle to perform tonight.  Not only that but it was refreshing to see such a wide mix of ages attending the show.    

The guys got straight down to it with ‘Stay With Me’ and the impressive ‘Slide’, before Johnny welcomed everyone to the show and told of his love for the UK and how it's not safe being an American anymore and how he wished he could remain in the UK.  This prompted every woman in the audience to yell out as he said he was open to all offers from the single women in the crowd if anyone was willing to take him on, even adding he had a good job and could provide for himself.

The set continued with the excellent ‘Feel The Silence’ and ‘Black Balloon’, before it was time for Robby to take up the frontman role as he sang the showstoppers ‘Smash’ and ‘Can't Let It Go’.

Before continuing the set Johnny took a camera from a member of the crowd and took a picture of the crowd much to everyone delight, then it was back to the new album 'Let Love In' with ‘We’ll Be Here (When You’re Gone)’ before it was time to put the record straight on the whole Ronan Keating thing.  As Johnny explained he didn’t even know who Keating was and hadn't even given permission for him to cover the infamous classic.  Much to the crowds delight he asked if he was from a boy band and explained that The Goo Goo Dolls are a man band and went on to show just how it should be done with an excellent and only true version of ‘Iris’.

Then it was back to the crowd favourites with ‘Broadway’ and ‘January Friend’, before returning back to the new album for the mesmerising ‘Better Days’ and the title track ‘Let Love In’.  The band then left the stage for a short rest bite before returning for the haunting ‘Become’ and the rather special version of the Supertramp classic ‘Give A Little Bit’.  The night was then rounded off with ‘Without You Here’ which capped another great show from a band that will no doubt be playing arena shows next time they come to these shores.

The set may have been very similar to that of the set performed at Barrowlands earlier this year only mixed up a little, but this didn’t deter me one bit as I thought that this show topped the Glasgow show and that took some beating.

Set list: Stay With Me, Slide, Feel The Silence, Black Balloon, Smash, Can't Let It Go, We'll Be Here, Iris, Broadway, January Friend, Better Days, Let Love In, Become, Give A Little Bit

 

 

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