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Hot and humid took its time coming to Atlanta this year, but fans of the Goo Goo Dolls weathered the heat for a great show. In fact, opener O.A.R. helped get the audience moving with a great set and songs known to many of those attending. When the audience is grooving and dancing, that says good things for the night ahead, such as a hefty 25 power pop set by the Dolls. That makes sense when the audience wants all the hits, and the band wants to play newer material. Fair deal!
The set began with “Broadway,” “Over and Over,” and “Slide,” a sure-fire combo to get the audience into the flow. And, despite the heat, the audience participated in much of the concert. Couples young and old(er) danced and kissed as the favorites and memories were brought alive.
And for those kind of moments, there’s selfies. Leader/singer John Rzeznik made a point t early in the setlist to point out how distracting it was for people to take selfies with the band in the background. So, he asked everyone to get their phones out and everyone do it at once.
That was funny, but if it rubbed someone the wrong way, when he shortly afterwards stopped a song to compliment a security guard for helping a woman who struggled to capture the photo, that more than made up for it.
The performance itself was entirely satisfying. The band has so many hits the audience was constantly capturing video on their phones. When the band departed except for the pianist and Rzeznik, many sat down. Then… they recognized the opening words to “Symphony,” jumped back up and pulled out their phones. It was a great version, as was the preceding song, “Miracle Pill.”
In addition to an ever-changing digital backdrop, Rzeznik routinely covered the stage left and right. When he sings, he bounces from side to side at the mic, and when he’s not singing he wanders to the front and edges, playing to the crowd.
Whether or not Rzeznik is stuck at the mic, bassist and co-founder Robby Takac displays his obvious glee in performing thoughout the concert. Making faces and exhorting the crowd is a great thing and not observed often enough in a bassist. Seriously, when you’re choosing your seats for this band, choose stage left if you can’t get the center.
This show was early in the band’s 2023 tour. With O.A.R. opening, it’s a can’t miss opportunity for those who want to enjoy hours of live, fun music.
In the minor complaint department, the band didn’t cover a song from their early punkish origins, and they swapped “Use Me” for “The Pin” apparently for the first time on the tour as Rzeznik commented afterwards, “That went pretty well.” Both of those songs touch on a similar relationship theme, but “Use Me” is just a bit more clever. Either way, they’re good evidence that Rzeznik’s lyrics remain strong as those songs are 5-6 years old.
Also, while the band has recorded Supertramp’s “Give a Little Bit,” the original remains definitive and wasn’t a necessary inclusion. On the other hand, their cover of Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down” in the encore was a superlative set up to their massive hit “Iris,” which left the audience singing the chorus.
Additional photos follow.
Note: At least at Cadence Bank/Chastain, first time concert goers (i.e. kids) can get a Certificate of Attendance from Live Nation documenting the artist and the date from the Customer service table inside the venue. Cool!
Setlist:
Encore:
