The Goo Goo Dolls/Those Damn Crows

June 17, 2023 Off By Jon

O2 Academy, Bournemouth

Grammy Nominated American band The Goo Goo Dolls are back in the UK after a three year hiatus, with a nine date tour including tonight’s gig at the Bournemouth O2 Academy. It’s their first visit to the town and the place is absolutely packed with music fans eager to take advantage of seeing this band at such close quarters. Before we have the pleasure of the headliners, we have the small matter of Welsh Rock band Those Damn Crows to warm up the audience for the headliners.

The five-piece themselves have already visited this town before with a gig at the Madding Crowd in Bournemouth town centre supporting The Wildhearts, as well as playing locally at Loverocks and Winter’s End Festivals. They are like a bunch of firecrackers right from the off, as they only have 30 minutes on stage and are clearly out to make the most of their time. Kicking off with one of their early singles “Who Did It”, frontman Shane Greenhall makes use of the large stage to convert the responsive crowd to the way of the “Crow”. Their epic twin guitar sound, coupled with creative hard hit rhythms and emotive lyrics really radiates with the unconverted and those fans already in the place are singing the lyrics at the top of their voices. I’ve always been a fan of a proper frontman, someone that is active and involves the audience in everything that the band does. Despite providing some very fine vocals; playing the piano and guitar, the multi-tasking Shane whips up the audience and also provides some funny band related anecdotes.

Those Damn Crows 1–2–3–4–5–6–7–8

Drummer Ronnie Huxford reliably provides some ferocious drumming, while working with the thunderous Lloyd Wood on bass. The melodic duo of Ian “Shiner” Thomas and David Winchurch light up the place with some impressive, bold atmospheric riffage. With the emotive “Blink of an Eye” Shane explains this this is their song that they can liken to The Goo Goo Dolls “Iris”. During 2022 single “This Time I’m Ready”, Shane has a Spinal Tap moment – after walking amongst the crowd he gets lost in one of the many corridors back stage before making his way successfully back on stage….eventually. The band end with a track called “See You Again”, which was a song written during the pandemic and takes in all the emotions created by it. The chorus gets the crowd singing out loud and the hook I’m sure will be whizzing around people’s brains long after the gig. The band depart to huge applause and many of us here wish that they could have played for much longer. However, a full headline UK tour is planned for later this year…….

It’s with quite a thrill that this audience are welcoming New Yorkers The Goo Goo Dolls onto this stage and as the quartet arrive the band are given an incredibly warm welcome, certainly impressive for a town they have never visited before. For a band that formed in the 1985 and make their name with their notable releases in the 1990’s, it’s a credit to see such a mixed age demographic within this audience. Tonight’s players feature founder members John Rzeznik (Guitar/Vocals) and Robby Takac (Bass/Vocals) along with Brad Fernquist (Guitar/Mandolin/Backing Vocals), Jim McGorman (Keyboards/Backing Vocals) along with Craig Macintyre on Drums. They open with “Yeah, I Like You” and the audience’s clear enthusiasm is mirrored within the band. They all clearly look so pleased to be on stage and in the UK again in front of their adoring fans.

As well as tracks from the band’s latest release, their 14th studio album “Chaos in Bloom”; they dig deep into their back catalogue with tracks like “Black Balloon” where the audience launch their own black balloons into the sky, the epic “Miracle Pill” and the beautiful “Let Love In”. The key to the band’s success is the fact that all their songs are wholesome and positive. The lyrics seem to really radiate and uplift their audiences. It is hard even for the casual observers not to be swept along with all the band has to offer. There are couples cosying up together enjoying their favourite tracks; along with various people shedding a few emotive tears as they are moved by the lyrics, along with the moving musical arrangements.

The Goo Goo Dolls 1–2–3–4–5–6–7

Robby delivers some faultless vocals on “Smash” and “Life’s a Message” and John returns to singing with a solo turn and a couple of acoustic numbers. These are “Sympathy” and “Name”, which was one of the band’s first major hits. He lovingly remembers the first time that he heard one of these songs played on the radio. The atmosphere in this old theatre tonight is one of the best I have seen here in a long time, and the love for the band is not just reserved for the start and the end. The audience’s excitement has a distinct momentum throughout the whole of the band’s set, even the majority of fans who came here to see the Those Damn Crows stay and enjoy the band’s set.

As the digital timer at the side of the stage says 80 minutes, the band take their bows and leave the stage; but not for long, the noise and excitement from the unfulfilled crowd call the band for an encore. We are treated to a three song encore including “Naked”, “Long Way Down” and of course the band’s best known song “Iris”. Who is old enough to remember the film “City Of Angels” starring Nicholas Cage and Meg Ryan ??. That film features one of the greatest love songs ever written and tonight the band are here to perform it right in front of our eyes. It’s an experience the no-one here will ever forget, the house lights go up and as I look around the whole venue there are hundreds of people with so much joy in their eyes singing along the chorus with the band; it’s almost like a religious experience. The acoustic guitar combined with the delicate mandolin, gentle rhythms and John’s divine vocals all just have heart-boosting qualities giving the evening the significant ending that we all hoped for.

Set Lists
The Goo Goo Dolls
Yeah, I Like You
Home
Slide
Dizzy
Big Machine
Here Is Gone
Black Balloon
Smash
Life’s a Message
Miracle Pill
So Alive
Let Love In
Sympathy
Name
Going Crazy
Lucky Star
Bringing On the Light
Stay With You
Better Days
Broadway