Goo Goo Dolls hit the Grove

Concert ReviewApril 3, 2011The DM Online

The Grove was rocking last night as the Goo Goo Dolls took the stage and turned back the clock.

Students and Oxonians filled the Grove for the free concert put on by the Student Programming Board, some even arriving more than 4 hours before it was set to begin.

The crowd ranged from children all the way to grandparents coming out to hear good music and enjoy the environment.

“This just makes me feel like a kid again, getting to hear the Goo Goo Dolls play all the songs I have grown up with,” Elizabeth Pearson, a senior at Ole Miss, said.

The same sentiment seemed to be felt all around the crowd as people were excited to hear songs from a band that they loved dearly.

“I got to hear Johnny play Iris from the front row,” said Matthew Milner, a junior who was referring to Goo Goo Dolls lead singer Johnny Rzeznik. “That is one thing I can check off my list now.”

Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors hit the stage at around 5:15 p.m. to prime the crowd for the main event. The band is from Memphis, and the audience seemed to enjoy its handful of songs.

A little after 7 p.m., Rzeznik and the rest of the Dolls took the stage, bringing the crowd to its feet. The set consisted largely of the band’s greatest hits, with a few newer songs from their 9th studio album, “Something for the Rest of Us.”  The usual suspects were played, including “Slide,” “Black Balloon” and “Name,” along with some of their staple songs like “Iris” and “Broadway.”

Fans were treated to an energetic show, which did not take a breather until the end. The Goo Goo Dolls ripped through song after song, keeping the crowd screaming and clapping. Once the show neared the end, the band left the stage for the usual break before the encore.

Reznik slinked back on stage with guitar in hand and told the crowd:
“I was never a fan of making people wait, but thanks for playing along. You knew we were coming back out,” which recieved a good laugh from the crowd.

“I can’t hear out of my left ear,” Pearson said as she enjoyed the final song of the night.

The evening seemed to be a hit for the University as a look at the back of the Grove suggested thousands of spectators.

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