In Which I Went to Cancun for Flo Rida and Goo Goo Dolls Concerts

Concert ReviewOctober 23, 2012Fuse.tv

Covering the Hard Rock Hotel Cancun's grand opening was a tough gig, but somebody had to do it

As a music writer, a look into the future can seem a bit grim. The record business is reportedly dying, Skrillex made $15 million last year, and your 6-year-old cousin has no idea what a CD is. (Also, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is now a CBS sitcom.) You begin to wonder if coming to work every day is a futile existence, and if it's only a matter of time before some robot-person/SEO Frankenstein takes your place.

But every now and then you're invited to something like the Hard Rock Hotel's grand opening in Cancun, and everything is right with the world again. "Will you come spend four days with us on the Gulf of Mexico and enjoy free concerts from Flo Rida and the Goo Goo Dolls?" they might ask (in not so many words). And then you answer "Yes" because it's your job and you have bills to pay. Yeah, that's why.

Turns out both Flo Rida and the Goo Goo Dolls sound awesome when they're playing live on the sandy shores of an all-inclusive resort in a beautiful Mexican town. Flo Rida took the stage Thursday night, and in case there was any doubt, I'm here to tell you that dude is all about having a good time. The reigning mayor of Fuse's Top 100 Sexy Beats ran through all the hits—"Low," "In the Ayer," "Right Round," "Club Can't Handle Me," "Whistle," "Good Feeling," "Wild Ones"—and ended his 60-minute set by bringing about 30 women on stage and throwing roses to those still left in the audience. (Aww.) Insider scoop: Flo even stuck around the next day and chilled on the beach with the commoners. He was totally cool with fans grabbing photos with him in his trunks, and I may or may not have asked him to be friends. (I didn't. But I thought about it.)

The Goo Goo Dolls performed on Friday night, and what the hell, I had no idea I knew so many Goo Goo Dolls songs. You probably know they sing "Name," "Slide" and the song that soundtracked all of your high school romances, "Iris." But did you guys also know they sing "Here Is Gone," "Black Balloon," "Let Love In" and "Broadway"? And "Stay With You"? Oh, and "Better Days"? Because I had no idea. I also had no idea that I knew the words to so many Goo Goo Dolls songs. But I'm comfortable with that fact, so you should be, too.

So yes, freshman going into music journalism, when you're staying up late to write show reviews for the college paper and interviewing ungrateful bands who are totally rude to you for no reason, know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel: occasional trips to exotic locations in the name of live music.

Related