Hey Hey In Rockers, and Welcome to The Lobby 2020 UK edition, as I wind my way around Great Britain with Goo Goo Dolls for a 6 date tour ending at The Roadhouse in London later this week. It’s been a dark and rainy week, but I guess that’s just the way of the world here in the UK. But fueled up on lots of Indian food, fish and chips and unbelievable amounts of hot English tea, we make our way through the storms and make it all happen … come on along for a bit.

We spent a week rehearsing in Glasgow. Scotland before the UK shows began, it’s been a couple of years since we were here last so we checked into what we had done last time we were in Glasgow so we were able to change the set up a bit and make things tight for the performances. We use a completely different set of stage equipment when we perform overseas, so it takes a little time for the crew and the band to pull it all together.

The first show was at The 02 Academy in Glasgow, it’s always a rowdy affair in Scotland, lots of singing and swaying as we finally got to enjoy our experience of bringing the rock to the UK after a 4-year absence from the area.

We had a day off in Manchester and then played another 2 shows, the first in Manchester at Albert Hall and then at Leeds at The O2 Academy there. The band The Valeros have been opening the shows on the run, a cool bunch of young English kids making some quirky indie rock, check them out if you get a chance.

The crew finished packing up the show in Leeds and after a short bus ride to the city of Nottingham, we spent the day off in this cool little place famous for the exploits and adventures of Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men. I spent the day just wandering around the quaint English cobblestone roads and stopping into the shops and historic places & parks along the way.

We visited Nottingham Castle and the worlds oldest continuously operation pub called “The Ye Old Trip to Jerusalem Inn”. It’s an old pub built literally into the wall of the castle and has been open since the year 1189. Apparently there are lots of ghosts wandering these odd little “cave rooms” where the locals had come for centuries to drink and celebrate life. I celebrated life w/ a diet coke as my friends had a pint.

After checking out the rest of the Pubs cave walled nooks and crannies we made our way to a restaurant called George’s for some truly authentic fish and chips and mushy peas …. very mushy and very delicious! We finished up dinner with a candy floss / donut / ice cream / chocolate / raspberry adventure that filled me to the top, finished up the night and capped a great day off.

Tonight we play here in Nottingham at the legendary Rock City, tomorrow we do it all over again in Birmingham, and then after a day off we head into a sold out show in London …. It’s still is amazing to me every time we go halfway around the world and sing our songs with rooms full of smiling people. It never escapes me how lucky we are to be able to have these adventures and experiences in our lives. I’m glad I get to share some of them here with you all in the pages of InRock.

Ok, headed off to a cool little toy store I saw yesterday to find something nice for my kid! Hope to see you all next month here in the pages of the mighty InRock, I’ll fill you in on London and give you an update on our next few months of chaos …

Be Well,

Peace

Robby