More than 4,500 dance and sing with The Goo Goo Dolls

By Francis Scarcella and Rick Dandes The Daily Item

LEWISBURG — More than 4,500 screaming rock ’n’ rollers jammed Gerhard Fieldhouse at Bucknell University to dance and sing along with national recording artists The Goo Goo Dolls on Friday night.

And not even a steady downpour could deter fans, who in some cases traveled more four hours to see the band.

Those fans lined up in the cold rain that fell but sang and danced while waiting to enter the fieldhouse.

Jessica Bender, of Elizabethville, said, “I travel everywhere to see this band. I just love them and their music. So it’s raining? So what? I’m first in line. I’ll be right up front.”

Standing behind Bender were Chrissy Green, of Horseheads, N.Y., and Lisa Mistretta, of Montgomery, N.Y.

Both traveled more than three hours to get close to their favorite band members: vocalist, guitarist John Rzeznik and bassist Robby Takac.

Green said she was here to see Rzeznik.

“But I also like Robby,” she purred.

The Goo Goo Dolls formed in Buffalo as a garage band in 1986 and since that time, they have received four Grammy nominations, produced 14 top 10 singles, and sold more than 10 million albums.

Their 1998 album, “Dizzy Up the Girl,” with the hit song “Iris,” was No. 1 on Billboard Charts for 18 weeks. “Iris” also appeared on the “City of Angels” soundtrack. “Dizzy Up the Girl” had three other top 10 Billboard hits.

Their latest album, “Something for the Rest of us,” was released in August.

Kari Conrad, associate dean of students at Bucknell, organized the event, but the idea to bring the popular band to town was made by a 25-member student committee.

Conrad said, “I’ll be dancing during the show. You’re never too old to dance.”

Before the concert, The Goo Street Team, a traveling group of volunteers who collect food and other items for the needy wherever the band performs, said they collected 600 items before the Friday night show.

The beneficiary of the items was Community Harvest, which distributes food to Valley food banks and other needy charities.

The person who donated the most food items Friday was Deanna Donohue, of Rochester, N.Y.

By donating 288 food items, she won the right to meet the band she had driven so far to see.

“I don’t know what I’ll say to them,” she said shyly. “Maybe I’ll just give them a big hug and squeeze.”