Tuesday 9th November O2 Academy, Leeds

Hailing from Buffalo, New York The Goo Goo Dolls have been going strong for over twenty years. Their style embraces elements of pop, punk rock and metal music and has proved to be a worldwide recipe for success.

The iconic song ‘Iris’, written especially by lead vocalist and guitarist John Rzeznik for the City of Angels soundtrack, encapsulates the uniquely polished and melody driven sound Goo Goo Dolls are best known for, and was the catalyst for their ascent to stardom. ‘Dizzy up the Girl’ became a triple platinum selling album, and ‘Iris’ was in good company alongside top ten hits ‘Slide’, ‘Black Balloon, ‘Broadway’ and ‘Dizzy’, all of which contributed to securing a firm following of delighted fans.

The fans stuck around, too, while ‘Gutterflower’ offered up hits including ‘Here is Gone’ and ‘Big Machine, and the album ‘Let Love In’ gained top ten places with ‘Better Days’, ‘Stay With You’, ‘Let Love in’ and a popular version of Supertramp’s ‘Give a Little Bit’. The next soundtrack to benefit from a dose of Goo Goo Dolls was Transformers, with the song ‘Before it’s too late’ proving their mettle once again.

No strangers to performing to sell out crowds, The Goo Goo Dolls have toured with the likes of Colbie Caillat and Lifehouse, and come to the UK next week following the August release of their ninth studio album ‘Something For The Rest Of Us.’ Two years in the making and already proving to be well received by critics and fans alike, Rzeznik describes the direction of the songwriting as ‘addressing the disillusionment of the difficult period we live in; I wanted to give a voice to the emotional uncertainty that accompanies hard times. The ones who bear the brunt of these burdens are everyday people. That’s who I want to speak to.’

Speaking to the rest of us with stand out songs including ‘Sweetest Lie’ and ‘Soldier’, the album takes proudly takes its place next to its predecessors, showcasing the craftsmanship of well constructed songs and lyrics the band are famous for.

Sure to be an extremely enjoyable band to watch live then; a band who have racked up such a significant contribution to music, at the same time keeping up with the times and managing to stay exciting and relevant.
The Goo Goo Dolls play their much anticipated Leeds show at The O2 Academy on Tuesday 9th November.

Words: Claire Cameron