The Goo Goo Dolls Slide Into Brixton Academy

by | Jul 28, 2018

The 1990s weren’t just about Britpop, grunge, the Spice Girls, and *NSYNC. They were the decade of the film soundtrack, a time when songs like (Everything I Do) I Do It For You, My Heart Will Go On, Love Is All Around, and Born Slippy leapt from the big screen to the top of the charts and into the collective consciousness.

Johnny Rzeznik of The Goo Goo Dolls (Kalpesh Patel)

Chances are, you still know the words to It Must Have Been Love or I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing if tonight’s Goo Goo Dolls gig is anything to go by. Iris, their timeless contribution to 1998’s otherwise forgettable City Of Angels, prompts a singalong so loud that it just about drowns out the five men performing it through a giant sound rig.

Robby Takac of The Goo Goo Dolls (Kalpesh Patel)

Closing out the band’s main set, the quintessential power ballad gets the night’s most frenzied response. That’s no surprise, really. What’s unexpected is the number of people in Brixton Academy who can’t have been much older than 5 when John Rzeznik first uttered: “And I’d give up forever to touch you”.

Johnny Rzeznik of The Goo Goo Dolls (Kalpesh Patel)

Like audience member Jake who, after his cardboard sign is noticed from the stage, is reluctantly invited to play lead guitar on Name. It’s an even older song that, despite Rzeznik’s initial trepidation, the young fan knows inside out.

Johnny Rzeznik of The Goo Goo Dolls (Kalpesh Patel)

Such familiarity isn’t just down to the enduring legacy of these songs. Millennials, who’d have trouble picking Nicolas Cage and/or Meg Ryan out of a line-up, are clearly discovering The Goo Goo Dolls through the band’s new work. Up at the front Over and Over, from their current LP Boxes, is met with genuine hands-raised excitement rather than the arms-crossed indifference that tends to greet anything from any band’s 11th album.

Brad Fernquist of The Goo Goo Dolls (Kalpesh Patel)

So Alive, another new one, does a good job of melding Rzeznik’s ear for melody with massive hooks straight out of the Imagine Dragons playbook for mainstream success. It even has a built-in “hey hey hey” call-and-response section that the singer-guitarist, bounding across the stage while raising his arms like an MC, uses to full effect.

Johnny Rzeznik of The Goo Goo Dolls (Kalpesh Patel)

A natural evolution of the group’s sound, like the poppy Rebel Beat from 2013’s Magnetic, the R&B groover doesn’t feel out of place in a set that slides easily between the extremes of Sympathy (performed solo and acoustic by the frontman) and Robby Takac’s punk-leaning offerings.

Robby Takac of The Goo Goo Dolls (Kalpesh Patel)

The energetic bassist-singer, who faces the London heatwave by rolling up his jeans and going barefoot, lends his gritty voice and hand actions to such hard hitters as January Friend and Smash, leaving Rzeznik the guitarist free to roam the stage and relive The Goo Goo Dolls’ garage band origins.

Robby Takac of The Goo Goo Dolls (Kalpesh Patel)

Naked, from their 1995 breakthrough A Boy Named Goo, is even edgier and has the frontman blistering through a solo of unexpected intensity. But, for the most part, the 21-song set focuses on the group’s oh-so-melodic greatest hits, and the three LPs that cemented their reputation.

Johnny Rzeznik of The Goo Goo Dolls (Kalpesh Patel)

The multi-platinum Dizzy Up The Girl, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, is well represented with triumphant renditions of the fist-pumping Dizzy and Slide, a soaring Black Balloon, and beautiful-but-bleak show closer Broadway (with its immortal line “The cowboy kills the rock star” and the less than optimistic refrain “See the young man sitting in the old man’s bar, Waiting for his turn to die”).     

Johnny Rzeznik of The Goo Goo Dolls (Kalpesh Patel)

Gutterflower, the 2002 follow-up, gets the love it deserves as the band (also featuring touring members Jim McGorman on keys, guitarist Brad Fernquist, and drummer Craig Macintyre) give their all to the likes of Big Machine (despair dressed up as a crunchy rock anthem) and the majestic Iris part two, Here Is Gone.

Jim McGorman of The Goo Goo Dolls (Kalpesh Patel)

And 2006’s Let Love In, while not as commercially successful as its immediate predecessors, gives us the rousing title track, eternally optimistic piano and strings ballad Better Days, and chest-thumping Stay With You. Just like the rest of the set, all three are played with passion, and embraced with open arms by young and not-so- young alike.

Johnny Rzeznik of The Goo Goo Dolls (Kalpesh Patel)

Review of The Goo Goo Dolls at Brixton Academy on 26th July 2018 by Nils van der Linden. Photography by Kalpesh Patel.

https://rockshotmagazine.com/29159/third-eye-blind-soak-up-the-love-at-roundhouse/

Glastonbury Festival 2023 (Kalpesh Patel)

Glastonbury Festival 2025: Full Line-Up, Stage Splits, Secret Sets, And Notable Set Clashes Revealed

The full stage splits and set times for Glastonbury Festival 2025 have officially landed, sending the internet into a frenzy and festival-goers scrambling to finalise their Worthy Farm weekend plans. With over 3,000 performances across more than 100 stages, the legendary Somerset gathering—set to take place from 25th to 29th June—has revealed an eclectic, star-studded line-up bursting with global icons, breakout stars, and fan-favourite returning acts.

Olivia Dean Announces Sophomore Album ‘The Art of Loving’ And London Headline Show Next Week

Rising UK star Olivia Dean has announced the release of her eagerly awaited second album, The Art Of Loving, set to arrive on 26th September via Capitol Records. The new record promises to build on the rich, heartfelt songwriting that’s become Dean’s signature, while pushing her sound into bold and emotionally resonant new territory.

Sabrina Carpenter (Press)

Sabrina Carpenter Unveils Full Star-Packed Line-Up For Sold-Out BST Hyde Park 2025 Shows

American Express presents BST Hyde Park has announced the full supporting line-up for pop superstar Sabrina Carpenter’s sold-out headline debut on Saturday 5th July, as well as her follow-up performance on Sunday 6th July. The eagerly anticipated shows mark a major milestone in Carpenter’s meteoric rise, as she joins a coveted roster of BST Hyde Park headliners for 2025.

Taylor Swift @ Wembley Stadium (Kalpesh Patel)

Taylor Swift Triumphs: Pop Icon Buys Back Rights To Her Original Master Recordings

In a landmark move sending shockwaves through the music industry, Taylor Swift has officially bought back the rights to her original master recordings, marking a triumphant and deeply personal victory in her years-long battle for artistic ownership. The deal closes a turbulent chapter that has fuelled global conversations around creative control, artist rights, and the power dynamics of the modern music business.

Santana (Press)

Carlos Santana Teams Up With Grupo Frontera For Norteño-Rock Fusion ‘Me Retiro’ — Ahead Of UK Tour Dates

Rock legend Carlos Santana has surprised fans yet again—this time by merging his iconic guitar-driven rock sound with...
Blink-182 @ Reading Festival 2024 (Nick Allan)

Reading Festival 2025 Preview: Glitter, Guitars & Glorious Chaos Incoming

Hold on to your bucket hats – Reading Festival 2025 is about to blow the roof off Richfield Avenue from August...

Iggy Pop’s Raw Power Hits Ally Pally

There’s some shows you just can’t miss in good conscience. Iggy Pop, the godfather of punk, last hit the UK for Dog Day Afternoon with Blondie two years ago, and he’s back for a short run of dates. When other punks from the same era are slowing down, settling into nostalgic anniversary shows or stately home summer shows, Pop is sticking to what he knows best: his iconic back catalogue, spread out across a full band, tied together with hypnotic charisma.

Chesney Hawkes (Press)

Chesney Hawkes Announces 2026 ‘Smash It To Pieces’ UK Headline Tour Following A Triumphant Year

Chesney Hawkes, once dubbed the quintessential British pop prince of the early ‘90s, has proved he’s more than just The One And Only. With a creative fire that burns brighter than ever, Hawkes is celebrating a year of musical and personal triumphs as he announces his 2026 Smash It To Pieces UK headline tour — a bold new chapter in a career that continues to evolve far beyond its nostalgic beginnings.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This

Share Thing