Goo Goo Dolls performing their Miracle Pill Tour at The O2 Institute Birmingham on Tuesday 25th February 2020


Review by Kevin Cooper

Goo Goo Dolls were at The O2 Institute in Birmingham last night to promote their twelfth studio album, Miracle Pill and the fans came out for a mix of new songs and nostalgic feel good songs and were not disappointed.

Immediately starting off the fun sing along with new song Indestructible the set list quickly evolved into their better known stuff. Slide, from 1998’s Dizzy Up The Girl; an album which thrust Goo Goo Dolls into mainstream success, was sung with such passion and feeling by front man Johnny Rzeznik, before there was a well received and emphatic performance of Black Balloon.

Delivering an expansive and comprehensive set list from their enormous back catalogue, Here Is Gone from Gutterflower was followed by Big Machine from the same album, and their familiarity had the crowd singing along.

The inclusion of January Friend and the new Life’s A Message offered Rzeznik the opportunity to have a rest as bassist Robby Takac took the lead vocals.

Proving that Rzeznik is one of the most compelling singer songwriters to come out of New York and with Takac proving to be a brilliant bass player, their first song to be played on the radio, Name, went down a storm whilst the bluesy and sultry So Alive showed their softer melodic approach.

Fallin’ Down and Another Second Time Around from 1993’s Superstar Car Wash gave a nod to the band’s post punk roots and saw Rzeznik’s expansive vocals on top form.

Ending the set with an incredible version of new song, Autumn Leaves, the tear jerking heart pulling Iris from the City Of Angels movie, and the undoubted highlight of the set, Broadway, Goo Goo Dolls had proved again that they can still produce some stunning musical memories.