From: Eric Decker

Goo Goo Dolls - Artpark - 08/15/98

The opener was Fuel, who took the stage around 8:15.  They played for about
45 minutes.  The biggest and really only crowd reaction came when they played
their hit song "Shimmer".

About 9:30 the Goo Goo Dolls stepped on stage.  Johnny yelled out "hello" and
they started playing Long Way Down.  Here is the full set list:

1. Long Way Down
2. Fallin' Down
3. Burnin' Up
4. Stop The World
5. String Of Lies
6. Already There
7. Naked
8. Lazy Eye
9. Slide (from Dizzy up the Girl - sung by John)
10. Name
11. Just The Way You Are
12. Lucky Star
13. There You Are
14. Dizzy (from Dizzy Up The Girl - sung by John)
15. Fool Forever (from Dizzy Up The Girl - sung by Robby)
16. Another Second Time Around
17. Broadway (from Dizzy Up The Girl - sung by John)
18. Flat Top 
19. Iris (from Dizzy Up The Girl - sung by John)

20. Eyes Wide Open
21. Impersonality
22. Girl Right Next To Me


The Goos didn't talk much at all in the first half of the concert, really
only saying how glad they were to be playing in their hometown.  

Songs 14 and 15 above are from the new album, and I'm pretty sure 9 is.
#9 had John playing acoustic and was singing something about a "runaway"
toward the end of the song.  #14 the chorus of song sounded like "heaven
here you are" and in #15 the chorus was "I don't want to go back."  Perhaps
someone can help me identify them if anyone knows the Goos or have heard the
new record.

Johnny introduced Broadway (a new song from Dizzy) by saying "this song isn't
about Broadway; it's about the Broadway here.  It's about the Broadway-
Fillmore area, if you're from around here you know what I'm talking about."
If you're not from Buffalo, what he's talking about is the downfall of
Buffalo's east side where he grew up.  In the 1980's and 1990's many people
and businesses left the area (including myself) for the suburbs.  So now
Broadway is full of poverty, lamp-scratchers, and people who talk to trees.
It's sad for the people who used to live there to see it in the condition it
is in now.

Before Another Second Time Around, Robby said "I once took a class here at
Artpark about clowns and books - and look where that shit got me now!"  He
then sang the opening lines to the song.

Iris was complete with a full orchestra and the touring keyboardist.  The
strings were located behind Mike.  I was hoping they were going to play
We Are The Normal at this point as well but oh well.  Following the song
after the Goos came back on stage for the encore Johnny said, "I'm glad we
got all the strings and other crap out of the way now so we can do this
stuff again."  They played Eyes Wide Open and Impersonality and then Johnny
stopped again to talk about 80's metal bands.

He said, "Remember when those metal dudes used to have to big poodle hair-dos
and used to play guitar solos like these?" (at this point he's playing his
guitar with all his fingers ala Eddie Van Halen).  Then he says, "And you
know what else there was... drum solos!"  So Mike beats his drums for 10-15
seconds or so, but then Johnny says to Mike, "you can do better than that."
Johnny turns back to the crowd and said "he hates this shit", and then turns
back to Mike and says "if you don't try again you just suck."  So Mike beats
his drums again for a little bit.

Finally Johnny says "ok I think that's enough.  This next song is called
Girl."  They played Girl Right Next To Me and said "thank you.  Good night!"