It started off with Fastball. I thought they were really good, but what was sad was that not even everyone was there yet. It was like no one wanted to see them. They missed out. My friend and I were screaming for them and stuff because they really had a good show. They played maybe 5 songs and were gone. They opened with some song that I'm not quite sure on the name, and ended with Fire Escape. And when the guy from Fastball(sorry, don't know his name) said, "Are you guys ready for Sugar Ray?" or something like that, the crowd went wild. Poor Fastball, no one was really screaming for them. Oh well, on to Sugar Ray. Can't quite remember what song they opened with, but they certainly had an interesting performance. Mark McGrath was so funny and spastic almost. He was jumping all around, shooting baskets on the wooden hoop on stage. It was cool, and when he went over to this little grass hut on stage, he took a drink of vodka or whatever that was on stage and told all kids under 18 to close their eyes and plug their ears. It was cute. They played the popular songs (Fly, Someday, RPM, Every Morning, which is what they ended with) and really had an awesome show. But not compared to the Goo Goo Dolls! On to their show...
NOTE: I, myself, am not the biggest Goo fan, and actually have only been a fan since ABNG. You may think that I am really stupid for writing this review with all of these little notes that you may already know, but I am writing this for you guys and the people who are new Goo fans and may not know a whole bunch about them. Thx! Continuing...
When they opened with Dizzy, I thought they were going to play the songs in order of DUTG, but after Dizzy, they played Long Way Down, then Lazy Eye. It was great to hear a lot of their older songs off of ABNG, SSCW and HMU. They also played Name, Lucky Star, A Million Miles Away, Naked, Flat Top, Eyes Wide Open, Another Second Time Around as their older songs(not in order, I can't remember the order). Johnny was so extremely cute performing in his cowboy hat, and Robby was without shoes(like usual, hehe), Mike was wearing highwater shorts(hehe), and Nathan(other guitar) did a great job on that one guitar part in "Iris." And keyboard player, Dave, was also great. At first, I didn't know who he was until I rememebred reading something abotu him and Nathan touring with them this summer. Before they played Broadway, Johnny took some time to ask if there was anyone from Buffalo(where the Goos originated). I raised my hand, because before I had moved to AZ back in '96, I lived in Lancaster, which is near Buffalo. He told about how Broadway is about his life in Buffalo, which was cool.
Nearing what seemed to be the end of the concert, there was an intermission. We weren't quite sure what was going on. Johnny said "Goodbye Phoenix!" or what sounded like a goodbye, and then the lights came up and a big tv screen came down over the stage, and it showed a short 4-5 min. movie about GREED. It was cool, and we didn't know what it was about. A lot of people left. The row right in front of my friend and I was almost completely empty, so we moved up. We knew it wasn't over, it couldn't be over yet, so we just sat and watched the movie thing. Then, as the movie ended, there was this awesome little explosion on stage, and the Goos re-appeared amongst the smoke, strobe lights and sparkly confetti fluttering down over the stage and front rows(which we weren't in unfortunately, but we still had awesome seats not too far back). They continued into the show with Just the Way You Are, Burnin' Up, and Hate This Place, and ended with Two Days in February. Then, at the very end, Johnny and Robby threw their guitars into this tv screen(where they were caught on something of course). Anyways, it was a really GOOd concert, and think Johnny and the boys would be glad to come back and start another tour here again!