Dear Editor,
I must say I rather enjoyed the Goo Goo Dolls concert, held in Memorial Center on Saturday, April 22.
It wasn’t about seeing celebrities. It wasn’t about hearing everyone’s all-time favorite band. In fact, most guys seem to hesitate in admitting they enjoy the Goo Goo Dolls, in fear of being called a pansy for listening to their style of music. This mainstream curse, which trails almost every top performing artist/group can ruin a good show.
When I went to the concert, I had no expectations. I just wanted to spend some time with my friends, listen to some music, and have something to do for once (this is Johnson City after all).
The opening act of “The Big Tease” was decent. I rather enjoyed their style, although it seemed to favor groups such as “Fall Out Boy” and as compared by Eddie Jenkins, “Click 5ish.”
However, for being a somewhat local band, they were better than any of the local bands I’ve heard in recent times.
Once they finished their last song, they exited the stage after shouting “Are you ready for the Goo Goo Dolls?” We were ready … although about 20 minutes of watching stagehands rebuild the setup for the Goo Goo Dolls made several people uneasy.
Maybe “The Big Tease” front man should have said “Are you going to be ready for the Goo Goo Dolls in about 30 minutes?”
Once the Goo Goo Dolls made their way to the stage, they opened the show with a song titled “Stay With You” from their new album.
Most of the audience members were energetic, however there were a few who did not seem interested. One person, who actually writes for the East Tennessean, yelled “The Goo Goo Dolls Suck!” at the band members between songs. The band’s lead guitarist and vocalist paused for a moment, and made a somewhat lighthearted comment and continued the show. As the concert went on, the crowd stayed lively and well receiving for the most part.
All in all, it was a good concert even for those who do not like that specific style of music.
Andrew Foister

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