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John Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls performs Saturday night at Toyota Pavilion. Bassist Robby Takac and keyboardist Korel Tunador are in the background.
PHOTO BY BILL TARUTIS
SCRANTON — Concertgoers were treated to three hours of high-energy rock that began with The Spill Canvas, carried on with Switchfoot and ended with Goo Goo Dolls Saturday night at Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain.
The Goo Goo Dolls — lead vocalist/guitarist John Rzeznik, lead vocalist/bassist Robby Takac and drummer Mike Malinin and touring musicians Brad Fernquist and Korel Tunador — delivered a solid hour-and-a half set that began with “Sweetest Lie,” from the band’s forthcoming studio album, “Something for the Rest of Us,” set to drop Aug. 31. A good rendition of “Big Machine” from 2002’s “Gutterflower” preceded a fantastic version of one of the band’s biggest hits, “Slide,” an early highlight. Another, “Dizzy,” soon followed.
“This is about being in a f–ked-up relationship,” Rzeznik said before an estimated crowd of 6,000 before taking to an acoustic guitar for “Can’t Let It Go.” It was a smaller-scale show in which lawn seats were not made available.
“Here Is Gone” was tender, and Rzeznik’s strong vocals shined. Takac took lead vocal duties for “Another Second Time Around,” “Smash,” “Tucked Away,” and another new song, “Now I Hear.” While a lively bassist, the energy of the show slowed down slightly with Takac at the mic.
The crowd inundated the stage with black balloons for “Black Balloon,” which preceded “Home,” another new song. “Name,” Goo Goo Dolls’ breakthrough hit from 1995’s “A Boy Named Goo,” was tender and featured a massive crowd singalong. “As I Am,” a great new track, followed. A fantastic version of the hit “Iris” drove the crowd into a frenzy to close out the set. An encore followed, but “Iris” was a hard act to follow.
You really don’t know just how many songs the Goo Goo Dolls have since they began in 1986 — or how good many of them are — until you see the band live. Rzeznik is a great frontman who engages his audience, and his audience ate up every smile and gesture.
The same can be said for Switchfoot’s singer Jon Foreman, who leapt out into the crowd for the first two songs of the band’s 45-minute set, “Dare You to Move” and “Stars.” A blistering “Mess of Me” preceded a good acoustic cover of Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down.”
“This is Your Life,” from 2009’s “The Beautiful Letdown” was anthemic, while “Free” was explosive as it ended with a big drum and flashing lights flourish. “The Sound (John M. Perkins’ Blues),” a song about a civil rights activist from last year’s “Hello Hurricane,” was powerful and aggressive. Switchfoot ended its set with its best song of the night, the hit “Meant to Live.”
The Spill Canvas kicked the night off with a dynamic half-hour performance that included “Staplegunned,” “Polygraph, Right Now,” the catchy “Our Song” and the searing standout “Dust Storm.” Judging from the crowd’s reaction, it’s easy to say this talented quartet from South Dakota is a band on the rise.
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