Magic was in the air on Tuesday at Stir Cove as we welcomed back The Goo Goo Dolls and Train. The Cove was at max capacity with this sold out show and it’s no wonder why. The Goo Goo Dolls began their set just a few minutes earlier than expected. My guess is they were playing it safe without knowing what the weather was going to do. But they came out fast and they came out strong. Every song you knew and had a blast singing along. Those infamous locks of lead singer Johnny Rzeznik only struggled slightly in the humidity. But not a worry in the world as they played hit after hit. I felt bad for those who spent almost their entire set in a beer line, but the great thing about Stir is no matter where you are, you can still enjoy the hell out of the show. The Goo Goo Dolls are never disappointing and I sincerely hope they never stop coming to our little corner of the world.
And then Train. What. A. Performance. I didn’t realize I was going to know every single song. They got me dancing and singing and forgetting that it was a Tuesday. Which was a blessing, and a curse come Wednesday. But I hold no regrets! Everyone was on their feet and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. Patrick Monahan’s voice is so clear and sounds exactly like it does on the radio and albums. That’s a talent that is not all that common and utterly impressive when you get to witness it. As he introduced the band, we got to meet guitarist Luis Maldanado and his bassist brother, Hector who coincidentally call Lincoln, NE their hometown. Luis laid down a pretty killer guitar solo which made us all proud. So many cool moments during this stagecraft. The Tom Petty cover was heartwarming. My favorite part of the evening, however, was Monahan tossing out band shirts to the crowd. Really showing appreciation to the fans was incredible to see. Then he signed the shirt he was wearing and proceeded to have the rest of the band sign it before he launched it out to a lucky fan. Just a very touching thing to observe.
This was the most perfect night at the Cove and probably one of my favorites so far this season. I’m so thrilled to have spent the evening with my best friend of 20+ years as we laughed and reminisced about when these bands were first coming out. The rest of the crowd showed just as much love and admiration. Thank you once again to Stir Cove, staff, and security for allowing me to have these wonderful evenings in my favorite time of year! Until Saturday...Cheers!