When a band with over three decades of history steps onto a stage, the air carries more than just anticipation. It hums with memory. That hum turned electric on Sunday, as the Goo Goo Dolls kicked off their Summer Anthem Tour at Arizona Financial Theatre in Phoenix, co-headlining with Dashboard Confessional. For fans who’ve held their music close for years, and for those discovering them anew, the show was more than a concert. It was a reminder of music’s ability to endure and evolve.
The Goo Goo Dolls have always walked the tightrope between emotional vulnerability and radio-ready power, and this set leaned into both. From the first notes, frontman John Rzeznik’s voice cut through with the same gravelly resonance that’s anchored their biggest hits, while Robby Takac brought a punk-tinged jolt of energy to the stage that kept the momentum alive between heartfelt ballads and crunchy, guitar-driven tracks.
But this wasn’t just a nostalgia trip. While longtime favorites like “Black Balloon” and “Slide” earned massive crowd singalongs, it was the band’s newest single, “Nothing Lasts Forever,” that offered a compelling reminder that the Goo Goo Dolls are still writing their story. The song felt right at home in the set, melodically familiar, lyrically reflective, and delivered with conviction. It’s the kind of track publicists dream about: accessible yet fresh, and more than worthy of radio and streaming playlist rotation.
The crowd reflected a cross-generational fanbase. You could spot twenty-somethings belting lyrics with as much fervor as those who came of age with Dizzy Up the Girl. The emotional temperature of the room shifted throughout the night, quiet and reverent during stripped-down moments, then erupting in cathartic joy as the band hit those unforgettable choruses. It was clear this wasn’t just another stop on tour for the fans. It was a chapter in their own life soundtracks.
Co-headliners Dashboard Confessional set the tone early with their own brand of raw emotionalism, creating a powerful throughline of introspection and hope that carried into the headliner’s set. For promoters and industry folks alike, this pairing was a strategic hit: two emotionally intelligent bands with loyal followings, complementing rather than competing.
For the Goo Goo Dolls, the Phoenix show reaffirmed what’s kept them relevant all these years: their ability to evolve without abandoning the soul of their sound. And for the fans? It was a night that proved some songs don’t just hold up. They grow with you.
If this show is any indication of what the rest of the tour holds, the Summer Anthem Tour is aptly named.
