Article and Photos by: Michael W. Bright

Louisville KY— The Goo Goo Dolls Chaos in Bloom tour hit the road in August after the band’s three year hiatus, sponsored by covid. I got the sense that the audience, just like me, was a little tentative at the opening of the performance Saturday night at the Palace. Considering that most of their success, their hit singles, their 5x platinum albums, had come in the last half of the 90’s, would this be an oldies show?

Judging by he excitement that built from a new set opener, “Yeah I Like You,” the first single from their new release, Chaos in Bloom, and the audience’s reaction to it, this certainly would not be an oldies concert experience. The band and their music sounded as fresh as it possibly could.

Following up with one of their biggest hits from ’98 ”Slide,” and polishing off the night with, “Name,” from the 1995 double platinum, A Boy Named Goo, and “Iris,” from the 5x platinum album, Dizzy Up the Girl, (both number one tracks on the Alternative Rock chart) and throwing in a couple of well received songs from the new album demonstrated three and a half decades of relevance and success. 

The tour continues into 2023, and you’ll find info on dates times and places at www.googoodolls.com.