Goo Goo Dolls, Daughtry, Plain White T’s
June 24, 2014
Concrete Street Amphitheater- Corpus Christi, TX
The storm from the night before left Corpus Christi & Concrete Street extremely humid. But this doesn’t stop the diehard fans from coming out to the Amphitheater for a night of atmosphere & wonderment. Walking into the venue, the sound check was underway for the Plain White T’s… Never before was this photojournalist more impressed with a sound check. Never before was this photojournalist a fan of Plain White T’s… That is until this night. The flood gates open and people came streaming in 4×4, making their way to the merchandise centers & concessions. People from every walk of life & age range were in attendance, smiles were written across everyone’s faces as they began taking their seats for the show to begin. Plain White T’s took to the stage with American Night’s. The younger generations who wasn’t yet seated, came running by like a fire had been lit in their enigmatic souls. American Night’s is a beautiful song about rites-of-passage, unbridled, misspent ambitions & adult heartache and is full of harmonizing vocals, in-time guitar playing & phenomenal drumming.
The American, Pop-Punk Band formed in 1997 by classmates Tom Higgenson, Dave Tirio, Ken Fletcher & Steve Mast in Villa Park, Illinois. Gaining popularity in Chicago via the underground basements, clubs, & bar scenes during their early years, the band hit platinum status in 2007 with their No.1 hit Hey There Delilah, earning them 2 Grammy nominations. Plain White T’s hit platinum status two more times in 2009 & 2011 for their hits 1,2,3,4 & Rhythm of Love. Off the bands 3rd EP, Should’ve gone to Bed, Plain White T’s played Helium. An anthem of expression Helium; Tom Higgenson sings about having lived a much fulfilled life at his young age and the legacy he will leave behind when he passes on. Directly after, the band played The Giving Tree; sung by lead guitarist & co-lead singer Tim Lopez. Without hesitation Plain White T’s played 1,2,3,4 & the title track of the EP Should of gone to Bed. Asking for audience participation the band played Hey There Delilah; in unison the fans sung right along with Higgenson, verbatim, as if each one of young women in the crowd was named Delilah. Each one singing from their hearts as if their lives depended on it. The Plain White T’s ended their outstanding set with Rhythm of Love, leaving the stage with a standing ovation.
The sun began ducking behind clouds cooling off the South Texas fans as the Plain White T’s set was taken off the stage. It wasn’t long before Daughtry was making way on stage. Daughtry is fronted by 5th season American Idol finalist Chris Daughtry. Their self-titled debut album was released in 2006. The album reached No.1 status on the Billboard top 200 & sold over four million copies in the United States alone, being certified Quadruple Platinum by the RIAA. Daughtry also became the bestselling album of 2007 by Billboard, becoming the fastest-selling debut rock album in Soundscan history. The album produced four top 20 hits on Billboards top 100, including top 5 hits It’s not over & Home. To- date Daughtry has sold over 7.4 million albums & over 22.6 million digital tracks within the United States, 20.8 million albums & 53.8 million digital downloads worldwide! Daughtry opened his set with his title-track from his 4th studio album Baptized, rocking the crowd to their very core of their existence. The crowd began coming unglued from their seats, as they started 
dancing and singing to such tracks like Feels like Tonight; Over You; Traitor & It’s not Over. Without deviation, Daughtry went on to play What About Now, the 7th single off Daughtry’s debut album, originally written by Ben Moody; David Hodges & Josh Hartzler of Evanescence. Wild Hearts; Battle Ships; Home & September finished up Daughtry’s set but not before a 2 song encore consisting of Waiting for Superman & Long Live Rock & Roll! The ever excited crowd sent Daughtry off the stage with a standing ovation sure to give any performer an adrenalized high from the heavens above.
The time of the night came for the headliner to hit the stage. The lights dimmed & lasers split the sky slowly making its way to the crowd, changing colors from hues of blues, purples, reds & greens. The crowd began screaming louder & louder sounding like a jet plane taking off. The stage lights flash bright & like magic, the Goo Goo Dolls, were on stage in their places. The Goo Goo Dolls formed 28 years ago on Memorial Day in 1986 by front man & lead guitarist John Rzeznik, Bassist & Vocalist Robby Takac & Drummer George Tutuska. (Later Mike Mailinin on drums from 1995 – 2013) Though eminent for their commercial attainment of their 1998 single Iris, the band had a manifold other preeminent hit singles, including Name from their 1995 album A Boy Named Goo, Broadway, Black Balloon & Slide from 1998’s Dizzy Up the Girl; an album which produced 5 successful singles. To-date the Goo Goo Dolls have had 14 top ten single on various charts and has sold over 10 million albums worldwide! Goo Goo Dolls, opened their set with Lazy Eye. The crowd stood up, clapped & swayed along to the beat; Lazy Eye was recorded for the 1997 movie Batman & Robin and is the first studio track to feature Mike Mailinin on drums.
Subsequently the band played Dizzy, the 3rd single released first as a title-track to a four track EP and was re-released on their 6th studio album Dizzy up the Girl. The post-grunge hit, rolled off the bands fingers & tongue, sounding like it did the first time hearing it as a young man in the Midwest; late 90’s. Everyone viewable from the first 5 rows back could be seem singing their hearts out, meaning every bit of it as John Rzeznik paced the staged strumming his guitar & singing. Also off their 6th studio album Goo Goo Dolls also played their 2nd single Slide. Off their 2002 album Gutterflower Goo Goo Dolls played Big Machine, described by Rzeznik as being about a propulsive tale about unrequited love & it seemed to be a crowd favorite judging from the fans response. Without a minute to spread, Goo Goo Dolls kept spitting out the hits like Rebel Beat; When the World Breaks Your Heart; Already There; Bringing on the Light; Come to Me & Black Balloon. The crowd couldn’t contain themselves when their hit single Black Balloon began playing, the crowd began cheering and clapping as the opening chords to the track began.
The night rolled along, as Goo Goo Dolls played almost every hit they have in their musical repertoire; 12 more hits were played after brief conversations with the audience, hits including Name & Iris, sending people on their way home with Broadway as an encore.
A night Corpus Christi will remember for days to come with the songs of Goo Goo Dolls echoing throughout their heads & minds. Couples could be seen dancing their way out of the venue gates as others were singing the lyrics from their favorite songs of the night to their significant others.
Make sure to catch this top notch tour as it as these troubadours turn into your town & city very soon!
Review by: Jared Wingate
Goo Goo Dolls
Plain White T’s
Daughtry
