LIVE REVIEW + PHOTOS: Goo Goo Dolls, Dashboard Confessional in Boston, MA (07.29.25)
Last Tuesday was a balmy night for an outdoor show, with temperatures still in the 90s at 8 pm. However, the Goo Goo Dolls and Dashboard fans were undeterred, making their way to the iconic Leader Bank Pavilion that night. A ever so often briney wave of salt breeze, courtesy of the harbor directly next to the venue, was greatly appreciated as those in the crowd got to truly fall into their feelings for the almost two hour performance from the Goo Goo Dolls as well as a solid nearly hour long set from the direct support artist, the just as loved Dashboard Confessional.
Dashboard and Goo Goo Dolls are no strangers to this stage, and have become a bit of a summer institution; a performance from both being typically something you can at least count on being able to enjoy at least every two years, despite the amount of touring under each band’s belts, respectively.
Last time I caught Dashboard Confessional, despite them being in town just last fall with Boys Like Girls, was at the same spot opening up for Counting Crows. The band was then introduced by Adam Duritz of the Crows himself, saying, how he was unsure “how we were able to get America’s greatest rock band to open up for us.” It was a special tour, the first tour back for Chris Carrabba and the band since he recovered from a severe accident during the COVID era. It was a healing, story-filled set that balanced all the crowd’s favorites. The crowd at that show only had a few people standing up, one very sweet fan screaming, “I love Chris Carrabba and I don’t care who knows it.”
This time around, there were clear pockets of fans that stood up for the entirety of the set, not just for the trio of songs that rounded out the band’s set with unquestionably three of the biggest songs of the band’s career respectively, with, “Screaming Infidelities,” “Vindicated,” and “Hands Down”. With the band’s clear practice they’ve been able to have since returning to touring, it was a veteran performance. And while there was noticeably not as much storytelling this time, it allowed the band to focus on the music, to the glee of those dedicated fans in attendance.
Coming out to the comically sweet tune of the classic, “Our Lips Are Sealed,” the band strolled onto the stage, quickly jumping into the first track of the night with “The Best Deceptions,” with those early pockets of fans jumping up as aforementioned, and that didn’t stop until the the second the band walked off the stage. While the interaction was non-existent in the first half of the set with moments like “Southbound and Sinking,” just before the band broke into one of their bigger hits, “Sirens and Sailors,” Chris chose that moment to break that silence. Simply saying, “Hello, we’re happy to see you, we’re Dashboard Confessional,” it was game on from there.
Be it before one of my standouts always in a Dashboard set, before “Stolen,” Carrabba said, “I feel like I don’t even have to ask because this is a Goo Goo Dolls show but is it okay if we play a love song,” to just a song or two later as the band broke into the hits parade talked about earlier, it was then a short sentence at least between each song. As the band propelled into the finale, a few tracks of their set, it was clear that the cross-over audience here was shared with Goo Goo Dolls, as the whole crowd seemed to shoot up out of their seats as the band played the opening notes of “Vindicated,”. With the former and the latter with “Screaming Infidelities,” the crowd came alive with roaring sing-alongs to the choruses of both tracks. The last moments from Carrabba came with him saying, “Thank you guys for such a beautiful night. This song is about the best day I’ve ever had in my life,” before careening into the final track of the night, “Hands Down.”
As the band departed the set to a well-earned round of applause and plenty of cheers, the crowd didn’t wait long for the next and headlining act of the night, the Goo Goo Dolls, with Johnny Rzeznik and, just as long a full-time member, Robby Takac leading the band on stage for the almost two-hour set. The joy came early for those in attendance, with easily one of their biggest numbers, “Slide,” coming in at only the second track of the set for the band. “Slide” was swiftly followed up by “Black Balloon,” only the fifth track of the night, and of course, accompanied by a sea of actual black balloons. The last time I saw the band play was in 2011, when they played the same venue with Michelle Branch and now-defunct Parachute in tow. It is embarrassing for me not to have been in attendance since then, not for the band, as their performances are simply something you cannot miss. Something even more impressive is the fact that Rzeznik and Takac started the Goo Goo Dolls just under forty years ago; a friendship and stage presence that is still as solid today. One thing I do remember from that show was the sea of black balloons that went up in the air and while in an interview with Michelle Branch at the time, being privy to hearing their group chant before headed to the stage, Branch referring to it, as “oh, there go the boys,” while we were chatting.
It’s a chemistry between the two, and their live band that accompanies them on stage, that couldn’t be questioned; some of these live members have been with them on tour for almost ten years, eight years. And that chemistry shone throughout the night. Post the previously talked about “Black Balloon,” this is when Johnny’s first interaction came with the crowd, and like Carrabba from Dashboard, it never stopped from there. Saying, “We have a very long checkered history with this city,” and sharing about how Boston was the first place the band played besides their hometown, Buffalo, and then quipping, “I passed out cold many times in this city. Thank you for that.” Robby followed this up with, “We’re going to play some new songs, we’re going to play some old songs. This is an old one,” before jumping into the duo of “Dizzy” and “Sympathy,” with the latter starting with an acoustic moment from Johnny.
Before the beginning of “Sympathy,” Johnny said, “I read on the internet that I wear a wig. If you want to know something, just ask.” At this point, someone threw up a cowboy hat on stage and Johnny continued to shimmer with wit, trying it on while saying, “I’m only going to wear this when I’m alone. I would love to take this hat from you, but it doesn’t fit my big pollock head.” Jumping into “Name,” right after, Rzeznik said, “This is the first song that was a ‘hit’ of ours,” the night propelled from there.
While it slowed down with some beautiful moments like “Stay with You,” and Robby taking the microphone, to massive cheers from the audience, it should be said, for “Life’s a Message,” and “Bringing On The Light,” the energy swooshed back to full fruition with “Broadway.” A clear favorite of the band’s, if the crowd’s massive response had anything to do with it, and from here the band kept up the energy with an iconic cover of Tom Petty’s “You Wreck Me.” The ending song of the set was clear what was to come, as the band jumped into “Iris,” as the crowd truly exploded to easily one of the band’s most loved numbers. About two minutes into the song, people started to disperse as Johnny and the band moved into the last chorus. Those leaving sang every word as they wandered back into the reality they had escaped during the evening’s performance. As the lights shimmered on the tent and Goo Goo Dolls finished out yet another of their perfectly practiced live performances, it was the perfect mid-week adventure in this city of ours.
They will be back in the New England area tomorrow night, just a short drive across the border in Manchester, New Hampshire, if you’d like a repeat. As well, the tour hits Bangor, Maine, tonight if that’s closer to you!
Photos – Goo Goo Dolls, Dashboard Confessional at Leader Bank Pavilion in Boston, MA on July 29th: (All photos by Mike Von Villas)
