Hey hey In rockers and welcome to the lobby for our monthly visit, I’ve been pretty busy traveling and honestly, just chilling out a bit with my family after a busy holiday season. I’ve been lucky enough to have some sporadic Goo Goo Dolls shows over the last few months in some warm weather places, as it’s been below freezing here in Buffalo, NY for the past few weeks! As our full 2022 N. American tour doesn’t begin until June, I truly appreciate the time we get to spend playing our music for people.

After spending a quiet Christmas here at home with my family, it was time to leave for the first show, and since my daughter was off from school, we thought it would be fun to bring our families along for a little vacation as the show was on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. We went about a week early and spent time snorkeling, having great food and enjoying the beaches and attractions. I’ve been to Hawaii many times and it was a little strange to be vacationing during the constricts of this pandemic, but there were rules and regulations in all the crowded spaces while the beaches and parks felt like there was never a problem to begin with. The world seems to be figuring out ways to handle things while still functioning as best it can.

We mostly shied away from the hustle and bustle of Waikiki Beach staying on the other side of Diamond Head Crater from the strip and the main beaches, and although it rained for the first few days of our trip (but trust me, warm rain in Hawaii beats cold snow in NY) we soaked up the sun and vibes of the Islands. We celebrated New Year’s 2022 on the beach, but because of the rain the fireworks got wet and were a bit late, we hugged and wished for a more “normal” time for all of us after these last few exhausting years.

We snorkeled at Hanauma Bay, a famous snorkeling spot in Hawaii which had been closed to the public for nearly a year, so the reef was teeming with aquatic life because of all the undisturbed time during the lockdown. My daughter has never experienced swimming in the ocean with the creatures that inhabit the reef, so it was a great experience for the whole family. We enjoyed Matsumoto shaved Ice on the North Shore and went to an intimate little Luau at a small private residence called Nutridge Estates nestled in a park on a mountainside outside of Waikiki.

I’ve been to Hawaii many times and it was a little different experience without all the Japanese visitors that were always a part of any trip to the Islands, since there is a 2-week quarantine when returning home there are significantly less visitors from Japan. But we enjoyed the Japanese inspired foods and activities that are melded into the culture of Hawaii! The show we were in Hawaii to perform with the band was a private show at The Bishop Art Museum and with a nice 80-degree night, it provided for a perfect evening for a tropical rock show.

After a few flights we returned home to freezing temperatures and my daughter Hana’s 10th birthday. But there’s no time to rest, the next weekend GGDS had another show in Orlando Florida. This proved another great excuse for my wife and daughter to escape the freezing Buffalo temperatures again, so they joined us for a couple more days and spent a very short time exploring Orlando. We played a show with our friends The Gin Blossoms for a big crowd at the conclusion of an LPGA golf tournament. Sheryl Crow, The Backstreet Boys and Miranda Lambert were among the artists performing during the week-long event. Goo Goo Dolls have a quiet February as we finish up recording for the new release which is due out this Spring. It’ll be here before we know it …

OK, that’s it for this month, back to reality … I hope you are enjoying the winter and I look forward to talking to all of you again here in the pages of the mighty In Rock!

Peace…

Robby