Goo Goo Dolls tour set list - new songs & 'Iris'

When the Goo Goo Dolls started making albums in the mid-'80s, the only way performers knew whether the music clicked with fans was to wait for reviews and charts.

Now, if they're not filming every move for a reality show, pop stars have instant access to fans on Facebook and Twitter. For a veteran rock band like the Goo Goo Dolls, the demand for constant contact with the public can, at times, be a bit too much.

Group bassist Robby Takac "is constantly throwing up a webcam when we're working, and I'm like, 'Could you please turn that off?' " said lead singer Johnny Rzeznik. He and the rest of the band headline The NorVa on Wednesday night. "There's a reason your personal life is called a personal life. It's not supposed to be shared."

Although the Goo Goo Dolls are well established, with more than 10 million albums sold, Rzeznik said the band still benefits from social media.

They will be relying a lot on the Internet to promote their new album, "Something for the Rest of Us," due out this summer. The band is on a 50-city tour, performing the hits "Name" and "Iris" and previewing several new songs.

"It's kinda odd, because people listen to them and they don't know how to react," Rzeznik said.

"It's like, 'Uh, I don't know that song yet.' You sorta measure the crowd's reaction. And if they don't dig that particular song, you pull it out."

The Internet may have made it much easier to introduce new songs to the fans. But in concert, it's almost always about the greatest hits.

"The fans still need time with the new songs," Rzeznik said. "We do a lot of Twittering and get a lot of e-mail. They always tell us what they want to hear."

Rashod Ollison, (757) 446-2732 rashod.ollison@pilotonline.com. 

Read Rashod's blog, Behind the Groove.