The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization is partnering with music festivals and musicians to increase awareness of the benefits of hospice for veterans and their families. Musikfest and the Goo Goo Dolls’ show on 8/7 are mentioned below as being partners in this endeavor.

http://www.cbsatlanta.com/story/18892070/nhpco-kicks-off-national-summer-tour-with-music-industry-partnerships-reaching-over-two-million

NHPCO Kicks off National Summer Tour with Music Industry: Partnerships Reaching Over Two Million

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SOURCE National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization

WASHINGTON, June 27, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) kicks off a National Summer Tour on the benefits of hospice, reaching more than two million people through partnerships with seven music festivals across the country – and more top artists, musicians and venues in the works. Hospice assists patients with terminal illnesses and their families.

“Starting now and through the fall, we are partnering with music festivals across genres and the country to increase information and public awareness on the benefits of hospice.  We are working together with key music festivals, organizations and top musicians to bring the power of music, hospice and palliative care to veterans, children and their families,” said Don Schumacher, CEO and President, NHPCO. “We are throwing a boulder, as a force for positive social change.”

For many years, hospices have used music as a powerful tool to bring comfort and hope to those they care for.  Through this partnership with music festivals and artists, who reach so many lives in a positive way, two very different industries are joining for powerful good.

Festivals include Summerfest in Milwaukee, WI, June 27 to July 1 and July 3 to 8; Musikfest in Bethlehem, PA, August 3 through 12 (partnering with The Goo Goo Dolls and The Dukes of September, Boz Scaggs, Donald Fagen and Michael McDonald);  Forecastle in Louisville, Kentucky, July 13-15 (featuring Wilco and Beach House); with Breckenridge Music Festival, June 22 to August 18, and July 26 (at The American Dream:  Festival Orchestra Series); Telluride Jazz Festival – August 3 to 5; Cape Cod at Provincetown Jazz Festival, August 11 to 13; and Miami Jazz Festival November 17-18.

“We cannot think of a better fit.  There are few organizations in the world that do as good a job at providing exceptional care as hospice, ” said Telluride Society for Jazz Executive Director Paul Machado.

Published: Tuesday, August 07, 2012, 9:39 PM     Updated: Wednesday, August 08, 2012, 5:19 PM

By Dustin Schoof | The Express-Times
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Enlarge Bill Adams | The Express-Times The Goo Goo Dolls performed to a near full house Tuesday evening at the Sands Steel Stage. Express-Times Photo | BILL ADAMS The Goo Goo Dolls at Musikfest 2012gallery (16 photos)

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Goo Goo Dolls are known for their numerous crowd-friendly, arena-tailored sing-alongs.

Tonight the band gave the people exactly what they wanted: a spirited and energetic blast of up- and mid-tempo pop rock. The band didn’t waste any time jumping into the hits. By the second song, “Slide,” the crowd was already on their feet, singing along in full force.

“Here is Gone,” and later, “Naked,” also had a good portion of the crowd sharing vocal duties with singer-guitarist Johnny Rzeznik.

Rzeznik’s voice, though showing the faintest trace of hoarseness, was the strongest of the night. Bassist Robby Takac, thumping along his four-string, came off flat and, dare I say, a tad whiny when handling leads (this was especially true of the punkier “Tucked Away”), but they were enthusiastic attempts nonetheless.

Vocal discrepancies aside, the music was solid, punctuated by driving numbers such as “Stay With You” and their hit ballad, “Name.” There is no doubt that the Goo Goo Dolls have serious musical chops. The group sounded tight and flawless throughout their set.  

Musikfest 2012: The Goo Goo Dolls Watch video

“Some of you are old enough to remember when this song came out,” Rzeznik said of “Name,” which hit radio airwaves all the way back in 1995.

It’s hard to argue against Rzeznik and Takac’s songwriting skills. Skills that, since their inception in 1985, have yielded a plethora of well-crafted, infectious pop rock that the crowd ate up.

From the opening notes to final chord strums, fans stood at attention, mouthing along to Rzeznik and the band as they kept spirits high with favorites such as “Black Balloon” and “Let Love In.”

Rzeznik took a moment under the spotlight for a solo run through “Can’t Let It Go,” easily one of the highlights of the evening.

Hailing from Virginia, guitarist George Dennehy set the mood early on with a two-song opening set. Dennehy, born in Romania without arms, played an acoustic guitar with his feet. It was a moving and unabashedly impressive performance that drew the crowd to its feet for a standing ovation. Dennehy later joined the band on stage to play acoustic guitar on “Iris.”

 

Published: Tuesday, August 07, 2012, 9:39 PM     Updated: Wednesday, August 08, 2012, 5:19 PM

By Dustin Schoof | The Express-Times
Follow

Enlarge Bill Adams | The Express-Times The Goo Goo Dolls performed to a near full house Tuesday evening at the Sands Steel Stage. Express-Times Photo | BILL ADAMS The Goo Goo Dolls at Musikfest 2012gallery (16 photos)

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Goo Goo Dolls are known for their numerous crowd-friendly, arena-tailored sing-alongs.

Tonight the band gave the people exactly what they wanted: a spirited and energetic blast of up- and mid-tempo pop rock. The band didn’t waste any time jumping into the hits. By the second song, “Slide,” the crowd was already on their feet, singing along in full force.

“Here is Gone,” and later, “Naked,” also had a good portion of the crowd sharing vocal duties with singer-guitarist Johnny Rzeznik.

Rzeznik’s voice, though showing the faintest trace of hoarseness, was the strongest of the night. Bassist Robby Takac, thumping along his four-string, came off flat and, dare I say, a tad whiny when handling leads (this was especially true of the punkier “Tucked Away”), but they were enthusiastic attempts nonetheless.

Vocal discrepancies aside, the music was solid, punctuated by driving numbers such as “Stay With You” and their hit ballad, “Name.” There is no doubt that the Goo Goo Dolls have serious musical chops. The group sounded tight and flawless throughout their set.  

Musikfest 2012: The Goo Goo Dolls Watch video

“Some of you are old enough to remember when this song came out,” Rzeznik said of “Name,” which hit radio airwaves all the way back in 1995.

It’s hard to argue against Rzeznik and Takac’s songwriting skills. Skills that, since their inception in 1985, have yielded a plethora of well-crafted, infectious pop rock that the crowd ate up.

From the opening notes to final chord strums, fans stood at attention, mouthing along to Rzeznik and the band as they kept spirits high with favorites such as “Black Balloon” and “Let Love In.”

Rzeznik took a moment under the spotlight for a solo run through “Can’t Let It Go,” easily one of the highlights of the evening.

Hailing from Virginia, guitarist George Dennehy set the mood early on with a two-song opening set. Dennehy, born in Romania without arms, played an acoustic guitar with his feet. It was a moving and unabashedly impressive performance that drew the crowd to its feet for a standing ovation. Dennehy later joined the band on stage to play acoustic guitar on “Iris.”

 

August 8, 2012

Posted by John J. Moser at 08:27:58 AM on August 8, 2012

The Goo Goo Dolls’ show Tuesday at Musikfest’s main Steel Stage in South Bethlehem wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t even as good as the group’s show at Reading’s Performing Arts Center in November.

Goo Goo Dolls’ Johnny Rzeznik at Musikfest
Photos by Donna Fisher/The Morning Call

But there still was enough in the 19-song show, which lasted just short of 80 minutes, to make it very good, with some highlights that hit the heights of the group’s previous shows.

The biggest fault was inconsistency: After the group started with oomph on “Sweetest Lie,” singer Johnny Rzeznik’s voice faulted slightly on “Slide,” and there apparently were sound issues, as well – Rzeznik exchanged acoustic guitars mid-song.

After a draggy “Here Is Gone,” bassist Robbbie Takac sang nice versions of the more punky “Smash” and “January Friend” – the latter of which found his voice croak-y, but emphatic. And good.

        Rzeznik, left, and bassist Robbie Takac

But then the start to “Big Machine” was almost unrecognizable, even if it did have lots of energy.

And after an especially good “Naked” had a strong dynamic and nice rock vibe – including Rzeznik’s first lead guitar solo; he had left earlier leads up to a backing guitarist – several of the band’s biggest hits failed to soar the way they should.

“Name” was good, ending with Rzeznik alone on acoustic guitar, and “Black Balloon” was still a lovely, meaningful song, even if not nearly as buoyant – played more as a straight-forward rocker. “Home” also didn’t soar as much, though it still worked.

None of that is meant to be strong criticism. Those all are good songs and even diminished performances were good. It just seemed as if they could have been better.

Takac

But the concert seemed to suddenly change in The Goos’ favor when Takac sang “Now I Hear” from the group’s most recent disc, “Something for the Rest of Us.” Takac’s more punky songs often are at odds with the band’s big ballads, but with all of the songs having a more rock take, it fit right in.

And then  Rzeznik took a solo turn, alone and playing acoustic on “Can’t Let Go.” He introduced it by saying, “It might work and it might not. We’ll see.” But perhaps that spontaneity was what was needed: It was Rzeznik’s best singing to that point, and his guitar-playing was elevated, as well.

After that combination of songs, the concert seemed to click. “Let Love In” also didn’t soar as much, but still was good enough to have the crowd clapping along.  Rzeznik seemed to sense a lesser song like “Better Days” needed extra effort, and – the singer far out in front in which spotlights — his voice finally soared.

“This is our song tonight!” Rzeznik told the crowd.

“Broadway” also was nearer to what it should be, with the backup keyboard player coming out to play a sax solo. When the crowd finished the chorus’ line “waiting for his turn to die,” Rzeznik let loose with a spontaneous “yeah!”

But perhaps the highlight of the show was when, for the main set’s closing song, The Goo Goo Dolls brought out George Dennehy, an 18-year-old who, born without arms and orphaned in Romania, became an Internet sensation with a video of him playing The Goos’ “Iris” with his feet.

Dennehy joined the group on that song, playing guitar and singing a verse. While it maintained its boiling tension, it also was a celebration, and the crowd joined in on the chorus before giving Dennehy and The Goos a standing ovation. And the teen walked off with Rzeznik.

The group returned for a good, more uplifting “Give a Little Bit,” but the most uplifting moment had passed.

Dennehy earlier played two songs: Arash’s “Broken Angel” alone on guitar and Pink’s “Perfect” with a drummer. He said the latter has “meant a lot to me in the past two years. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you’ve been – you’re special.”

“I’m incredibly blessed,” he told the crowd after performing. “This is beyond anything I ever imagined.”