LUBBOCK, TX (KCBD) – Texas Tech will hold its homecoming pep rally, bonfire and concert Oct. 16 at Urbanovsky Park, featuring performances by Goo Goo Dolls and Bowling for Soup. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. and is free to attend.
LINK: Official events page for Texas Tech Homecoming
Entertainment
Goo Goo Dolls were formed by John Rzeznik and Robby Takac in Buffalo, New York, in 1986. The group has sold 15 million records worldwide, received four Grammy Award nominations, and achieved 16 No. 1 and Top 10 hits, holding the all-time radio record for “Most Top 10 Singles.”
The band’s album “A Boy Named Goo” (1995) has gone double-platinum, and “Dizzy Up The Girl” has gone five-times-platinum. “Gutterflower” (2002) and “Let Love In” (2006) both went gold, while “Something for the Rest of Us” (2010) and “Magnetic” (2013) placed in the Top 10 of the Billboard Top 200.
The song “Iris” held No. 1 on the Hot 100 for 18 straight weeks and was named the “#1 Top 40 Song of the Last 20 Years.” The track recently achieved seven-times-platinum status and re-entered the Billboard charts following a resurgence on TikTok.
Bowling for Soup was formed in Wichita Falls, Texas, in 1994 before relocating to Denton. The band gained attention in the U.K. in 2000 with “The Bitch Song” and has released hits including “Girl All the Bad Guys Want,” which received a Grammy nomination in 2003, along with “1985,” “Punk Rock 101” and “High School Never Ends.” The band also recorded theme songs for “Jimmy Neutron” and “Phineas and Ferb.”
This year, Bowling for Soup marked its 30th anniversary with sold-out tours across the U.S., U.K. and Australia, and marked 20 years since the release of its album “A Hangover You Don’t Deserve.” Guitarist Chris Burney retired in early 2025 due to health concerns. The band continues with Jaret Reddick on vocals and guitar, Gary Wiseman on drums and Rob Felicetti on bass.
The band is also working on an upcoming live acoustic album titled “Stoked on Trent,” a pop-punk covers album and a live album recorded in Manchester, U.K.
Event details
The stage will be located immediately east of United Supermarkets Arena on the Student Recreation Fields, facing the bonfire pit. Gates open at 6 p.m. Tickets are not required for the free event.
Security screening is required for all guests, and prohibited items cannot be left at the gates. Prohibited items include food and beverages, including alcohol; firearms, weapons, explosives and fireworks; animals, except service animals; bags not permitted under the clear bag policy; commercial cameras and video equipment; coolers and containers; smoking, including electronic cigarettes and vaping; throwing objects; and tortillas. Strollers and chairs are permitted but must go through security screening.
Under the clear bag policy, allowed bags include clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bags no larger than 12 inches by 6 inches by 12 inches, one-gallon clear plastic freezer bags, and small clutch bags approximately the size of a hand. Exceptions will be made for medically necessary items, and all bags are subject to search. Purses larger than a clutch, backpacks, fanny packs, cinch bags, briefcases, computer bags and diaper bags are not permitted, and bringing them is grounds for dismissal from the event.
Medical services will be available at First Aid stations on both sides of the concert stage. Event staff or police officers can be contacted in case of an emergency.
Concert merchandise for Goo Goo Dolls and Bowling for Soup, along with Evermore Exclusives merchandise, will be available for purchase. Food trucks and portable restrooms will be available inside the gated perimeter of the concert site.
During the event, Texas Tech will provide an update on its comprehensive campaign, ON&ON, which the university says is helping chart its path forward as it enters its second century. Students, alumni, faculty and staff are invited.
Parking and street closures
Public parking will be available after 5:30 p.m. in commuter lots west of United Supermarkets Arena, including C-10, C-12, C-14, C-15 and C-16, as well as R-18, R-25, R-5 and R-1. Attendees who park before 5:30 p.m. are at risk of citation. ADA parking will be available in lot R-37, located on the west side of United Supermarkets Arena.
18th Street between Flint Avenue and the Texas Tech Parkway will be closed to through traffic.
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