BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Goo Goo Dolls have been on tour for the past month, but one of the first stops band member Robby Takac made when he got back home to Buffalo was to the corner of Hertel and Lovering Avenues to see the giant mural that pays tribute to the band.
Artist Philip Burke, a friend of Takac, painted a smaller, 2'x6' version last year. Then Zoom Copy, a digital printing company, blew up the artwork so it could be installed on the side of the building. The process is similar to car wraps — just on a much larger scale. Though it looks like paint, it's actually about 15 pieces attached to the building.
Burke wanted the mural to show the band performing, and he watched hours of videos of the band to study Takac and Johnny Rzeznik's facial expressions and body movements.
Burke said the design and installation were a bit tricky because of all of the windows and doors they had to work around, but in the end, he's happy with how it turned out.
Takac said Burke painted the band before, but this mural is different. He said this "feels more like him" than previous paintings. He added that he thinks the mural is a great work of art that captures the spirit of the band and one that is helping to breathe new life into North Buffalo.
"I think that's a huge part of building this downtown community again. For people to just have the confidence that people are paying attention... and what better way to prove that with something this big or so many things this big, all up and down this area. It's drawing people here every day. I am positive of it," said Takac.
The Goo Goo Dolls mural is one of six large murals that has gone up along Hertel Avenue over the past two years. There's also additional artwork in Hertel Alley.