It’s been a busy 18 months for Buffalo’s Goo Goo Dolls, who’ve been touring hard since February 2006. They’re just about to take their fifth trip to Europe before heading to Japan next month, shortly after the Darien Lake show. Then back to Europe again before returning to the States for three or four more weeks of performances. At which point, the plan is to come back to Buffalo to begin work on a new album at Trackmaster Studios, the great space at Franklin and North Streets where Robbie Takac used to record local bands when the Goo Goo Dolls weren’t using it to polish up songs and demos in the period before “Iris” made the band a global phenomenon. Takac recently spoke to Artvoice, and had this to say about the plan: “We decided it was time to stop buying antiques for people in Los Angeles and start buying some gear for ourselves,” he laughs. “Now we have this amazing facility that’s gonna be like the old classic rooms with a lot of old, vintage gear. John [Rzeznik] has got one of the biggest microphone collections anywhere. So it’s really exciting to bring all that stuff home.” At this Saturday’s show, the band will likely be performing some deeper cuts from their catalog, along with “Before It’s Too Late” from this summer’s Transformers soundtrack. Long-time fans—like the 250,000 who ask for updates via myspace.com/googoodolls—will also be thrilled by an all new multimedia extravaganza with “big, moving motors and lights all over the place. Big rock, man.” They’re joined by special guests Lifehouse and Colbie Caillat.

Saturday, July 28 at 7:30pm Darien Lake Performing Arts Center.

(ticketmaster.com/artist/735190). $25-$49.50