Don't be surprised if there is a Goo Goo Doll sighting in downtown State College this weekend.

Bernie Punt, director of sales and marketing at the Bryce Jordan Center, said the band went out to eat in local establishments during other visits because of the knowledge they have of the town.

"They were all over downtown when they were here before," Punt said, and added that lead singer/guitarist Johnny Rzeznick is a fitness buff, who worked out at a local gym before previous Jordan Center dates.

The Goo Goo Dolls will appear at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the center for the fourth time in its career when it opens the show for Bon Jovi.

The band has rocked out in State College even before its appearances at the Center. When the band was a club act, it played some gigs at Crowbar, 420 E. College Ave.

On Jan. 18, 1996, the band opened for Rusted Root, in what was the first rock show at the center, Punt said. The following year the band co-headlined with alternative rockers Bush and No Doubt.

Popularity came to the band when it released the single "Name," from its 1995 release A Boy Named Goo. The jangly acoustic ballad became a staple for the band, and radio's buzz for its unique and recognizable sound followed.

Rzeznick's use of open guitar tunings inspired the hits "Slide," "Black Balloon" and "Iris," all tracks on its follow-up to A Boy Named Goo, 1998's Dizzy Up the Girl. After the release of Dizzy Up the Girl, the band's popularity increased, which led to a 1999 show at the center with Tonic.

Punt said fans of the band will be in for a real treat, as the act's live show is amazing.

"They're awesome," Punt said. "You can't tell if it's studio or live, but they play the songs differently."

George Stone, part of the promotion and marketing department at Warner Bros. Records, worked closely with promoting the band's music to radio and has seen the band 12 times live.

"Their live show rocks," Stone said. "They are just a very good live rock band with mass appeal."

Stone said fans should expect a good mix of songs from the band.

In the spring of 2002, Gutterflower, the band's latest album, hit the record stores, and the band felt a certain pressure to create music as it had in the past. According to a press release, Rzeznick said the band wanted to make a great album with its fourth major label outing.

"There's no way we could rest on our laurels," Rzeznick said. "No matter how successful we were going into this record, we all felt we were starting from scratch, as if we were making a record for the first time. Sure, you learn from experience, but the important thing is to keep it fresh, to stay alive to the possibilities and potential of music. You can never take that for granted."

The Goo Goo Dolls' tour with Bon Jovi is intended to promote both Gutterflower and its new single, "Sympathy," Stone said.

"I think what sets the band apart is two things," Stone said. "One -- its ability to write hit songs -- and two -- it's the hardest working band on the road ever."

The best part about this weekend's show, Punt said, is that it is two big acts co-headlining.

"It's a win-win for the audience," he said. "Naturally, that's why it sold out in a month. It should be one of the highlights of the venue this year."