The Foo Fighters rule.
Went to see them with
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
maverick1303 ,
danlmarmot ,
pinner123 ,
cavbear28 , and non-LJers tatcubsd, cyclingmikeinsd and djv69sd (sdmillertime went too, but didn't sit with us.)
The band played a long set... about 2 hours... with songs spanning their entire repertoire.
Highlights were hearing
My Hero and
Skin and Bones in an amazing acoustic set; an inspiring performance of
Times Like These, with just about everyone singing along; and loud, rocking renditions of
The Pretender and
All My Life.
But for me, the very best part was the opening of the show... they kicked things off with
Let it Die*, my favorite song off the new album. That was just such a rush! And there's something liberating about shaking your fist and shouting back at the stage at the top of your lungs with the song... alongside your partner and 10,000+ other fans... "WHY'D YOU HAVE TO GO AND LET IT DIE?"
Undoubtedly the crowd favorite (and showstopper) was the acoustic version of
Everlong. It was stripped-down at first... just Dave Grohl and his guitar. Every eye was fixed on him, and the crowd sang along in an almost reverent, respectful way. Then the song swelled to a big, loud dramatic finish, with the rest of the band rocking hard. It was perfectly executed.
Dave's vocals were pretty-much right-on all night. I won't say his vocals were "perfect," nor will I say he hit every note. He's not a virtuoso or anything, but his voice just fits the music perfectly. He growls and yells in one song, but then turns-around and gives you a melodic, smooth ballad for the next.
And Dave, it must be said, is just a fucking ball of energy... a lightning bolt, the focal point of the band and the crowd. He seemed to be soaking-up the crowd's energy, then spitting it back out at them as fast as he could. He did not phone it in, nor did the band.
Indeed the only "weak" part of the concert was probably the lights and video. Don't get me wrong. I don't think the band requires any fancy, effects-laden stage production or mammoth video screens. However I thought the staging from their
last SD show was much better; it perfectly complimented the performance without being too flashy. This time around, the lighting felt quite uninspired, and it looked as if not much time or effort was put into the on-screen visuals.
I'm also not sure about the pacing of the set list. It wasn't
bad really. Just seemed slightly out of order.
One more minor gripe. I used to love the song
Monkey Wrench but here it felt obligatory and a bit tired... I could've done without it.
All that being said, it was a rush... a great show, lots of bang for the buck, and some great songs to sing-along to. And it seems like at this point in history there are very few bands that can do a big
rock show like this. (Perhaps U2, and maybe a few others.)
The opening acts were Against Me!, who did an admirable (if somewhat longish) set, while Serj Tankian's performance just fell completely flat on its face, despite a multitude of stage theatrics, costumes and dramatic lighting.
I was happy though because I had a pretty good energy level all night, despite not having slept lately at all. (I didn't tucker-out this time, yay!)
Anyways, we had an amazing time! I'd recommend checking-out the Foo if they come to your town.
* Note: that video is actually from their recent show in Nashville... unfortunately I couldn't find a decent quality video from the SD show.
(Disclaimer... neither the photo, nor the video, are mine.)
Radio JXL: A Broadcast from the Computer Hell Cabin by Junkie XL
