Photo by DYLAN LONG
Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters have had a hectic last couple of weeks, to say the very least. Dave experienced a tumble for the ages in Sweden resulting in a majorly broken leg, forcing the cancellation of many upcoming gigs, including two shows at the prestigious Wembley Stadium. In the hospital, Dave conceptualized an innovative and kickass throne prototype to support him on stage, which his crew wasted no time in bringing to life. The Foos were quickly back in action playing a grandiose 4th Of July throwdown at the RFK Stadium in DC celebrating 20 full years of the band’s history. Three days later, they played the first of two shows at Susquehanna Bank Center. Last night was round two.
After kicking off the sold-out show with two intense classics, “Everlong” and “Pretender,” Dave paused to explain exactly had happened to his leg. Showing clips on the side screens of the exact moment he took his treacherous tumble at the FF show in Sweden and the scrap of paper upon which he designed the majestic throne prototype, he explained why he didn’t just cancel the tour like his doctors told him he should. “I don’t like cancelling shows, I happen to like my fuckin’ job,” he said. Dubbing themselves the “highest paid cover band in America”, the group proceeded to each introduced themselves with covers of solely the first verse and first chorus of classic tunes such as Van Halen’s “Panama,” Yes’ “Heart Of The Sunrise,” and Rush’s “Tom Sawyer.” But the high point of the covers set was a rousing, un-ironic cover of the iconic “Under Pressure” by Queen and Bowie.
And then it was back to the Foo Fighters songbook. Acoustic renditions of “My Hero” and “Times Like These” were contrasted with the heavier hitters “All My Life,” “Outside,” “White Limo” and “Generator.” The vibe amongst the sold out crowd was electric and the Foos were feeding off of it, playing over 25 minutes past the legal curfew, including insane full covers of “Tie Your Mother Down” by Queen and “Detroit Rock City” by Kiss. At long last, after a night of wild solos, countless touching interactions with the fans, and a 29-song setlist, the Foos ended with their emotional rollercoaster of a tune “Best Of You,” which included an intense, Hendrix-esque solo from Dave that highlighted the pure musicianship of this live act. Most other bands would have cancelled their tour after an accident like Dave’s, however Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters love the absolute shit out of what they do, and any option other than continuing to do what they love for who they love was simply not in the cards. In fact, Grohl said the broken leg was a “blessing in disguise,” forcing the band to overcome insurmountable odds and rise to the occasion. Which they did and then some, and Grohl couldn’t have been more proud of his bandmates. As he told the crowd at one point, “The best fuckin’ thing about being in this band, is fuckin’ being in this fuckin’ band.” Well put. — DYLAN LONG