Why the Foo Fighters are one of the great bands of our generation
Last week I actually paid for tickets to see a concert - the Foo Fighters at the Spectrum. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’ve had the opportunity to see concert after concert over the past few years - and I’ve seen some pretty darn good ones.
However, very few bands could even be placed in the same category as the Foos, both in terms of their music as well as the quality of their performance. It’s one thing for bands who have played together for a while to just go on tours, sing their set lists, and have their token crowd interaction. But what’s very, very difficult to pull off is having that certain je ne sais quoi: stage presence, unique musical arrangements, playing on the crowd’s emotion, making it impossible to not want to see (or hear) more.
Dave Grohl & co. do all that and more. Generally, I hate large “arena-sized” shows because you always feel so removed from what’s going on onstage. So what did the Foo Fighters do at the Spectrum? They created a second stage in the middle of the floor and played several songs in the round for people farthest away from the main stage. Also, they used a large ramp for Dave to run back and forth on while the crowd went crazy.
And it isn’t just Dave - everyone in the band has stage presence. From Taylor Hawkin’s drum solo to even a special “triangle solo” by Drew Hester, the members all work off each other with tremendous cohesion. Jessy Greene, who has been playing the cello and violin on this tour, also sang a duet with Dave during the encore (for “Big Me”).
There is a reason the Foo Fighters win Grammy Awards, have sold out concerts, and consistently come up with platinum albums: they are one of the great rock bands of our generation. Ironically, Dave kept referencing The Grateful Dead’s soldout concert reign at The Spectrum - pointing to the banner honoring the feat.
The Foo Fighters speak to the Gen-Y-ers who came out of the Nirvana grunge era - they speak to thirty and forty-something parents as well as to twenty-somethings. And, they speak to younger kids (12? 10? 8?) just starting to hear their new stuff. The crowd really did feature 7 year olds to 45 year olds - signifying that the Foo Fighters are truly great. Not just good. Not just producing a couple hit songs. Not just playing a kick ass concert. Not a band you like to simply chill out to. The Foo Fighters are a great rock band.
Pearl Jam, U2, Green Day - sure, they’re in that same category. But last night was about Dave Groehl and the Foos - reminding me why I enjoy music and keep coming back for more.