Music is an enigmatic art form with a remarkable ability to tune into and resonate with humankind’s vast array of emotive frequencies. It captures feelings ranging from joy to sorrow and everything in between, inexplicably imprinting them as magnetic moments- recollections within the mind that can be unlocked through the heart and retrieved at any point throughout a lifetime. Musicians have an innate ability to tap into music’s ethereal qualities with the Foo Fighters being one of the most dynamic and successful bands able to do this inadvertently.
Over the course of their nearly 30-years together, Foo Fighters-led by founder and frontman Dave Grohl, along with Nate Mendel (bass) Chris Shiflett (lead guitar), Pat Smear (rhythm guitar), Rami Jaffee (keyboards), and Josh Freese (drums), who gracefully took over Taylor Hawkins’ role after his passing in 2022- have consistently demonstrated an indelible ability to embrace music’s mysterious qualities by creating memorable songs for all to enjoy and sing.
The intrinsic connection Foo Fighters have with people is evident worldwide, displayed in their ability to sell out shows wherever they go. This theory was proven true when the band set foot in Seattle to conclude their year-and-a-half-long “Everything or Nothing at All” global tour in support of But Here We Are.
Foo Fighters’ entrance back into the Emerald City held special significance for Seattleites, and perhaps the band as well, for twofold reasons: it was the place where Dave Grohl, in the wake of Nirvana after Kurt Cobain’s death, decided to continue creating and embark on a new musical journey (fortunately, he chose to do so).
Additionally, it was the first time the Foos returned to their initial stomping grounds without the beloved and extremely talented drummer Taylor Hawkins. While the weight of these losses was acknowledged by Dave and the band throughout the night, it was most poignantly expressed in the delivery of their songs, with Foo Fighters along with their fans sending out “notes” of love to the two souls above, as all rocked-out below, horns-up in sheer delight.
The collaborative, synergetic relationship between Foo Fighters and their concertgoers served as a throughline during the nearly three-hour show, with the band making sure to take their fans on a maximum overdrive exploration of emotions.
Perhaps more noteworthy though, in doing so, the Foos added a hidden layer within their performance, offering those in attendance a masterclass in how to “tour like a rockstar”- at least symbolically. In short, the band gave hints as well as secrets to their success, by showing how rhythm, melodies and words can be delivered when performed live - with sincere, wholehearted intensity. Below is their eight-point syllabus.
One: Begin the set with songs that highlight a band’s distinct sonic vernacular and step onto the stage with emotion that matches. The Foos had this down pat. They emerged through a cloud of smoldering cyber-smoke while strumming a few sustained open chords. Grohl added to the atmosphere by running across the stage, holding his hands high, giving everyone in the stadium a rock-on salutation. Grabbing his mic he let out a caterwauling wail “Are you mother f****rs ready for the last show of the tour tonight? —me too!,” as the band drove into the saturated percussive chug of “All My Life” from 1999’s There is Nothing Left to Lose.
This high-octane energy continued as the dynamos of modern-day rock-and-roll blitzed into the Motörhead-leaning “No Son of Mine” from 2021’s Medicine at Midnight, made complete by slyly interspersing metalized guitar riffs from rock stalwarts including AC/DC, Black Sabbath, and Metallica. The Foos followed suit with the equally powerful and anthemic “The Pretender” from 2007’s Echoes, Silence, Patience, & Grace.
Two: Ensure the painstaking layered sounds created in the studio resonate in the live performance, while still making an impact. For Foo Fighters this meant making sure their sheer rock ferocity, sacrilegious screams, as well as sweet choruses and euphonic melodies hit the right frequency. While the band and their crew executed this effortlessly throughout the show, the exquisitely arranged and electrifying “Times Like These” from 2002’s One by One, and the bass thud and sludge-driven “La Dee Da” from 2017’s Concrete and Gold were a few standouts.
Three: Pay homage to musical heroes. Foos Fighters accomplished this in person by having The Pretenders, one of the most iconic rock bands in history, and one of Taylor’s favorites, being on the bill. The ever-affable rock stars also honored their musical idols in a symbolic fashion. After performing their hit “Break Out” from 1999’s There is Nothing Left to Lose, Dave, Chris, Nate, Pat, Rami and Josh incorporated snippets of songs from bands they admire – “Eruption,” ”Thunderstruck,” “Sabotage,” ”Blitzkrieg Bop,” and “March of the Pigs” -into the set.
Four: Make sure fans feel part of the show by including chart toppers that tug at the heart. Case in point: the entire stadium sang “My Hero” from 1997’s The Colour and the Shape, along with Dave without any prompting, while a simple dramatic pause just prior to the last chorus in “These Days” from 2011’s Wasting Light led the fans into in a full-on hands up frenzy.
Five: Include dynamics, a few serene moments to provide a natural musical ebb and flow during the show. The acoustic version of “Skin and Bones,” complete with an accordion solo dedicated to fellow Seattle hero the late Mark Lanagan of Screaming Trees, and “Big Me,” dedicated to Krist Novoselic of Nirvana, were both moments in time for fans to take a breath and enjoy the breadth of the band’s musical arc.
Six: Perform songs that are instantly recognizable or strike a chord with the human heart. Foo Fighters could essentially pick almost any song from their vast sonic library, but Dave and company’s nostalgic alt-rock gem “Call to All,” from Foo Fighters 1995 self-titled first release, and the anthemic “These Days,” (Wasting Light) were a few choice standouts.
Seven: Set the significance of the tour and the show. For Foo Fighters, their association with the Emerald City runs deep, starting with Dave’s arrival in the PNW after leaving his role as the drummer for the hardcore band Scream to join Nirvana. The song “Aurora” from 1999’s There is Nothing Left to Lose carried dual weight.
The title was derived from Aurora - the long road that Dave drove along as it channeled its way through Seattle - and it being Taylor Hawkins’ favorite song. This duality was eloquently addressed by Dave: “we miss him very much…this song is dedicated to Taylor.” His words were marked with a beautiful backdrop including a highlighted silhouette of giant hawk.
Eight: Make the encore memorable, with moments showcasing the present, while celebrating the past and looking toward the future. Foo Fighters nailed their eighth lesson in spades by ending their rock spectacle with an introspective, psychedelic-stylized song “The Teacher,” dedicated by Dave to “all the teachers out there” as a nod to his late mother.
As the last chords drifted into the atmosphere, concertgoers wondered if this meant the end of the show- but Foo Fighters, were far from done. Dave returned to the mic, stating, “I don’t like good-byes, I’m more of a seeing you around kind of guy,” and hinted perhaps something more would be in store for Seattle in the next year as the band neared its 30 year anniversary.
His suggestion was met with huge cheers, which ignited the Foo Fighters again, belting out their classic, salty -screaming-meets-sweetly singing serenade, “Everlong” (The Colour and the Shape) as fireworks exploded in the sky. In the end, the band exited behind the risers while Dave set his guitar down on stage, strumming it once more. Its resonance perhaps calling Foo Fighters back to where it all began, their true North.
In the aftermath as contrails evaporated, a few lingering silhouettes of seagulls known to fly over Seattle at night could be seen above the open air stadium, and while hawks are not known to soar at night, it was said a bird of prey might circling and if true, what a sight.
Setlist
All My Life
No Son of Mine – Including snippets of AC/DC's "Dirty Deeds", Black Sabbath's "Paranoid", and Metallica's "Enter Sandman"
The Pretender
Walk
Times Like These
Generator
La Dee Da
Breakout --Followed by snippets of “Eruption,” “Thunderstruck,” “Sabotage,” ”Blitzkrieg Bop,” and “March of the Pigs.”
My Hero
The Sky Is a Neighborhood
Learn to Fly
Arlandria
These Days
Skin and Bones
Big Me
Under You
Nothing at All -Snippet of The Beatles' "Blackbird"
This Is a Call
Monkey Wrench
Aurora
New Way Home
Best of You
Encore:
The Teacher
Everlong
