Drop Everything and Go See the Foo Fighters in Camden Next Week
When I heard Dave Grohl fell off the stage in Sweden last month and broke his leg, I had two thoughts—I hope he plays the rest of the Foo Fighters tour on a replica of the Iron Throne from Game of Thrones, and I really hope they don’t cancel their Philly dates.
Leave it to the raddest rock-and-roll dad to defy expectations on both counts. Monday’s sold-out show in Camden was an impressive spectacle, a three-hour testament to one man’s refusal to let a busted bone get in the way of a raucous power-chord party. Grohl played nearly the entire set from a custom-built chair decorated with flashing lights, smoke, and guitar necks jutting out like swords in a geeky nod to GoT. What he lacked in mobility, with his right leg in a cast and propped up, Grohl more than made up for with relentless energy and the giddy enthusiasm of a guy who was thrilled to be back on the job. The Foos tore through songs spanning their 20-year catalogue, from “This Is A Call” off their debut album and rare cuts like “Aurora” to tracks from their latest release, Sonic Highways. When the band slowed down mid-set to unplug for “My Hero” and “Times Like These,” Grohl stood center stage on crutches, surrounded by his bandmates. Even the interludes were highlights: band member intros punctuated by snippets of Van Halen and Queen, and Grohl’s lengthy narration of his accident, complete with video footage, photos from the hospital, and the sketch he drew of his captain’s seat while flying high on sedatives. No frontman has better crowd rapport, seated or otherwise.
The show ended fittingly with a high-octane cover of AC/DC’s “Let There Be Rock” and “Best of You,” as both songs served as promises delivered. The Foos return for an encore this Monday, and some lawn seats are still up for grabs. If you’ve hesitated, wondering whether Grohl’s injury would put a damper on the fun, fear not—if anything, his bum wheel has given the whole band a kick in the ass. (And get there early for openers Royal Blood, who threw down a crushing set that was louder and heavier than two men alone have any right to unleash on the public.)
