More than three decades after Dave Grohl started the Foo Fighters, on Saturday (8/22), they finally got to headline the iconic Hollywood Bowl.
Sadly the appearance was a little bittersweet as it was part of a four-night farewell to Gustavo Dudamel who had conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic for 17 years and would soon be packing his baton and heading to the Big Apple to become the music director of the New York Philharmonic.
The Bowl was where the youthful, gregarious Dudamel conducted his first concert as L.A. Phil music director in 2009.
You may remember when last year Grohl had joined Dudamel and the orchestra at Coachella for versions of the Foo Fighters' "The Sky Is a Neighborhood" and "Everlong."
That guest appearance must have meant a lot to the drummer/guitarist/singer because when Grohl took to the mic he explained to the sold out crowd that although it's great that the Foos finally got to pack the Bowl, "the main reason for the night [was to] give Gustavo one more big rock show."
Because everyone knows there's very little rock in NYC?
Even though the Foo Fighters are touring behind Your Favorite Toy, their 12th studio album which dropped in April, none of the new album's songs made Saturday's setlist. Instead, the band took the opportunity to utilize the orchestra to enhance some of the deep tracks in their vast catalog and make the special gig truly unique.
"I don’t know if you know, but Foo Fighters has never played the Hollywood Bowl before," Grohl informed the 18,000 braving the near 90 degree heat.
"Usually in this part of the program I ask the audience if they love rock ‘n’ roll music," he continued. "But tonight, I’m gonna ask this question for the first time: Do you love Dudamel? Me too. So let’s play some rock ‘n’ roll for Mr. Dudamel. That’s what we came here to do.”
While there was plenty of rock to be had, before performing "A320," a tune the Foos gave to the Godzilla soundtrack in 1998 (don't laugh, that album featured the Jimmy Page/Puff Daddy banger "Come With Me" and The Wallflowers' cover of David Bowie's "Heroes"), Grohl explained that they'd play as many songs as they could in the time they have been allotted, but they really wanted to play some tunes they might not be that familiar with.
He invited the audience to sit back and enjoy.
The Foos had stopped performing "A320" for decades after having played it three times when it came out and once the year later. They dusted it off in February, 26 years later, as the first song on the setlist at St. James' Church in Ireland.
Were they rehearsing it the four other times they played it this year for this performance? Is this all a symphonic live album in the works?
Other tunes that were revived for the Dudamel treatment were “Razor” (from In Your Honor, 2005) which hadn’t been performed since 2006; “Home” (Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, 2007) which found it's way back to a Foo setlist for the first time since 2007 and was only its fifth known live performance; and “I Should Have Known” (Wasting Light, 2011), which hadn't been played in 14 years.
The LA crowd, who are often criticized for appearing nonplussed because they have "seen it all," appreciated the super deep cuts.
The night ended like all should: hugs, fireworks, smiles, and a top 40 hit to sing to on the way to the parking lot.
The Foo Fighters will take a short break before heading to Brazil for Rock in Rio. Then they come back to North America for a bunch of shows in the US and Canada.
Then in November they head down under. Get your tix on the Foo Fighters website.
Take Cover Tour 2026-2027
09/04 Rock in Rio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
09/08 Opening for AC/DC. St. Louis
09/12 Fargodome, Fargo, ND ^
09/15 Mosaic Stadium, Regina, SK, Canada *^
09/17 Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton, AB, Canada *^
09/20 BC Place, Vancouver, BC, Canada *&
09/24 Bourbon & Beyond, Louisville, KY
09/26 Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV *&
10/03 Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD
10/04 Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT
11/05 Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
11/07 Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville, QLD, Australia
11/10 Accor Stadium, Sydney, NSW, Australia
11/12 McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
11/14 Marvel Stadium, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
11/17 Coopers Stadium, Adelaide, SA, Australia
01/19 One New Zealand Stadium, Christchurch, New Zealand
01/22 Western Springs Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand
01/25 HBF Park, Perth, WA, Australia
01/29 Bengaluru Live, Bangalore, India
01/31 Mahalaxmi Racecourse, Mumbai, Indiawith Queens of the Stone Age
^ with Mannequin Pussy
& with Gouge Away
