The band’s career-spanning set was a love letter to their fans
It has been a long road back from ruin for Foo Fighters, and here we are.
Over the last two years, we’ve witness one of the more miraculous comebacks in music history. After the shocking passing of drummer Taylor Hawkins in March of 2022, Foo Fighters and their fans were left with their hearts completely shattered. Many wondered if that was it for the storied group, and no one could blame them if it was. They quickly found the strength to carry on, and returned to the stage last May 24 with new drummer Josh Freese.
Since then, the bans has been touring the globe, slowly building show-by-show to a full-scale world tour they are currently in the midst of. The run has been fueled by a brilliant new album, But Here We Are. The record is soaked in tears of grief, and served as a catalyst for the band’s rebirth, rising like a phoenix from the ashes of Hawkins’ passing. It’s sad that one of the band’s best albums was born because of such tragedy, but sadness, unfortunately, is often a tremendous catalyst for great art.
Now, here we are, with Foo Fighters playing stadium shows and rolling through three-hour sets as a tribute to their forever drummer who’s gone now, and a love letter to the fans that never left.
Check out our review of the show and full live galleries of all the bands below.
Amyl and The Sniffers were a fantastic choice to kick off the evening’s festivities. With their punchy style and raw energy, the Aussie punk rockers pulled fans away from the merch tents and got Hersheypark Stadium buzzing. Singer Amy Taylor is an unbridled wild child on stage, captivated the crowd with her crazy hair and vintage performance. While their style is pure punk rock, there’s still plenty of depth to their music. Some great guitar work throughout, with plenty of riffs and hooks to keep even the most basic classic rock fan interested. Dave Grohl has always been great at curating special guests for his shows, and he hit it out of the park once again with Amy and The Sniffers. Seeing them perform was wonderful, but it will be awesome to see them off the leash at a headlining show in a club.
Amyl and The Sniffers recently released two new singles, “U SHOULD NOT BE DOING THAT” and “FACTS.” Recorded with producer Nick Launay (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and released through B2B Records/Virgin Music Group, the tracks are the band’s first new pieces of material since their breakout 2021 album, Comfort to Me. The singles are available now together on an exclusive 7″ vinyl HERE.
Holy smokes – The Hives.
When you talk about live bands that never disappoint, The Hives are somewhere near the top of that list. Always decked out in matching suits with crazy designs, they immediately captivate you with their style. Then the tunes kick in, and you’re hooked. They tore through a 13-song set that included hits like “Bogus Operandi, “Hate to Say I Told You So,” “Walk Idiot Walk,” and more. Guitarist Nicholaus Arson strutted up and down the catwalk showing off in style, while frontman Pelle Almqvist was literally everywhere, even jumping off speakers as the crowd went nuts.
They wrapped things up with their seminal it, “Tick Tick Boom,” to a rave reaction from the crowd. Some fans, who perhaps were not familiar with The Hives, definitely new the song, belting out the chorus. The Hives brought the stadium to a boiling point, and it was ready to explode when Dave Grohl and company took the stage.
Finally, ladies and gentlemen – the Foo Fighters.
After a canceled performance slated for Lincoln Financial Field back in 2022, the sold-out crowd at Hersheypark Stadium could not contain their excitement with the band finally took the stage. After running up and down the catwalk, soaking it all in, Dave Grohl launched the band into their visceral hit, “All My Life.”
What a way to kick things off.
Early on, Grohl conveyed to the crowed that he’s not ashamed to admit that he doesn’t really miss the band’s club days, and lives for “big stadium rock shows.” The capacity crowed agreed with him wholeheartedly. For the rest of the night, despite everything they’ve been through, Foo Fighters proved that they are undoubtedly a stadium act, and rock music’s ultimate torchbearer’s for their generation.
Amidst the barrage of hits in their massive 24-song set was “Times Like These.” Live, the song now starts with just Grohl soulfully singing the first verse and chorus with just Rami Jaffee’s organ playing underneath. While it’s always been a beautiful song, this version – at this point – just hits so much different. Many fans had tears streaming down their faces in a moment of healing and gratitude. There’s not much more to say about it, it’s pretty indescribable.
Other highlights included “Break Out,” “My Hero,” “Learn to Fly, “These Days,” “Monkey Wrench,” and “Aurora,” which was dedicated to the late, great Taylor Hawkins. In fact, many of the band’s songs hit very differently now lyrically. The wrapped things up with their 2005 anthem, “Best of You.” With the crowd not budging one bit from their seats, the band returned for a two track encore of “The Teacher” and their seminal hit, “Everlong.”
Foo Fighters are still one of the best rock shows you’ll ever see. And, they’re not relying on old hits either. The new album is a pillar in their discography, with songs like “Rescued” and “Under You” blending in seamlessly with their other material in a live setting. They’re one of the best to every do it, and rock music needs them more than ever right now. Thankfully, it doesn’t seem like their going anywhere any time soon.
After performing sporadically across North America last year, Foo Fighters’ current United States tour kicked off with back-to-back shows at Citi Field in New York on July 17 and July 18. The run wraps up on August 18 at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, Washington, where frontman Dave Grohl’s old house recently hit the market. Before that, though, the group has added a few North American shows in May.
Foo Fighters’ new album, But Here We Are, arrived last June. The album peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard 200, and topped Billboard’s Rock and Alternative Albums charts. It marked the band’s first release without late drummer Taylor Hawkins since he joined the band for 1999’s There Is Nothing Left to Lose. Dave Grohl recorded all the drums on But Here We Are.
The album garnered the band three 2024 GRAMMY® Award nominations. The LP But Here We Are was up for Best Rock Album, while the record’s lead single “Rescued” was in the running for Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song. Metallica and Arctic Monkeys also grabbed three nods each.
Last May 21, Foo Fighters confirmed new drummer Josh Freese. On May 24, 2023, Foo Fighters made their return to the stage at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion in Gilford, New Hampshire. Over Memorial Day Weekend, the band perform at Boston Calling and Sonic Temple. On May 30, they played an exclusive club show opening the all-new Atlantic in Washington, D.C.
In 2021, Foo Fighters released their last album Medicine at Midnight – their final outing with Hawkins. The record hit No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and took the top spot in several other countries. The album garnered the band three GRAMMY® Awards, including Best Rock Song (“Waiting on a War”), Best Rock Performance (“Making a Fire”), and Best Rock Album.
