The Foo Fighters are the unappreciated workhorses of mainstream rock. The quartet, led by Dave Grohl, sprang from the ashes of Nirvana in 1995, and over the course of four albums and a few lineup changes, they've turned out some of the best hard rock of the past 10 years. They've also had quite a few radio hits and built up a loyal following, thanks to heavy touring. Yet rarely do lists of the "biggest rock bands in the world" include Grohl and his crew, which is a damn shame, since they really are one of the best rock bands around.
In town to play the Billboard Music Awards, the Foos delivered an energetic set of catchy, powerful rock at the House of Blues. Grohl and his cohorts were clearly in a good mood, cracking jokes about the Billboard show (which Grohl referred to as "that Billboard bullshit"), their roadies and the audience. This was the band's first show in months and its last for a while, but they were a tight unit, especially guitarist-singer Grohl and powerhouse drummer Taylor Hawkins.
Grohl joked about coming back to play "the arena down the street," and he showed his classic-rock tendencies with extended jams on "Have It All" and "Stacked Actors." Grohl traded solos with Hawkins, who proved he's one of rock's most underappreciated resources, with guitarist Chris Shiflett and bassist Nate Mendel holding the songs together.
The jams were balanced nicely with a selection of the group's hits, from the recent "All My Life" back to "Monkey Wrench," although tunes from the first Foos album were limited to one. Grohl, chewing his trademark gum, delivered every song with passion, often devolving into screams at the end of his well-crafted hooks. He had quieter moments, too, including a stripped-down version of "Tired of You" and the opening of "Breakout." "This is my sensitive moment," he playfully chastised the audience when they sang ahead of him.
Grohl's greatest strength is that he can have a sensitive moment and then crack jokes a few minutes later, and the entire show felt like a casual gathering to watch your friend's freakishly good band practice in the back yard. Despite their seeming anonymity, the Foo Fighters probably could fill the arena down the street the next time they hit town, but they're much better appreciated in the club setting, where everyone gets to be in on the joke.