I was a little apprehensive going into the Dos Equis Pavillion to watch a Taylor Hawkins-less Foo Fighters take the stage. I'd heard rumblings the songs sounded a little different but no matter what, the real reason to watch the Foo Fighters is Dave Grohl. He's like your best friend's cool older brother who just makes you feel at home and loves what he does. I've had the privilege to see the Foo Fighters twice in Oklahoma but was happy to see them in my own backyard.
Josh Freese no doubt has the resume and the chops to keep the band going but would the chemistry be there? My fears were abated right away as the band hit the stage with Bridge Burning and No Son of Mine, with a little bit of Black Sabbath's Paranoid sprinkled in. Freese did his thing and Dave and the boys did theirs. It was music to my ears and Dave was as charismatic as ever, interacting with us throughout the concert.
There were so many highlights during the concert. They continued with Rescued from the new album then transitioned into The Pretender, a crowd favorite. They played an old one, according to Davve, La Dee Da, which I had not heard live before but sounded great. After Breakout, Medicine at Midnight, and Walk, the Foos broke into their solos. A psychedelic solo from Rami Jaffee, a Sabatoge bass line from Nate Mendel got everyone involved for a few lyrics from Dave, and Pat Smear busted out with a Blitzkrieg Bop which everyone also jammed to.
Then Dave introduced the man of the hour, Josh Freese and his lengthy resume with some drum beats from The Outsider, Whip It, and March of Pigs. Then a tribute to Dimebag Darrell made My Hero that much more special as Dave honored his friend and Texas rock legend.
The Sky is a Neighborhood and Learn to Fly gave way to Arlandria, another song I'd wanted to hear the band play live. These Days and All My Life rocked the pavilion and then we transitioned to the new album with Nothing At All, which they sprinkle some Black Bird and I'll Stick Around into it and The Glass, a song about Dave's loss of his mother.
Monkey Wrench brought the crowd back into it with a challenge from Dave regarding the sing-along to the famous closing verse. The sentiments continued with another special tribute to Hawkins, a son of Texas, as they played his favorite song to play, Aurora. The concert ended with Best of You as the boys walked off the stage as Dave left his guitar playing the last note.
The crowd shouted encore and used their lights from their phones to light up the entire pavilion and Texas night. The boys returned to play The Teacher with Dave sporting a mulit-neck guitar and he closed out the night by not saying good-bye but by playing Everlong.
It capped a 24-song performance and it brought a huge relief that Freese is the guy to keep the Foos Fighting. I plan to see them again in Denver and I cannot wait. Thanks for rocking Dallas, Foos, it was a night to remember.