The bustling, anxious crowd awaited the imminent musical experience while they stood at the foot of an overwhelming white banner, the draping black typeset backed behind two giant red cursive F’s emblazoned from stage to catwalk.
As the lights faded at 9:04 p.m., the shadow of Dave Grohl, lead singer and guitarist, and his counterparts appeared behind the white facade.
The Foo Fighters catered to the wide range of their musical repertiore. Delving into their past hits occasionally, they primarily kept to tracks off their latest album, “One by One,” and their previous album “There is Nothing Left to Lose.” They played past hits and new radio favorites including “Times Like These,” “Everlong” and “Learn to Fly,” which left the crowd more than pleased with the generous helping of catchy, percussive pop-rock.
The meager cost of attendance, a mere $12, begged the question of why there were still empty seats in the nearly filled Centennial Garden.
The slow crescendo of Grohl’s guitar intro to the widely recognizable “All My Life” caused the crowd to erupt into a roar of elation. The giant banner suddenly fell to the stage as Grohl exploded across the stage like a longhaired demon of his sonic domain. Grohl’s white shirt and worn blue jeans could be seen beneath his clear, transparent guitar as fellow Foo Fighters Taylor Hawkins (drums), Nate Mendel (bass) and newcomer Chris Shiflett (guitar) accompanied him on their latest hit.
Between songs Grohl addressed the crowd, but not before spitting onstage, which was greeted with cheers all-around. He explained they were shooting a video at Centennial Garden and thanked everyone for coming. They then transitioned into “Innocence,” a memorable song from the bands’ uncertain beginnings that any true Foo follower would remember.
The Foo Fighters continued with the inspiring single, “My Hero,” off their last album. The raw, motivational song inspired the crowd to join in chorus with Grohl, the breakdown solos of pure rock entrancing the young rock souls to collapse. The song degenerated into blissful sonic cacophany, feeding the yearning teenage ears with delight at every pulsing reverberation.
The ubiquity of Grohl’s stage presence permeated the arena on the unapologetic “Stacked Actors.” During the guitar solo, Grohl jumped offstage to the floor and circled around the metal gates holding back the throbbing crowd of outstretched hands. He was chased by dozens of eager fans to the opposite side of the arena, where he stopped and poised before the consuming hands of the pit returned him to the stage. Climbing back onstage, he continued the rhythmic interlude, staring victoriously at the crowd, climaxing with a raspy, piercing scream.
As the cheers died down, Grohl recounted his perilous flight across the arena. “Someone gave me a titty-twister from hell. It hurts, and that’s why I like it,” Grohl joked.
The band’s performance was puncuated with thick distortion, catchy riffs, hopeful lyrics and the start-and-stop togetherness orchestrated only by a few regrouped bands with the energy the Fighters exuded.
However the show wasn’t totally devoid of any sensitivity. In the song “Tired of You,” a slower, mellow song, Grohl beckoned those with someone close to them in the audience to embrace each other. It stirred emotions from the sweaty 15-year-olds up front to the middle-aged fathers with their young daughters safely next to them in the stands.
When the stage cleared after the final song, the only thing that could summon them back for the three-song encore was the deafening endurance of the demanding crowd. Grohl commended the audience on their perseverence throughout the show as he placidly led them into the ethereal projections of “Aurora,” a “deep cut” as Grohl put it.
The final blow to the audience came via “Breakout,” a twitchy and brashly ecstatic number that drew the final curtain and topped off the night. The unforgiving guitars and primal screams were the sonic “eargasm” for the crowd’s musical desire.
The event also showcased two bands that took the stage before the Foo Fighters, The Special Goodness and The Transplants. The Transplants were well received among the youthful audience.
While Tim Armstrong pumped out the Rancid punk-inpired songs, vocalist Rob Aston screamed out his raps which left the floor somewhat satisfied while others looked disaffected.