The Foo Fighters and time are strange bedfellows. On one hand, the band famously said they would be taking an extended hiatus near the end of 2016, leaving fans wondering when they would hear from their favorite group again. Not long after said hiatus, the band began quietly working on what would become their latest album, “Concrete and Gold,” released in September of this year.
The Foo Fighters also took their sweet time getting to Des Moines. The group released their self-titled debut album in late 1994. It took 22+ years for the band to make their first trip to the capital of Iowa. The closest the Foos have come is a couple of shows in Council Bluffs. Friday night, they finally took the stage at Wells Fargo Arena.
You have to appreciate the Rock N’ Roll lifestyle. Dave Grohl, founder, and singer for the Foo Fighters definitely lives that life. After weeks of touring, it was pretty obvious after just a few notes that Grohl’s voice was in a bit of trouble this night.
“If you remember, I’m the guy that broke his f’in leg and played a show,” Grohl said to the near-capacity crowd. “There’s no way I’m canceling a show just because my voice is a little hoarse.”
Saying a “little” was a bit of an understatement. While nobody really cares whether singers like Grohl sing on key, there was no way Des Moines was getting 100% Grohl at this performance. But, in true Rock N’ Roll fashion, that wasn’t going to stop the Foo Fighters and it certainly didn’t sway the crowd from giving the band all the adoration that had been pent up for the past 22 years.
Much of the band’s setlist followed what they had done in many cities before with megahits like “All My Life” and “Learn to Fly” starting off the show. As the evening progressed, Grohl was clearly calling audibles as his voice struggled to keep up. Des Moines was treated to a stripped down version of “Big Me” from the band’s 1994 debut complete with Grohl insisting to the crowd before the song to not get nostalgic about the song’s video and toss Mentos candies on to the stage.
Drummer Taylor Hawkins served as a de facto background vocalist and sang along with Grohl for much of the evening in a slight departure from what the band is used to doing. Hawkins’ voice is the most similar to Grohl’s, so the effect helped to lift Grohl’s voice when necessary. Still, Grohl could tell he wasn’t giving the crowd his best even though they showered him with cheers and praise.
“You guys are too nice, I’m trying as hard as I f’in can right now,” Grohl confessed.
On a few occasions, the crowd was given the opportunity to sing back to the band and did so with great gusto and volume. It was clear that this is a city that has been clamoring for this band to play for many years. Grohl rewarded them despite his condition by adding his trademark growls and screams to many of the evening’s songs, throat be damned.
Opening the evening was The Struts, the energetic and wild group from Derby, Derbyshire, England. In what would be a theme for the night, frontman Luke Spiller apologized for his “s–t voice,” but charmed fans with his Jagger-esque moves. Spiller told the crowd, “We don’t get this kind of attention where we come from.” After their thoroughly entertaining set, they very well should or they should just stay in the States where they could easily usher in a new Brit-rock invasion.
A radio personality’s worst nightmare is to wake up to a sore throat and lack of voice. We strive for vocal/sonic clarity and perfection every time we open the microphone. Dave Grohl certainly does too, but it was obvious that he knew Des Moines had waited long enough to see his band. He wasn’t going to let a sore throat ruin the fun for 14,000 people – many of whom were seeing the Foo Fighters for the first time. He was certainly forgiven for his less than perfect vocal performance, but Des Moines will definitely not want to wait another 22 years for the band to come back and show them what they can really do.
SETLIST
Run
All My Life
Learn to Fly
The Pretender
The Sky Is a Neighborhood
Rope
Sunday Rain
My Hero
These Days
Walk
Under My Wheels (Alice Cooper Cover)
Cover Medley: Jump/Another One Bites the Dust/Blitzkrieg Bop
Big Me
Congregation
Times Like These
Breakout
This Is A Call
Under Pressure (Queen/David Bowie Cover)
Monkey Wrench
Breakdown (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Cover)
Best of You
Encore:
Dirty Water
Let There Be Rock (AC/DC Cover)
Everlong
