Nearly three hours of travel time, and a constant light rain falling on the open arena couldn’t dampen (forgive the pun) the crowds spirits on Friday night.   After all, it was the first time a major international act had graced us with their presence since the onset of the global pandemic, nearly two full years before.  People are more than ready to once again get out, and enjoy their lives.  It showed on Friday night, and that included from the band themselves. 

Unfortunately, due to traffic conditions, I missed opening act, The Meanies, this continuing my 25 year streak of loving the band, yet never witnessing them live. 

In fact, we were also held up long enough to only catch a few songs from Amyl and The Sniffers.  I really dig their music though, and from the fistful of songs I actually managed to see once we arrived, they are a fantastic live act – plenty of energy, and a truly commanding presence.  I will go out of my way to see them again. 

At 8.30pm sharp, Foo Fighters took to the stage, and delivered a hit laden two and a half hour set, that killed it on so many levels. 

With a 26 year career, Foo’s have a deep catalogue to pull from, but it’s hard to walk away dissatisfied when they are playing My Hero, Everlong, Monkey Wrench, Big Me, These Days, Rope, Learn To Fly, The Pretender…. I won’t name them all, but you get the picture.  It’s literally a greatest hits set, that pulls something from every era of the band. 

And yes, that does include a track from their latest offering, the “Dee Gees – Hail Satin” ep.  Mid set, the band played a fantastically entertaining cover of the Bee Gees classic, You Should Be Dancing, and the crowd ate it up, and why shouldn’t we?  It was great. 

Another highlight was when Grohl and Foo’s drummer, Taylor Hawkins pull the old switcharoo for a cover of Queens “Somebody to Love”.  You would have to have been living under a rock for the last three decades to not know that Dave Grohl is an incredibly gifted drummer, but maybe a lot of people don’t realise that Hawkins is an amazing singer too – he does have an excellent side project in The Coattail Riders after all.  

The usually six piece band were joined by a keyboard player, and three back-up singers, bringing the total amount of bodies on stage to ten, but it’s all so perfectly arranged, and comes off perfectly.  The core band members though, are so incredibly well oiled by now, that something terrible would have to happen to derail their set. 

Grohl is the consummate frontman, and has come such a long way since the days of hitting the skins in Nirvana.  He knows exactly how to engage his crowd, through not just the songs, but his between banter and storytelling.  

One such story he regaled the audience with, was about his determination to be the first major international act to return to Australia after covid – hence why this show came together so incredibly fast.  

He also spoke touchingly in tribute of Michael Gudinski, and in a pretty classy display, Hawkins’ bass drum skin was adorned with Gudinski’s face. 

This was a great show from start to finish, and worth every cent, and every minute of time spent in traffic.  

10/10

Shayne McGowan.