Live Review: Foo Fighters - Principality Stadium, Cardiff
25th June 2024
Words: Tim Finch
Photo: Andi K Taylor / Foo Fighters
It seems Dave Grohl has brought the sun with him on the Foo Fighters summer stadium tour. It’s a blisteringly hot day as The Razor’s Edge team head into the greatest stadium in the UK, the venues retractable roof open to allow the whole city to appreciate the evenings entertainment and not just the 70,000 sell out crowd inside.
With no need for any kind of intro tape to build up the hype, Grohl runs onto the stage with all the energy of a teenager and the band kick into ‘All My Life’, immediately setting the tone for an unforgettable night. From there, the band tore through a series of fan favorites, including ‘No Son of Mine’, ‘Rescued’ and the explosive ‘The Pretender’. An opening salvo like no other and the perfect way to kick off the three hour show.
As Grohl introduces each of his band mates we are regaled with a medley of solos and covers, featuring snippets of ‘Sabotage’, ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’, ‘Whip It’ and ‘March of the Pigs’.
Dave Grohl's mid set acoustic segment gave the rest of the band a break as we are treated to solo performances of ‘Skin and Bones’ (with Rami on accordion), ‘Big Me’ and ‘Under You’. Whilst the tribute to the late Taylor Hawkins with ‘Aurora’ was deeply moving, featuring Grohl's heartfelt dedication alongside a sea of phone lights looking magical throughout the venue.
The encore was a powerful conclusion to the evening, starting with the epic ‘The Teacher’ and followed by a nod to the old school with ‘This Is a Call’, featuring Shane Hawkins on drums. His performance was a fitting tribute to his father and a wonderful showcase for this youngsters talent. The night closed with the iconic ‘Everlong’, leaving the audience in awe and ensuring that this concert would be remembered for years to come.
The three hour set did feature many moments of self indulgence from the band, elongated musical interludes that often felt like energy sappers, but with near 30 years under their belts I think they’ve early the chance to let their hair down. However as each hit was rolled out the sea of 70,000 people moving in unison was something to behold.
