Concert Recap and Photos: Foo Fighters hit it out of the park at Fenway

One of rock and roll’s all-time greatest bands, the Foo Fighters brought an epic show to Fenway Park on Sunday, July 21, in their first trip to the historic ballpark since 2018. The band played for nearly three hours, powering through a robust set of new music, old favorites, and a few deep cuts to satisfy longtime fans.  

First up, openers Amyl and the Sniffers, who brought tons of raw punk rock energy to the gathering crowd. The Melbourne, Australia-based quarter is anchored by the brutally honest vocals of Amy Taylor, who is a force of nature on stage.

Up next, The Hives, a critically acclaimed Swedish band who came to prominence with a garage rock-influenced sound in the early 2000s. They played a high-energy hour-long set behind the antics of lead singer Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist. Their set, which included several from their latest release The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons, was well received by the Fenway faithful.

The Foo Fighters then took the stage for what was to be a nearly three-hour show. The band’s main audience is made up of Gen Xers and beyond, many of whom were there when the Foos came together post-Nirvana after Kurt Cobain’s demise. Thirty years down the road, Dave Grohl remains a powerful force leading the band through hit after hit, with many fans singing along to every word.

Highlights were numerous – the band shined on old favorites “My Hero,” “Learn to Fly,” “The Pretender” and “Monkey Wrench,” accompanied by their faithful fans on all four. Grohl stepped out onto the runway for a pair of rousing acoustic tunes, “Under You,” and “Skin and Bones,” where he was accompanied by Rami Jaffe on accordion.  

The setlist also included four songs from the Foo’s latest album, But Here We Are, and an inspired take on “Aurora,” which Grohl dedicated to beloved drummer Taylor Hawkins. A full-on version of “The Teacher,” followed by an audience singalong on “Everlong” closed out the evening.

It’s not the first time I’ve seen the band, and I’m certainly not the first to wonder how Grohl is capable of doing such an intense show night after night. But man, Dave Grohl is a rock god, a force of nature, attacking his way through song after song. He’s a superhero rock star, his powers being boundless energy, intense passion, and virtuous fury. A memorable show indeed!

Check out some photos of the show below.