Foo Fighters – August 16th – Fiddler’s Green

Estimated read time 4 min read

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Photos by Kelly Hueseman

The Scene: With a light mist in the air and clouds covering the sky, it was the perfect backdrop for one of the most highly anticipated concerts of the summer. Fiddler’s Green packed in quick, the grass inevitably got muddy, and the male-centric crowd buzzed around the beer vendors and quickly got settled in to kick-off a two night run with the Foo Fighters.

Opener: Royal Blood. It’s amazing the sound that can come from just two players, and Royal Blood was one of those bands that leaves your jaw on the floor and your legs shaking. The incredible sound from bassist/singer Mike Kerr and drummer Ben Thatcher could only be described as unfiltered, bombastic, and hard-hitting. So hard-hitting in fact, that Thatcher actually broke a drumstick in the middle of the band’s set. The guy next to me and I laughed along with the stagehand who came out smiling to bring a new drumstick to Thatcher.

Touring with the Foo Fighters all year has surely been an incredible experience for the English rock duo who has only been around since 2013. They brought a refreshing sound to the stage Sunday night, sort of a combination of Garage Rock meets modern Blues, which was the perfect contrast to what we’d be hearing soon from Dave Grohl & Co.

Foo Fighters: Early on in their set, drummer Taylor Hawkins expressed to the crowd through a wide-toothed grin how happy he was to be in the Mile High City. He wasn’t the only one who was happy to be in Denver on this night, as we all knew we were lucky to be seeing one of the biggest rock bands in the world.

Even with his leg in a cast from a recent break in Sweden, front man Dave Grohl commanded the stage. Sitting in a massive (self-designed) throne adorned with dozens of guitar necks and lasers, Grohl led us on an epic Rock ‘n Roll journey packed with incredible guitar licks, unstoppable bass, and a drumming style straight out of the ‘90s.

Grohl’s effortless stage presence and ease of talking with the crowd made the show feel like an episode of VH1’s “Storytellers.” As he introduced each member of the band, each of them launched into a song of their choice that showed off their own unique chops, ranging from Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out” to Foreigner’s “Double Vision.” It was cool to hear such a wide range of sounds from some of the best musicians in the world, who Grohl kept referring to as “the world’s best cover band.” The night continued with classic Foo Fighters’ songs including “Monkey Wrench” and “Times Like These,” and ended with a smashing rendition of “Best of You.”

The most touching and unexpected moment of the night came during an acoustic version of the classic Foo Fighters’ song, “My Hero,” when Grohl pointed out a man brought to tears in the audience. “I’m going to sing this to your crying, grown man ass right now,” Grohl insisted as fellow audience members nudged the man closer to the stage. Looking around, I saw more than a few tears as Grohl and this lucky fan sang the rest of the song at the top of their lungs into the microphone together. What an epic moment for this guy, and further proof that this is a band that has touched people on many levels for years.

Thanks to the recent popularity of his self-directed HBO documentary “Sonic Highways,” Grohl is flying high right now and, I’d say, is at a major peak in his career as a musician. This Foo Fighters’ show was one I won’t forget, and reminded me yet again why I love music – it truly touches people.

Energy: B+
Musicianship: A
Sound: A-
Stage Presence: B
Set/Light Show: A

Overall: A-

Kelly Hueseman

After growing up in Missouri listening to vintage records of The Allman Brothers, Carly Simon, and Stevie Ray Vaughan, I was hooked to the live music scene and the contagious sounds of guitar licks and soulful lyrics. After moving to Colorado, I've been contributing to Listen Up Denver! as a freelance photographer and writer. I've also started a side project, KellYeah Photography, which gives me the opportunity to pair my passion for live music with my creativity and love of being around people. Aside from photography and writing, I'm an avid hiker of Colorado 14ers and a beer enthusiast.

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