Foo Fighters Reopen 9:30 Club With Surprise Show, Announce New I.M.P. Venue (Live Review)

Those four simple words, that might typically be used to cheer on a team or, at worst, urge your kids to get in the car, took on a completely different meaning as they were released as a guttural command from the depths of Dave Grohl’s diaphragm at a surprise show at the 9:30 Club on Thursday night. With that mandate, Grohl and the rest of the Foo Fighters put an end to an 18-month dry spell of no live shows, courtesy of Miss Rona, playing a near three-hour set in front of a sold out, fully vaxxed and masked crowd.

Even before the show started, seeing the most basic things like a last minute soundcheck and spotlight check – things that one would completely take for granted pre-pandemic or not even notice – were heartwarming to see. This is how deprived we have been. 

As for the Foos, who have been adding live dates on their tour calendar over the last few months as if there’s no tomorrow (hopefully there is), they started the show as if they had been shot out of a cannon. Launching with “Times Like These” (fun fact: they started their 2014 surprise show at the 9:30 Club with the same song), it was as if someone had released six musical puppies onto the stage.

Drummer Taylor Hawkins, with his Beyoncé background fan set on high, twirled sticks in between fills. Guitarist Pat Smear held a cheshire cat grin for the first three songs. And if you need any further proof of how happy they were to be there, I give you this – bassist Nate Mendel moved. A lot. This is significant. Mendel’s movements are typically a slight step above the statuesque John Entwistle, normally limited to his head moving back and forth in time with some side to side lunging. Here, Mendel was throwing shapes on a small stage filled with six band members (and occasionally three back-up singers), with little to no concern about his safety or the safety of his instrument. Bass neck be damned, Mendel was going to move. 

“Did you fucking miss rock and roll?” asked Grohl, pouring water over himself, already drenched in sweat by the third song (note to Seth Hurwitz: please crank the A/C next time. I’m amazed no one got the vapors.) Determined to remind us what we have been missing over the last year and a half, the Foo covered most aspects of their 26-year career, playing at a bone-rattling volume that would make Pete Townshend jealous. Seriously, I’m amazed the building didn’t lose some bricks.

There were a few moments of self-indulgence. The intros of band members lead to extended solos, something that was de rigueur for rock bands in the ’80s but a little odd to see the Foos embrace. Mendel played the bass solo from The Who’s “My Generation,” keyboardist Rami Jaffee channeled Rush, guitarist Chris Shiflett did an extensive lead guitar solo and Smear gave us the riff from the Ramones’ “Blitzkrieg Bop” leading the band to join in for a few bars. Hawkins went full frontman singing Queen’s “Somebody to Love,” with Grohl on drums. But you can’t blame them for indulging themselves. Hell, they were trapped in their homes for a long time, too, lacking a paying audience for over a year. Indulge away.

Putting the disco ball at the 9:30 Club to good use, the Foo switched over to the Dee Gees, knocking out a cover of the Bee Gees’ “You Should Be Dancing” with Mendel nailing the intricate bass line (was Sunny Day Real Estate ever a funk band?). And Grohl, the only man in rock who can scream in key, solidly tapped into his falsetto while getting some white man’s overbite disco moves on. 

Grohl, while reminiscing about playing the original 9:30 Club on 930 F St, NW, broke the news that I.M.P. plans to open a replica of the club right next to the current one. No word on the timing for the new venue, but Grohl exclaimed “We’ll open that one, too!” 

So, to answer your earlier question, Mr. Grohl, yes, we did miss rock ‘n’ roll. Terribly. Thank you for bringing it back. All may not be right with the world but the Foo Fighters got us at least one step in the right direction.  

SET LIST:

TIMES LIKE THESE

PRETENDER

LEARN TO FLY

NO SON OF MINE

SKY IS A NEIGHBORHOOD

ROPE

SHAME SHAME

BREAKOUT

MY HERO

THESE DAYS

MEDICINE AT MIDNIGHT

WALK

YOU SHOULD BE DANCING

SOMEBODY TO LOVE

ALL MY LIFE

THIS IS A CALL 

WEENIE BEENIE

AURORA

BEST OF YOU

MONKEY WRENCH

EVERLONG