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| FOO FIGHTERS W/MY MORNING JACKET & PETE YORN The Hammerstein Ballroom, NYC, NY 07.03.03 I last covered the Foo Fighters during their visit to Camden, NJ last April and left that show thoroughly impressed with their performance. When the band recently decided to strap on an extra leg to their U.S. tour, including a couple of sold-out shows at the Hammerstein Ballroom, I thought it would be a good idea to catch up with them again and see whether or not they'd live up to the expectations they'd set with their previous performance. The evening began quite differently than before. Rather than the pop-rock and neo-punk sounds of previous openers Cave In and The Transplants, the night featured the indefinable classic sound of My Morning Jacket and the soothing sound of Pete Yorn. Needless to say, the audience reacted far more positively to the new opening acts than in prior nights. Cheering after practically every song the supporting acts performed, it was clear fans were satisfied with the concert’s lineup, already an improvement over the earlier leg of the tour. After the dreadfully long 30-minute break that followed Pete Yorn’s set, the Foo Fighters began with the same song they’ve opened every night with, “All My Life.” Though missing the flashy “One By One” banner featured at other performances, fans reacted equally as ecstatic when Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl repeatedly strummed the opening chord. Not long after, fans were jumping and crowd-surfing as the band bounced through the setlist. Kicking off the show with four straight singles (“All My Life,” “The One,” “Hero w/heavy metal tease” and “Breakout”) might seem, at first glance, a little overboard, but the band would later prove they were merely clearing out the setlist to make room for something special. The simplicity of “Have It All” provided Grohl with a window in which to act a little goofy; shaggy hair flopping side to side while he gleefully swung his guitar. Not to be outdone, drummer Taylor Hawkins proved that playing soft doesn’t mean one must keep the sticks at a reasonable height. With his sticks high up in the air and his drum rig shaking from his overly enthusiastic battering of the skins, it was clear Hawkins, as well as the other members, were having fun even during the less driving pieces. This was followed by two recent tracks that had some wondering if the rest of the show would follow the same form. Just as that thought was nearing completion, Grohl let fans know they were in for quite a surprise as he was ready to begin the “[explicative removed] box-set [explicative removed]” in place of the greatest hits setlist featured on most of the tour. With this new turn of the tide, fans went nuts. In order to ignite the new arrangement, the band kicked into the classic track “For All The Cows" off their self-titled debut. Rather than encounter an audience unfamiliar with the early material, the Foo Fighters met a positive response that went beyond expectations. Not only did the set feature rarities, but also the live premiere of the acoustic rendition of "Times Like These." This was welcomed with open arms by fans who felt very fortunate to witness the unveiling of Grohl's solo version of the hit single. The evening concluded on a high note with Grohl initiating a fan's wedding proposal before going into the closing song, "Everlong." This rare ending helped to mark the end of a memorable night that left fans exhausted yet highly satisfied. 1. All My Life 2. The One 3. My Hero 4. Breakout 5. Have It All 6. Generator 7. Aurora 8. For All The Cows 9. This Is A Call 10. Stacked Actors 11. Low 12. Hey JP 13. Monkeywrench 14. Times Like These 15. Enough Space Encore 16. Disenchanted Lullaby 17. Tired 18. Everlong review by kevin purcell |