Live Review: Foo Fighters, Rise Against

It’s been 17 long years since US rockers the Foo Fighters last graced Tassie’s shores – and they certainly didn’t disappoint the 7,000-plus diehard fans that packed the Derwent Entertainment Centre in Hobart on Monday night for the band’s Sonic Highways tour. Tickets sold out within 20 minutes last November – a record for the venue – so everyone was anticipated something massive.

Chicago hardcore outfit Rise Against brought the venue to its feet on their first visit to Hobart, but their set only sparked even more anticipation for the rock god that is Dave Grohl and his posse Chris Shiflett, Pat Smear, Nate Mendel, Taylor Hawkins and Rami Jaffee.

The Foo Fighters stormed on stage and never looked back, opening with Something From Nothing from their eighth studio album Sonic Highways.

After promising Tasmanians the “most special night of this tour”, a signature long-haired and grisly voiced Grohl took the crowd for a whirlwind rock ride, also taking the time to reminisce about the last time the group visited the state.

The Pretender and Learn To Fly both got the crowd motivated, until Breakout really turned the heat up – so high, in fact, that Grohl kicked off his shoes and socks before playing barefoot for the rest of the set. The dialogue that followed amused the audience – especially in his claim that he did not like green eggs and ham.

My Hero got the crowd chanting, and Big Me was dedicated to the people of Hobart. Arlandria and Monkey Wrench both had fans screaming for more, waving banners and trying to impress the Grohl-meister in a Battle of the Breasts before the band played some classic Foos acoustics such as Skin And Bones and Wheels.

And just as perfectly as predictably the Foos wrapped up the night with Best Of You and an explosive Everlong – undoubtedly the favourite of the night and well worth the almost two-hour-and-45-minute set. Disappointingly, there was no encore, but without a doubt Hobart fans could forgive them that, and only hope that the band visits again in less than 17 years – an ambition that Grohl himself has added to his bucket list.