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In some regards, Foo Fighters have become even more successful than Nirvana, in that there is a greater breadth of work, tons of sold-out shows all over the globe, and a generally more radio-friendly vibe to the majority of the songs. Whereas Cobain’s inner demons were on full display most of the time, Dave Grohl‘s legendary good nature takes the reins of his music and performance. Would Nirvana have done an in-joke video about Mentos? Doubtful…maybe Rolaids.
I don’t get out to see a lot of arena-sized acts, so it’s always a bit of a surprise to see the same hackneyed gestures and attempts to connect with the crowd, so carefully scripted night after night. Obviously it’s easier to shake things up if a band is touring on the club circuit, where there’s far less planning and more shooting from the hip. For a big production, everything runs like Mitt Romney’s campaign; tightly to a script. I gotta give Grohl credit for having a runway that split the general admission floor all the way back to the soundboard in an effort to connect to the people in the back, as well having a GA floor section…no high-priced seats to scalp, everyone’s equal and your position is determined by how early you get there. That said, the guitar duel on “Stacked Actors” between Chris Shiflett and Grohl (on a section of the back area that rose to ~10 feet off the ground) was a bit of a laugh. His constant exhortions and arm-waving was very reminiscent of the short bit of Green Day that I saw a couple of years ago…is there some sort of guidebook that bands with punk roots use when they graduate from the club circuit to the arenas?
You can’t fault Foo Fighters for skimping on the concert (23 songs including a couple of inspired covers thrown in, especially Pink Floyd‘s “In The Flesh”) but when twelve songs are down and 90 minutes have elapsed, that’s a clear sign of too much in between song banter and gratuitous false endings and endless song outros. Still, I gotta say that me at 15 years old would have loved it, but I think I’ve moved on from that.
One of the perks of being a major act is being able to handpick your supporting acts, and the two selected here hit a good middle ground. Social Distortion is well-known as a major part of the Orange County punk scene, but they always tucked in more than a little of trad rock sounds into their songs, drawing on some country and rockabilly influences. Leader Mike Ness looked sharp with loose-fitting, high-waisted gangster trousers and fitted black shirt, and the band is pretty capable of what they do. Early material like “Mommy’s Little Monster” (that Grohl later told the audience was one of the first records he bought, via mail order) sounded pretty good, but soon enough it was into the plodding tempo of “Story Of My Life,” “Ball and Chain,” and the tired version of “Ring Of Fire.”
Contrast that to The Joy Formidable who ripped into their material like a seven year old tearing gift wrapping, eyes wide open and grins plastered on their faces. Earlier this year I was subject to my first dose and I was eager for more, even though I knew that as openers they’d be lucky to get a half hour on stage. I wasn’t the only one clued into what their squall of noise and melody is all about, as the audience was pretty sizable considering the 7PM start. The band chose their songs wisely, with the dense throb of “A Heavy Abacus” soon clearing to Ritzy Bryan‘s clear, clarion call vocals, the double kick drums of “The Greatest Light Is The Greatest Shade” propelling Bryan’s slashing guitar attack to new heights, and the finishing maelstrom that is “Whirring.” Their profile continues to rise, and for good reason.
