When I boarded my flight from Melbourne to Launceston yesterday, I hazard a guess that most of my feller travellers were on their way to see Foo Fighters.
After arriving in Launceston (24 January), I took the opportunity to walk around the outside of the venue for the night, UTAS Stadium, a fantastic spot if you can pull the crowd.
The streets had been closed off, every pub had been filled and the beer was flowing like a river. When it was time to walk to the venue, I had one question I was determined to find the answer; was the stress on the Foo, or the Fighters?
I asked the gathering crowd, but none of us were sure, however we were about to find out. The air was electric and everyone was aching to get in line for a chance at the front barrier.
As soon as Dave Grohl entered the stage, it was a non-stop barrage of sound as the band opened with 'All My Life', setting a pace the crowd was adamant to follow.
Third song in, and we were graced with 'The Pretender', the first single from 2007's 'Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace'.
Image © Connor Mackinnon
Four and a half minutes of pure aggression later, Dave finally took a minute to breathe, thanking us for being there, and then in the same breath moving into 'La Dee Da'; what an astounding flow, it's easy to see how they've been doing this for 30 years without pause.
A few short tracks later we are finally introduced to the band, everyone except bassist Nate Mendel doing a little solo to show off skills honed by decades of practice.
"Twenty-six hours and we do one show for you, then we fly home tomorrow morning," Dave stated, as he finished the introductions, but not before a playful jab at rhythm guitarist Pat Smear, who missed the show (Jason Falkner was subbing) due to a 'gardening accident' (which we were assured is common at their ages).
It was the perfect segue to transition into 'My Hero', which still goes as hard as it did way back in 1997. A crowd favourite flew into Launceston in the form of 'Learn To Fly', everyone in the crowd not missing a single word, some even running around with arms outstretched.
The energy remained high as the introduction for 'Run' was played, and we were graced with a phenomenal drum solo by the recent addition to the band, as Ilan Rubin entered his flow state knocking the proverbial (and in some cases literal) socks off the crowd.
Image © Connor Mackinnon
A quick pause for a sip of water, Dave immediately turned back to the mic ripping his vocal chords apart with 'No Son Of Mine', stirring the crowd into a frenzy as he played the hook from Motörhead's 'Ace Of Spades', which was a treat, finishing the song strong.
Dave again slowed things down as he shared some of his favourite memories of the late Taylor Hawkins, before playing a heartfelt acoustic rendition of 'Under You', the stadium moved to tears and slow swaying.
A few songs later we were asked if we liked screaming, and after a few tests, we got to scream as loudly as we could, tripping the decibel warning on my phone, a crisp 127db that I'm sure they heard over in Devonport.
As set neared the end, the Foos moved onto 'Best Of You', the entire stadium falling into the harmony as again, without missing a note, we sung the song like we were born to do it, chants of "the best" going long after the song finished.
Dave then sneaked a little bit of news into the set, letting us know this won't be the last time we see the band in Launceston, and that they've just finished recording a new album they hope to have out soon.
Image © Connor Mackinnon
They then left the stage so we could play the age old game of hide and seek, the crowd divided between chants of "one more song" and "encore", alternating until the crew come back.
Dave told us about sending an iPod full of Foo Fighters music to the Beaconsfield miners, some fun facts about the 'Ballad Of The Beaconsfield Miners' track he was about to perform.
Foo Fighters then closed out the set with the perennial favourite 'Everlong', which hits just as hard as it always does, moving the crowd from the stalls to the floor; we all sung and danced the end of the night away before finally retiring home to rest and recoup.
In the end I did get my question answered, and it was answered loud and proud. The stress in the name is on the Fighters, and the crowd sure showed up for an iconic night.
