On August 7, the Foo Fighters took over San Diego and brought their distinctive brand of area rock to Petco Park.
The band showed off their talents when they opened their set with the rousing 2002 song “All My Life.” Many more hits followed throughout the evening, including well-known numbers such as “The Pretender,” “Times Like These,” and “Learn to Fly,” but some of the concert’s most poignant moments came from lesser-known songs.
The performance was the band’s first show in San Diego since the tragic death of drummer Taylor Hawkins in 2022. Before playing one of Hawkins’ favorite songs, There is nothing left to lose On the album “Aurora,” frontman Dave Grohl remembered his deceased friend.
“You may have seen him walking on some of your beaches,” the singer noted, alluding to Hawkins’ Southern California roots. “He was definitely a son of Southern California.”
READ MORE: Taylor Hawkins’ Classic Rock Influences: In His Own Words
Grohl was in exceptional form that night, delivering a passionate vocal performance throughout the nearly three-hour show. The rest of the Foo Fighters lineup includes bassist Nate Mendel, keyboardist Rami Jaffee, guitarists Pat Smear and Chris Shiflett, and the band’s newest addition, drummer Josh Freese.
As has become tradition, the Foos performed a medley of cover versions of classic rock songs in the middle of their set. That evening’s songs included “Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osbourne, “Eruption” by Van Halen, “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC, “Sabotage” by the Beastie Boys, “Blitzkrieg Bop” by the Ramones and “March of the Pigs” by Nine Inch Nails.
READ MORE: The 25 best songs by the Foo Fighters
The band’s encore brought another emotional moment as the Foo Fighters played “The Teacher,” a powerful 10-minute song dedicated to Grohl’s mother Virginia, who also passed away in 2022. Still, the evening was set to end on a high note, as the Foos closed the evening with an electrifying rendition of their timeless hit “Everlong.”
Check out our exclusive photos from the Foo Fighters’ Petco Park concert in the gallery below.
Foo Fighters, San Diego, August 7, 2024
