Author: Gerry Maravilla
Few acts hold the title of “classic band” while still actively recording and performing, but the Foo Fighters are indeed one of them. The quartet that was formed by lead man Dave Grohl following the break up of Nirvana has enjoyed success since their first album in 1995, and they are one of popular music’s only consistently strong rock acts.
On September 24, the band played the Henry Fonda Theater in Hollywood as a pre-release to their sixth studio album, Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace, which dropped the following day. Rather than buy tickets to the concert, fans were required to purchase the album online for $20 flat (take that, Ticketmaster service charges). Upon arriving at the venue, fans received laminates that they could redeem for the new album after midnight when the show had finished.
The Henry Fonda Theater is a rather small and intimate venue that holds 1,200 people. The last time Dave Grohl and company were in the Los Angeles area they opened for The Police at Dodger Stadium. After an entertaining set from DJ C-Minus, the Foo Fighters took the stage at 10:45 p.m. The Foos started the evening off with a new song and then blasted into their new single “The Pretender.”
In addition to the traditional four members, a cellist, pianist, percussionist and former Foo Fighters guitarist and Nirvana touring guitarist Pat Smear joined the band. The addition of these members allowed the group to cycle through hit after hit for two hours, ranging from their harder rock side to some selections from their acoustic catalog.
Given the band’s 12 years together, some songs were inevitably left out (don’t worry, they played “Everlong”). Covers of Prince’s “Darling Nikki,” the Dead Kennedys’ “Holiday in Cambodia,” Nirvana b-side “Marigolds,” as well as a surprise visit from Lemmy of Motorhead, set this show apart from others and offered a unique experience in this glorified record release party.
One could sense a true friendship between the band members as they joked and played off of one another. The always-charismatic Dave Grohl made sure to interact with the crowd and keep his reputation as a sarcastic-but-loveable smart-ass intact. I’ve never seen another band appear more comfortable with their performance on stage and with each other. Coupled with the smaller venue, there was a feeling of real intimacy. By the time the band had finished their set with “Best of You,” there was a buzz and eagerness to hear the band’s latest addition to their repertoire.
It is safe to say that Echoes, Silence, Patience, and Grace is another strong record from one of America’s great modern rock bands. Working with producer Gil Norton, the man behind the band’s most acclaimed record The Colour and the Shape, the Foo Fighters chose not to separate the harder and acoustic tracks as they did in their last effort, In Your Honor. In Echoes, the quartet blends these two elements in order to highlight their best qualities. “Let it Die” and “But, Honestly” start as quiet acoustic ballads and progress towards cathartic electric guitar climaxes.
There are times when the Foo Fighters seem to be mimicking their classic rock predecessors. “Statues” echoes Paul McCartney’s late Beatles work. The band also experiments with some new sounds in the blue-grass guitar battle with jazz guitarist Kaki King in “The Ballad of the Beaconsfield Minders.”
Amongst this fusion of acoustic and rock, there is a loss of the band’s pure harder songs from the past like “All My Life” and “Monkey Wrench.” However, allows Grohl to display his remarkable vocal abilities. He powerfully screams with clarity for the electric guitar-driven parts of songs and soothingly carries a harmony for the softer parts.
Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace is one of the rare albums in which all the songs are good. Listeners will not have the urge to skip ahead to other songs. My only complaint is that the album closes with a whimper in the piano ballad “Home,” instead of with the raw power shown in some of the album’s other tracks.
Despite this one minor gripe, the album is another testament to the Foo Fighters’ talent and cohesiveness as a band. It is no wonder they have maintained success since their first release in 1995. Their incredible live shows and consistently solid albums have cemented the band a place in rock’s history as one of the greatest of their time.
This article has been archived, for more requests please contact us via the support system.
