- Tue Jun 10, 2008 5:10 pm
#346112
Depends if you 'do' that sort of thing. I mean when i was at the Hyde park gig they did back in 2006, we were lucky enough to get right to the front of general admission.
Walking towards the exit in the wake of it I begin to appreciate the components that made it all possible, from the tech guys, to the stewards, to David Grohl and the band themselves, not forgetting the array of men and women in subtly invisible Hi-Vis jackets grazing the field picking up the remnants of plastic beer bottles, toilet paper and the occasional burger wrapper, but mainly it’s the beer. I mean a show like that took an awful lot of work; but imagine organising Wembley!
In truth, I never was a fan when I went, but it is easy to see why so many would be, and so I was converted I mean the Foos flooded London’s usually peaceful Hyde Park and turn it into equally the same madness as you described. At Hyde Park, with 85,000 roaring, energetic ‘Hells Angel types’ in faded tour t-shirts from years passed in the extreme heat of 27 degrees, it isn’t that suprising.
And although most stayed outside of the entrance through the first few acts to drink decent beer and bottled water without having the lids removed by roaming stewards (don’t ask), the venue seemed at capacity for the introduction of Motörhead, having said that, most of the audience did not seem to sport any affection for their set at all, with nearly every intoxicated person that I met growling a slurred “The ace of Spades! The ace of spades” was quite telling, this being the only song most of the audience actually knew.
They may not be ‘progressive’ or to be blunt, considered ‘cool’ in any way, (which seems to be the general thirst within the modern musical circle); but for mindless, metal-orientated fun, there is still no substitute after nearly thirty years.
With support from bands such as Juliet and The Licks, Ex-Blink182 front man and guitarist; Tom Delonge’s new band; Angels and Airwaves, Queens of The Stone Age, and as previously mentioned; the one and only Motörhead, by the time the Foo Fighters graced the stage with their presence, there was so much testosterone in their air, I wouldn’t have been surprised if even the most timid of males, say, Woody Allen or Louis Walsh would have turned into ferocious tigers in the midst of it all!
I can’t however give much credibility to their opening. Foo’s David Grohl looked fit to burst with excitement, either due to having drunk several cans of red bull back stage or as a result of the general ambience and the view before him, with a sea of people stretching out into the horizon.
As for the Foo Fighters set, it didn’t disappoint. Always impressive on CD, however the live environment, the band are transformed into a musical beast of epic proportions.
The sheer kinetic energy generated by classics such as “All My Life” were frankly stunning and even on gentler tracks such as “Learn To Fly” or “My Hero” the crowd seem ready to spontaneously combust.
Encoring with Tie Your Mother Down performed by Taylor Hawkins, and unexpectedly featuring Brian May and Roger Taylor, with green strobes streaming through the air, it’s almost impossible to believe that one band could get away with it.
Finishing with the ever anticipated Everlong, Dave took a lone and celebrated strut down to the end of the 400ft long catwalk, and about 6ft from where we were stood to perform an acoustic rendition of their easily most successful and universal song. The crowd overcome by euphoria, heartily (and remarkably loudly) singing the lyrics back arm-in-arm with complete strangers (or was that just us?).
If there was ever a guide book on how to create a legendary performance, the Foos would be happily signing millions of copies – and all I can say is: Amen to that!
- Pink -
chrismoyles.net
believe it or not, its a lot longer 
