Foo Fighters, the renowned rock band, staged their first solo live performance post the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic at Madison Square Garden on Sunday. The event garnered a large crowd of fans who were all required to have full vaccination against the coronavirus. This condition faced opposition from anti-vaccination protesters outside the venue.
“We’ve been anticipating this day for over a year,” expressed Grohl in a statement ahead of the show. “And Madison Square Garden is in for an exhilarating experience. New York, brace yourselves for a night of intense music and celebration of 26 years of Foos.”
The night featured their classic hits alongside superb cover tracks, with a special appearance by comedian Dave Chappelle as the lead singer for their rendition of Radiohead’s Creep. Further, drummer Taylor Hawkins replaced Dave Grohl for a rendition of Queen’s “Somebody to Love,” and the band performed a track from their latest Bee Gees cover album, “Hail Satin.”
The Foo Fighters just brought out Dave Chappelle to sing “Creep” for the first concert at Madison Square Garden since covid. Incredible.
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) June 21, 2021
During the show, Grohl paused for a moment of reflection. “Did you miss it?” he asked guitarist Pat Smear with a grin, then turning to the crowd. “Me too. I don’t think that we’d be here tonight if it weren’t for a lot of people that helped us get this far.”
The event marked the band’s 26th anniversary, though there was an underlying understanding that it was meant to be their 25th-anniversary celebration, postponed by a year due to the pandemic. The show was also a tribute to the band’s late stage manager, Andy Pollard, who passed away on June 18.
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