The Foo Fighters Are Firmly Arena-Rock In London

I don't think anybody expected the Foo Fighters to come this far. At their inception, it was inconceivable that a band with one catchy single and a video that parodied a candy commercial could be anything more than a novelty act. This to say nothing of the fact that their frontman just happened to drum for the biggest rock band since The Beatles.

Thirteen years and just as many hit singles later, the Foos are selling out arenas, winning handfuls of Grammys and opening for Bob Dylan. They've been moving in this direction for years now, but they're finally embracing their arena rock tendencies wholeheartedly — for better or worse.

The band utilized the venue to their best possible advantage, with four giant screens focusing on each member of the band, a huge walkway that stretched into the audience, and even a second stage for a mini-acoustic set halfway through their performance.

Opening with their latest single, "Let It Die," Dave Grohl and company launched into a set filled with hits tailored for audience participation. Of the 17 songs they played, only three weren't singles, which appeased the masses but left the diehards somewhat disappointed. As catchy as those songs are, it would have been nice to hear a little more "This Is A Call" and a little less "Learn To Fly."

Even the "surprises" in the set felt somewhat rehearsed, including Taylor Hawkins' numerous drum solos and the acoustic break. The band played the Nirvana B-side "Marigold" during this part of the concert, but the shock wore off immediately once you remembered they did the same thing on their acoustic tour and even put it on their unplugged release, Skin And Bones. Shame on Grohl for attempting to pull the same trick twice.That said, there aren't many bands who can make a concert of such magnitude feel intimate. Rehearsed or not, Grohl's banter with each band member never felt forced, and you always got the impression that they were having a good time. Running to every possible area of the stage, the frontman acted as if he was a kid who'd just received a new toy to play with, and the audience reciprocated his enthusiasm for the entire two-hour set.

When the band walked on stage, a friend turned to me and yelled excitedly, "Dave Grohl is standing right there!" It dawned on me that the ex-Nirvana drummer has entered the realm of rock royalty. His band will probably be playing venues of this size for the rest of their career, and their days of spontaneity are seemingly over. The Foos were certainly in their element in the arena, but it's unfortunate — for their hardcore fans, anyway — that their hit parade has taken them out of their natural habitat.