Live @ V2001 (Foo Fighters - Live)

Name: a-true-ben

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Product:	Foo Fighters - Live
Date:	10/09/01 (120 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great band and a great show

Disadvantages: Not as polished as on record, could've been a longer set

As I promised, here it is, a full live op on Foo Fighters, following my trip to V2001 Chelmsford (see separate op). Foo Fighters were my main reason for going, and the penultimate band on the main stage, playing 19:45-20:45.

(Amit just put the category up, so I can finally add this. If you want the full V2001 story, see my separate op!)

I’ll begin with an attempted track-listing (Actually, I managed to remember all the songs right, but admit to cheating and checking the order by looking on the Foo Fighters’ website!)
This Is A Call
Learn To Fly
Up In Arms
I'll Stick Around
Stacked Actors
Monkey Wrench
Hey, Johnny Park!
M.I.A
Everlong
Generator
New Way Home
Breakout

Before the band take stage, the biggest cheers have been reserved for girls flashing their bras to the big screen camera, but the appearance of Dave and co. beats even that. Dave tells us he wants to start with a soft gentle number, before launching into a manic rendition of ‘This Is A Call’ (from their first album). The song has to be stopped half through while Dave appeals for the moshpit at the front to calm down, and reminds us that festivals aren’t fun when people get hurt) but resumes magnificently.

Any fears that this would be a show for hardcore fans only were dispelled though when they followed it up with arguably their most commercial song to date, ‘Learn To Fly’. Next Dave introduces us to a love song, although he says he should dedicate it to someone, he’s obviously not sure who (his chauffeur in the end I think) and the ballad ‘Up In Arms’ is given a moving, yet rocky, airing.

Back to the early stuff again, and another snarling song ‘I’ll Stick Around’. This is followed by the modern sound of Foo Fighters vitriol, ‘Stacked Actors’ (both songs allegedly attacks on Courtney Love).

Unfortunately, it mus
t be said that while ‘Stacked Actors’ is a pretty good rocky song on the album, live it doesn’t quite sound the same. Don’t get me wrong, I expect a live show to sound different to the CD – there’d be no point if the band were miming – but while’s it’s raw, it’s not as tight and sounds kinda sloppy. The same, unfortunately, can be said for one of my favourites ‘Monkey Wrench’.

Thankfully, things get back on track with the sing-along chorus of ‘M.I.A.’ before the band launch into the ‘lighters in the air’ mode of ‘Everlong’, another classic we all know the words to :)

“And I wonder
When I sing along with you
If everything could ever feel this real forever
If anything could ever be this good again
The only thing I'll ever ask of you
You've got to promise not to stop when I say when”

(Sounds all the better and more meaningful when you are singing along live!)

After letting the audience have a go at joining in, Dave next attaches a vocorder-style thingy to his microphone for the distorted vocals of ‘Generator’ – no way we can compete with that I’m afraid!

By now, the Foos’ scheduled set is drawing to an end. Our attention is diverted from penultimate song ‘New Way Home’, however, by a girl climbing over the security fence around the tree with the sound equipment scaffolding on, and proceeding to pole dance up there to the whole crowd’s amusement! A big burly security man chases her down, but even here she evades him and continues swirling around the scaffolding to the ‘oohs’ ‘ahhs’ and whistles of the audience, before making good her escape.

All attention is firmly back on stage, however, for the final song (and another sing-along) ‘Breakout’, spoilt only slightly by two smokers immediatel
y to the left of me lighting up and giving me mouthfuls of smoke as I tried to join in!

Overall, it was a great show. Sure, there wasn’t too much interaction with the crowd, but Dave did ape around, such as chasing one of the roadies wielding his guitar, and managed to have his charisma showing through anyway. The whole band were really up for it though, but they did have to cancel several other UK dates due to drummer Taylor “over-indulging” at the festival!

The songs weren’t as tight and well-produced as on record, but Dave’s voice was better than I expected having heard some acoustic recording before (where Foo Fighters really suffer in comparison to Nirvana in my opinion is in a live, acoustic setting; Dave’s voice just isn’t anywhere near as good as Kurt’s). Perhaps that’s why they went for a rockier approach; it probably suits Dave more. Although I’d say I probably prefer the album tracks, because some of the songs seemed to lose their focus given the thrashy delivery, it was what I expected, and a really enjoyable live show. Hopefully I’ll get the chance to see them again (preferably in a more intimate venue) and I’d definitely recommend the live shows to any fans of the band (and if you’re not a fan, try picking up one of their albums!)

(By the way, if you want to read more, there are numerous other live reports, including one from each leg of V2001 at http://www.foofighters.com/blackbox/2001/roadnotes .shtml#08.19.01
and see photographs of the event at
http://www.foofighters.com/blackbox/2001/08_19 _01_chelmsford/index.htm )

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