Johannesburg -
South Africa has easily adjusted to its role as a place for the world's biggest bands and solo acts to tour.
Compared to 15, or even 10 years ago, South Africans now know that a few times a year, a variety of acts will grace these shores.
Enter Dave Grohl and modern American rock royalty, the Foo Fighters, who ended their two-show tour of South Africa at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on Saturday night.
Over the course of three hours, they raised the bar for future rock acts, expending a level of energy rarely seen on stage in this country.
Starting with the snorting “All My Life”, the Foo Fighters powered through the hits they produced over the last 20 years, with the 45-year-old Grohl often stopping to remind the crowd they were in for a very, very long night.
From the older “Hey, Johnny Park!”, “Monkey Wrench”, “Learn to Fly”, and “Big Me” to the newer “Walk” and “Congregation”, the Foo Fighters took Johannesburg on a winding journey through their illustrious discography.
Standing alone on a walkway and surrounded by darkness and the flashing lights of cameras, Grohl performed a stunning rendition of “Times Like These” and a solo of “Wheels”.
Another special moment was when Grohl and renowned drummer Taylor Hawkins swapped roles. Grohl, the former drummer of grunge mega-band Nirvana, displayed his instrumental power and skill, while Hawkins crooned on a cover of Cheap Trick's “Stiff Competition”.
If they had not endeared themselves to the crowd already, as their exhaustive show neared its conclusion, the band played a enthusiastically-received cover of Queen and David Bowie's seminal hit “Under Pressure”, accompanied by a refreshing dalliance of the Rolling Stones' “Miss You”.
As midnight approached, a performance of “Best of You” eviscerated the weariness of a crowd struggling to keep up with the Foo Fighters' irrepressible energy.
At the end of “Best of You”, there was no music to be heard but the sound of thousands of people singing, a moment Grohl appeared to relish, doffing a polite clap to the crowd.
At the end of the show, wrapped up with a searing rendition of fan favourite “Everlong”, not a single person who left FNB Stadium that night could reasonably argue that they did not get value for money.
The Foo Fighters had conquered the Jozi crowd and now are set to continue their rock battle as they embark on a new world tour.
Grohl said they would return, and were they to do so, the Foo Fighters would be welcomed back with open arms. - Sapa