Foo Fighters played an all-acoustic set of some of their biggest hits at an empty Troubadour in Los Angeles as part of the Save Our Stages Festival (#SOSFest), the National Independent Venue Association’s three-day virtual benefit festival in support of independent music venues at risk of closing their doors permanently.
The performance featured five Foo Fighters tracks: A lengthy rendition of “Skin and Bones,” “My Hero,” “These Days,” “Times Like These” and “Everlong,” which Grohl performed solo.
Prior to the performance, Dave Grohl reminisced about the first time he was ever stepped foot in the Troubadour in 1987, when his then-band Scream snuck into the venue and somehow met Bret Michaels from Poison.
Guitarist Pat Smear, a Los Angeles native and punk icon from his time with the Germs, later remembered his first Troubadour show: The Go-Go’s, and a “punk rock riot” broke out.
“Each of us have had pretty amazing experiences at this club, but there are lots of smaller venues like this around the world that need your support right now,” Grohl said.
“These memories and these experiences that we had here were life-changing and formative experiences that inspired us to play music. I can only imagine there are millions and millions of other people just like us that have done the same and it’s made their lives a better place. So it’s crucial that we do everything we can to make sure these venues survive in order to be there to inspire the next generation of musicians to go on and do beautiful things with their lives.”
On Saturday, #SOSFest also presented exclusive sets by Phoebe Bridgers at the Troubadour, Miley Cyrus from the Whisky A Go-Go, Brittany Howard at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, the Roots at New York’s Apollo Theatre and more. Check out the #SOSFest site for the full rundown.
“During this shutdown, all the uncertainties we have and are experiencing have been very unnerving and have caused a high level of despair,” Christine Karayan, the owner of Troubadour in Los Angeles, said in a statement. “That is why we are so happy and beyond grateful to all the fans and music community for banding together to help and to show their support and love to all the independent venues across the country. This is our light and hope in our time of darkness.”
From Rolling Stone US
