LIVE REVIEW — Foo Fighters First Show Back w/ new drummer Josh Freese | Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion, NH | May 24, 2023

by Mitch Foster • May 26, 2023

It’s such a beautiful drive. The trees are happy. “No One Knows” is on the radio. My rental car has 966 miles on it; basically brand new. It’s cold. Tonight is the beginning of the future. The rain is here to watch history being made. At two-days before my birthday, this is an early (much needed) gift to myself. This is a story about being fucking nice to yourself.

The opening band is the offspring of Metallica drummer, Lars Ulrich… literally. The Ulrich Brothers aka TAIPEI HOUSTON, are a two piece garage-rock outfit making what Layne and Myles think is cool. And it’s cool. The drummer has “smash” written on his cymbal’s undersides, large and legible. He took the written instruction very seriously, too. You could tell he was Lars son by the drum faces he made lol, uncanny. Catch them at Welcome To Rockville in 2024.

The most expensive margarita I’ve ever had is almost gone. It was $38! Including tip… like a double patron marg, but still! I’m nursing it, alone. The crowd is mostly older than me. We’re pretty silent. This isn’t a celebration. It’s a Band-Aid on a broken heart. Just after 9pm Dave walks out followed by his non-biological brothers. He looks like he hasn’t showered in a week, so he pours a whole cup of water(?) over his head and shakes it off. We’re already tearing up.

I can’t imagine what it is like losing a brother like they all lost with Taylor passing. It would be like if my friend Martin died. I love him like a brother I never had. But we’ve only known each other 8 or so years. Taylor and Dave have played in a band for over 20! When you build a brother-like bond with a fellow human, you become unstoppable. The connection only grows stronger over the years as you continue to inhabit the same spaces in heart and mind. The bond is unbreakable. The loss is unimaginable. “We rarely left one another” Dave shares on how they are able to be standing on stage together again for the first time tonight. I’ve never seen a more beautiful celebration of someone’s life than the two Taylor Tributes they put on last year. So many thoughts, and they haven’t even started playing yet. We’re all just cheering. I can’t believe I’m here. I’m alone but completely surrounded by love.

I don’t know how they’re going to perform without crying. And they didn’t… more on tears later. They open with a new song, and another new song, almost hesitant to perform that which Taylor performed or wrote. “Learn To Fly” is the first. Although Dave wrote/recorded the drums here, it was Taylor’s song — he was in the music video and this song appeared on ‘Nothing Left To Lose’ the first album Taylor recorded drums on for Foo Fighters.

Dave didn’t want to change guitars cause he knew what was coming. After 15 songs, he finally switched to a blue hollow body from a white. But the next song was his switch to a black acoustic. It was at this point he introduced each member of the band, saving their new drummer, Josh Freese, for last. Dave started to open up a little, “This is something I never thought I would have to do …” There was a heavy pause. The band seemed unsure what was happening, but they all caught wind and slowly left the stage to watch the emotions learn to fly. “But I’m going to try to do it … Taylor wrote this song. We used to sing it together. I’m going to try it.” With visible tears rolling down his face, mine, and about 9000 other people. “Cold Day In The Sun” began to echo hauntingly through the New Hampshire Pavillion as 9000 people cried.

The band came back and immediately pushed forward into “Monkey Wrench.” We were all moved forward, together, mourning but moving. We only have each other in times like these. I’ve never had to headbang with tears sliding down my cheeks.

F’KIN GET IT JOSH FREESE.

He’s in the coolest band in the world. And although he looked like Gary Busy at times with the white hair lol, he absolutely crushed it. Bring back the pink hair Josh! We all know it’s your favorite color and you couldn’t keep away from it with your bright pink lettering on your rightfully earned “Employee of the Month” shirt. See you at Rockville.