After a gorgeously hot day spent watching footy on TV in Dean's back garden (!), Ady and I donned shorts and set off to Southampton, trundling down in just over an hour and jumping the (large) queue to gain entry to the cavernous but nevertheless sold-out Guildhall!
Took my position at stage right just before Redd Kross took the stage at 8. I'd been waiting 5 years to see this lot again, and been totally pissed off when their headline tour earlier this year coincided with my knee operation rehab! So I was well up for this, and was thankfully not disappointed. The McDonald brothers and their crazy clan of new wave space cadets played a superb set, full of shimmering and shiny tuneful hard rock, with their trademark 60's style harmonies much in evidence. The Beatles meet Cheap Trick! "Lady In The Front Row", their closer, was the highlight of a set which got an enthusiastic crowd rocking. Great start!
The Foos came on early at 9.15, Dave Grohl and co. immediately setting the place on fire with a dynamic start. Great rock riffs played with fire and passion, but also with heartfelt and brain hugging tunes and a sharp edge, this lot reminded me of Husker Du, and no finer compliment could I pay them. Dave Grohl, a genuinely nice bloke ("this is a message to the stewards; leave the kids be!" and, "be nice to your neighbour; we all want to have a good time," were 2 of his early comments to a frenzied moshpit) was, essentially, the Grant Hart everybody can like, and the wonderful "Everlong", the shining star of their set and indeed their entire recorded canon, could have easily walked off Husker Du's classic "Candy Apple Grey" LP. Yup, that good.
An hour's ear-splittingly loud and intense rock later, we both exited the moshpit soaked and exhilarated. Dave Grohl and Foo Fighters, now fully formed and primed, are ready for Nirvana-esque World Domination, and honestly it couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
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