Seattle, WA · alt-rock · post-grunge

Foo Fighters

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Thirty years of Dave Grohl turning grief and volume into the most reliably cathartic rock show going — a hits catalog three hours deep, played like it's still a club gig.

Foo Fighters began in 1994 as a solo project for Dave Grohl, formed in Seattle in the aftermath of Nirvana's end following Kurt Cobain's death. Grohl, previously Nirvana's drummer, moved to guitar and lead vocals, recording the songs mostly alone in six days before recruiting bassist Nate Mendel and drummer William Goldsmith, both formerly of Sunny Day Real Estate, and guitarist Pat Smear, who had toured with Nirvana.

The band played its first show in February 1995, five months before the debut album's release, and settled into a sound built on loud-quiet dynamics, layered guitars and choruses pitched for large crowds.

Goldsmith left during the recording of The Colour and the Shape (1997), with Grohl re-recording most of the drum parts, and Smear departed soon after; they were replaced by Taylor Hawkins and Franz Stahl. Stahl was fired before There Is Nothing Left to Lose (1999), and the band carried on briefly as a trio until Chris Shiflett joined once that album was finished.

Long-serving members have included Mendel on bass, Smear and Shiflett on guitars, and Rami Jaffee on keys, who became a full member with 2017's Concrete and Gold after years as a touring player. Drummer Taylor Hawkins died in March 2022, following the band's tenth album, Medicine at Midnight; Josh Freese drummed from 2023 to 2025, followed by Ilan Rubin.

Across a long run of albums, including Wasting Light (2011) with producer Butch Vig, Sonic Highways (2014) and But Here We Are (2023), they have built a deep catalogue of rock radio staples. Foo Fighters have won 15 Grammy Awards, including Best Rock Album five times, and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021, their first year of eligibility. Their shows are known for running long, with Grohl talking to the audience between songs.

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