With live music still at a stand still, audiences aren’t the only one who miss the rush of a concert, as Dave Grohl pens an essay on the power of live music.
The Foo Fighters’ frontman has been using his time in isolation to be reminiscent about his career in music, and also to share his thoughts and own playlists via his Instagram and the publication The Atlantic.
His most recent prose is titled ‘The Day The Live Concert Returns’, which muses through the power that live musicianship brings to a room. Although he marks himself as on of “the lucky ones” who is able to stay at home during this ordeal, he dreams of the day where he can return to the stage and feel the raw energy of a live show.
“There is nothing like the energy and atmosphere of live music,” Dave Grohl began. “It is the most life-affirming experience, to see your favorite performer onstage, in the flesh, rather than as a one-dimensional image glowing in your lap as you spiral down a midnight YouTube wormhole.”
Grohl continued by saying that it’s not the lights and pyrotechnics that draw the audience in, but the fans immense connection to the artists, citing that he recalled feeling that when he saw U2 in their 2001 Elevation Tour.
“To my surprise, the band walked onstage without any introduction, house lights fully illuminated, and kicked into the first song beneath their harsh, fluorescent glow, without the usual barrage of lasers and LED screens we’ve all become accustomed to,” he detailed.
“The brilliant move stunned the audience and began an unforgettable concert on a very raw, personal note. This was no accident, mind you. It was a lesson in intimacy. Without all the strobes and lasers, the room shrank to the size of a dirty nightclub at last call, every blemish in plain view. And with that simple gesture, we were reminded that we are all indeed just people. People that need to connect with one another.”
Love Classic Rock?
Get the latest Classic Rock news, features, updates and giveaways straight to your inbox Learn more
Wrapping up, Grohl emphasised his desire to see everyone reunite together at future Foo Fighter shows, saying:“I have shared my music, my words, my life with the people who come to our shows. And they have shared their voices with me.”
“Without that audience—that screaming, sweating audience—my songs would only be sound. But together, we are instruments in a sonic cathedral, one that we build together night after night. And one that we will surely build again.”
Check out Dave Grohl singing in ‘The Pretender’ by Foo Fighters:
