Foo Fighters delivered a visceral three-hour set at Anfield on Thursday night, but the evening ended in playful division when the house lights came up and 'You'll Never Walk Alone' played over the sound system. The anthem was welcomed by Liverpool FC supporters and roundly booed by Evertonians in the crowd, according to an ECHO reporter at the gig.
Dave Grohl's Initial Confusion Over UK Tour Dates
Frontman Dave Grohl admitted he was initially puzzled when he saw the band's Take Cover tour schedule featured only two UK shows, both in Merseyside. "When I looked at our tour schedule I saw a bunch of places in Italy, Spain and Germany. I was like, Why are there only two shows in the UK? That's weird because we usually do a bunch of shows," he told the audience. However, he took this as a challenge to win over new fans and hinted at a more extensive UK tour next year.
A Scorching Night of Rock and Roll
Despite temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius, the 57-year-old frontman was at his energetic best across nearly three hours on stage. The set included all the band's biggest hits—'Best Of You', 'My Hero', 'Times Like These'—with the crowd singing along to every word. The two Liverpool shows helped dispel Grohl's initial disappointment, and he admitted he couldn't wait to do it again on Saturday for the second night at Anfield.
Special Moments and a Rubik's Cube Surprise
The gig was punctuated by unique moments, most notably when a man from the crowd was invited on stage to complete a Rubik's Cube. He succeeded and then jumped behind the drumkit to perfectly play along with 'Rope'. Grohl later revealed the man was his daughter's boyfriend, Max, celebrating his 18th birthday. Although not entirely spontaneous, the segment gave the performance an energy that set it apart from a standard greatest-hits show.
Liverpool Atmosphere and Subtle Nods to the City
While the setlist did not include any nods to Grohl's friendship with Sir Paul McCartney or covers of Beatles or Wings songs, the show featured subtle references to Liverpool. Red smoke marked the start of the show, and red fireworks lit up the sky at the end, fitting for the home of Liverpool FC. Before the penultimate song, 'Exhausted', Grohl said: "We can't thank you enough. When you're in a city for multiple nights, the first show is like a first date... if this is the first date, then Saturday night, I'm going to feel pretty good because Liverpool, you're a beautiful city."
Division After the Final Notes
After the band exited and the lights went up, 'You'll Never Walk Alone' played over the system, sparking cheers from Reds supporters and boos from those on the Blue side of Merseyside. This moment of playful division veered from the united atmosphere of the concert, sending everyone home happy but with a local rivalry twist. Foo Fighters play Anfield again on Saturday for the second night of their Take Cover tour.
