David Lee Roth News

He calls himself a drummer (and history won't argue the fact), but before a sold-out Long Beach Arena on the first of two nights' performances Saturday, Grohl cemented his status as one of hard rock's pre-eminent performers.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we've finally graduated to the arena rock of Los Angeles," he boasted, a smile planted on his face. And with that, he unleashed a belch into the microphone that echoed through the arena before ripping through the final songs of the night, "This Is a Call" and "Monkey Wrench."

The tracks culminated a 15-song hit parade that boldly and unapologetically marched through the decadelong Foo Fighters catalog. There was no mention of Nirvana, and there didn't need to be. In Foo Fighters, Grohl has evolved from the legendary drummer in a band of grunge innovators to the unflappable frontman in one of America's premier rock 'n' roll bands.

The show opened with a fury and spectacle befitting the arena rock tag, as a wall of video monitors rose from the stage to unveil Grohl, guitarist Chris Shiflett, bassist Nate Mendel and drummer Taylor Hawkins as they burst into the title track from the band's latest release, "In Your Honor." It was a sonic onslaught that didn't diminish with the dynamic charge of "All My Life" or the rough-around-the-edges, melodic thunder of "My Hero."

Body bouncing, head bobbing and hair flipping in front of his bearded face with every enthusiastic slam, Grohl professed his adoration for the halcyon daze of the arena rockers that paved the path before him, David Lee Roth in particular. But he bore the most resemblance to Ted Nugent: His wild-eyed riffing, turbo-charged vocals and off-the-cuff commentaries were worth every bit the price of admission, and they truly distanced Foo Fighters from the lackluster (though well-received) sets of openers Weezer and Hot Hot Heat.

While Shiflett and Mendel offered little more than ear candy to the live spectacle, Hawkins shone behind the kit in a style reminiscent of Grohl's past and traded places with the frontman to handle lead vocals on "Cold Day in the Sun."

"Couldn't make it to Ticketmaster on time, could you?" chuckled the frontman, sending a barb to the fans packed into the nosebleed seats. The beauty is, there is little doubt that Grohl has served his own time in those nosebleed seats. As a fan, he has studied the legends that gave arena rock its glory. As a performer, he's one of the few artists who has proved capable of capturing that glory in the new millennium.

It's all about the big rock show, and few can deliver it better than Grohl and his Foo Fighters.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter