WORDS AND IMAGES: DANIEL GRAY | The Foo Fighters’ sold-out show at the Kia Forum was a benefit. It was a birthday party. It was a mini tribute. It was all of those things and more. The benefit was for Hope United, a pairing of the Foo Fighters and two of the leading providers of homeless services, Hope the Mission and LA Mission. The birthday party was for Dave Grohl, who turned 57 on Wednesday. And the mini tribute? Well, that was for guitarist Pat Smear. Regardless of reason, the Foo Fighters’ performance on Wednesday night was electric and one incredible way to kick off 2026.
Smear was absent from the show due to what’s being referred to in a very Spinal Tap-esque way as a “bizarre gardening accident.” A video of Smear on his couch, foot in a cast, started the show, wishing Grohl a happy birthday. But while Pat Smear may not have been playing, his presence was felt for the entire concert. The first song of the evening, “My Hero,” was dedicated to him, and his face was on the bass drum of Foo’s new drummer, Ilan Rubin, formerly of Nine Inch Nails.
After that, Dave Grohl and the band were off and running. Literally. The show was in the round, and even though the stage rotated 360° to face every part of the arena, Grohl still did lap after lap around the entire stage. He may be 57, but he could be the youngest 57 ever. The beard and hair may be graying a bit, but the gigantic smile is as youthful as ever.
He addressed his age by having the audience scream like a 57-year-old having the time of his life. The Forum absolutely exploded. Late in the show, after sprinting the stage, he said it wasn’t normal for a 57-year-old man to do that. He then grabbed his left arm and faked a heart attack. He also let the audience know that, about two hours into the show, he hadn’t gone to the bathroom.
With the aforementioned Rubin on drums, Nate Mendel on bass, lead guitarist Chris Shiflett, keyboardist Rami Jaffee, and guitarist Jason Falkner of Beck and St. Vincent filling in for Smear, the music was fun, powerful, and at times moving. As Grohl reminded the audience, the Foo Fighters have been doing this for 30 years now. That’s given them a deep reservoir of hits, which at many times during the show turned into audience sing-alongs.
The last time the Foo Fighters played The Forum was the Taylor Hawkins tribute show in 2022. In Hawkins’ honor, Grohl played a solo version of “Under You,” a song he said he usually plays on acoustic guitar, but this time went with an electric. That kept with the vibe of the evening, as Grohl himself said, “Old school loose ass rock and roll. No computers.”
There were all sorts of rumors about guest stars, but none came to pass. And none were needed. The Foo Fighters have more than enough energy, more than enough hits, and more than enough heart to carry a benefit show. Dave reminded the audience that the show was a benefit, and they gave by coming. As he said, “Let’s give. Let’s have compassion and empathy. Let’s do nice things.” It’s something we all need to keep in mind.
