It was hard to love Foo Fighters during their headlining BottleRock set

Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters took the main stage at BottleRock with a message about making the most of their time. The band referenced their earlier 2017 appearance, when a noise curfew cut their 2017 finale of “Everlong,” leading the crowd to sing along. The group returned in 2021 and again to close the second day, but the performance carried new weight after drummer Taylor Hawkins died in 2022. Ilan Rubin replaced Hawkins and played with intense precision, though his presence was overshadowed by Hawkins’ absence. The writer also described how Grohl’s personal controversies affected their listening, including public fallout from a 2024 confession and a belittling remark during a moment meant to honor Jordyn Blum’s 50th birthday.

"“It's not our first BottleRock,” he said. “We're going to squeeze as much as we can before they cut us off.” The rock industry darling wasn't coy about the Foo's infamous appearance at the Napa festival nine years ago. BottleRock pulled the plug during their 2017 finale of “Everlong” due to a noise curfew. The silence prompted the audience to sing along to the immortal ballad - which even Bob Dylan has praised - and the moment was cemented in festival lore."

"Beloved drummer Taylor Hawkins died in 2022, replaced by former Nine Inch Nails percussionist Ilan Rubin. Rubin clashed the cymbals with a precise fury. Shoeless, in a pair of Calvin Klein socks, he was the second hardest-working man on stage behind Grohl, but his presence felt overshadowed by Hawkins' premature passing."

"Meanwhile, it's hard for a longtime fan like me to view Grohl in the same light as I did five years ago, as they last blasted through their 31-year catalog of prestige, radio-friendly rock. I'm still rattled by the aftershocks from his stunning confession in 2024 that he had fathered a child outside of his marriage. His betrayal subjected Jordyn Blum, a director and his wife for decades, to public ridicule. Not to mention their children."

"His off-stage behavior impacted how I listen to the music, but I went into the show with open ears ready to hear how Grohl has evolved and matured. Instead, he belittled Blum with a weird comment about her drinking during a moment that was intended to honor her 50th birthday."

Read at SFGATE