Keen fans soak up the Foos
It’s the stuff of rock’n’roll folklore.
When the Foo Fighters arrived on stage, the clouds granted a near 40,000-strong crowd a short reprieve from what had been non-stop rain.
And as frontman Dave Grohl hyped up his soaked fans at Mt Smart Stadium, he promised nothing short of magic.
The clouds would clear and the earth might shake, in reference to the band’s 2011 appearance at Western Springs, when the concert registered on GeoNet’s seismic instruments.
‘‘It’s a beautiful day to play a rock show,’’ Grohl announced. Drenched fans scrambled from under the stands, where they had sought temporary refuge.
The veteran rocker reckoned there was nowhere better to perform than Auckland.
‘‘The only city we’ve ever played where the Foo Fighters’ show triggered a f . . . earthquake,’’ he screamed.
He left the fans pleading for more, ordering his band not to ‘‘give them too much’’.
Grohl dedicated Breakout to ‘‘all the old mother f . . . in the crowd,’’ who ended up singing all of the first chorus for him.
They knew every word, having followed the band for more than 20 years, and they weren’t going to let the rain get in the way of a good gig.
Lengthy queues and the long walk to the venue left them well and truly soaked before they even arrived.
‘‘It feels like summer,’’ Weezer sang, ahead of the Foo Fighters. Guitarist Brian Bell, in a bright yellow rain jacket, thanked the crowd for coming.
‘‘I wouldn’t have,’’ he joked.