Credit: Far Out / Danny Clinch / Bruce Springsteen / Roger Woolman
If you ever need confirmation that Bruce Springsteen really knows what he’s talking about, it’s the fact that he once well and truly palmed off Dave Grohl.
Indeed, for a man who is deservedly receiving his plaudits for shooting down the rise of fascism and giving a platform to the causes that really matter, perhaps the greatest thing he has ever done is go to a Foo Fighters show, but not to see the actual band themselves. Grohl didn’t realise that at first, of course, and completely walked himself into a trap.
Let’s set the scene: it was a night in Vancouver, Canada, and the Foo Fighters were gearing up for yet another show, in yet another city. By any standard, it seemed like a pretty ordinary evening, on the face of it – because after all, if there’s any band who know what it’s like to totally lose the meaning of connecting with the audience through incessant touring, it’s them.
But all of a sudden, a frenzied word made its way to the frontman that they were actually set to be in the presence of a god, a real rock and roll hero that night: obviously, it was Springsteen himself. Unlike other stars who would manage to keep their cool in that moment, Grohl admitted to completely and utterly losing his shit.
After describing his “paralysing nerves” at being told the news, Grohl added: “Frozen with fear, I wondered how I could possibly perform in front of this legendary showman, famous for his epic concerts that span four hours.” Luckily, he said it and not anyone else, as there are probably quite a lot of people thinking the exact same thing.
In this regard, Grohl redeemed himself from his musical atrocities by showing an element of humility and reverence towards The Boss. “I surely could never live up to his lofty expectations,” he exclaimed, not entirely incorrectly for once. And yet, plucking up his courage and getting ready to head on to the stage, the frontman was set to receive a crushing reminder of reality.
Because fear not: Springsteen thankfully had the sense about him that he wasn’t there to see the Foo Fighters. “It turns out he was there to see the opening band,” Grohl confessed, explaining the “devastating humiliation” of the moment before conceding that at least he “was off the hook.” ‘The Boss’s ears were saved to hear another day.
As much as it was an amusing anecdote, the eagle-eyed will have noticed that the frontman glaringly omitted the name of the support act that Springsteen had actually arrived to see. It seems like someone doesn’t want to give away too much of their limelight. You can only hope the band found out the good news – and that they had one up on the Foos themselves.
Getting back to his hotel that night with his ego somewhat bruised and his tail between his legs, Grohl had been taught a valuable lesson not to assume that the most famous person in the room is always there to see you. As it turns out, ‘The Boss’ was more interested in the next up-and-coming thing, rather than the cash-grab rockers who’d done it all before. Who’d have thought?
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