On Saturday, August 22, 2026, the Foo Fighters played the Hollywood Bowl alongside Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
- A First Performance: The Hollywood Bowl performance marked the Foo Fighters’ first time playing the venue.
- Dudamel’s Penultimate Night: The concert served as Gustavo Dudamel’s penultimate night with the LA Phil before his move to New York.
- Orchestral Power: Backed by an orchestra and a gospel choir, the band delivered a 15-song, hour-and-forty-minute set blending symphonic grandeur with rock.
A Landmark Night for Rock and Classical Crossovers
Collaborations between rock bands and symphony orchestras can sometimes miss the mark, with traditional instrumentation drowning out the raw power of a live band. But the Hollywood Bowl stage on Saturday night told a different story. According to reporting from the Los Angeles Daily News, the Foo Fighters and the Los Angeles Philharmonic matched each other perfectly in power and passion across a 15-song set spanning an hour and forty minutes.
Two songs into the night—following the slow burn of “Times Like These” and the primal roar of “All My Friends”—Dave Grohl paused to mark the occasion. “First of all, I don’t know if you know, Foo Fighters never played the Hollywood Bowl before; this is our first time at the Bowl,” Grohl told the crowd, as noted by the Los Angeles Daily News.
The evening marked the penultimate night of Gustavo Dudamel’s time with the LA Phil before he heads to New York. Grohl paid tribute to the conductor mid-set, asking the crowd, “Do you love Dudamel? Do you love Dudamel? Me, too. So let’s play some rock and roll for Mr. Dudamel now.”
Deep Cuts, Emotional Tributes, and Symphonic Scale
The setlist balanced back catalog songs with hits, elevated by the LA Phil and special guest vocalists.
Among the night’s moments was a rare airing of the softer song “Home,” performed for the first time since 2007. Admitting to the emotional weight of the track, Grohl remarked on stage, “Whenever we played that song, there’s no way I could make it through without just bursting into tears.” He added, “I wish that we could do this every night for the rest of our lives, with all these amazing people.”
Texture and scale shifted further when a gospel choir joined the ensemble, adding harmonies to “The Sky Is a Neighborhood” and “Run.” The emotional anchor of the evening arrived later in the program, when the band launched into a lengthy run-through of “Aurora.” Dedicated to late drummer Taylor Hawkins—as they have done regularly since his passing—Grohl looked out at the full amphitheater and exclaimed, “He would have loved this.”
Concert and Tour Statistics
| Metric / Detail | Event Data |
|---|---|
| Date of Performance | Saturday, August 22, 2026 |
| Venue | Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles |
| Collaborating Ensemble | Los Angeles Philharmonic, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel |
| Set Length | 15 songs across 1 hour and 40 minutes |
A Crecendo to Remember
As the night drew to its climax, the performance culminated with a rendition of “Everlong,” featuring the orchestra and the choir erupting in a crescendo.
To cap off the celebration, fireworks set to the music blasted over the Bowl, marking the Foo Fighters’ debut venue appearance. West Coast fans can take solace in the fact that Dudamel will return regularly to the city and the ensemble as a guest conductor.
What are your thoughts on rock bands collaborating with full philharmonic orchestras? Drop your take in the comments below.
