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Foo Fighters' D.C. JAM Fest 2020 Lineup: Pharrell, Chris Stapleton, The Go-Go’s and More

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The fest is set to take place on July 4th at FedExField
Onaje McDowelle
GRAMMYs
Mar 3, 2020 - 3:11 pm

Rock heroes and 11-time GRAMMY-winning band the Foo Fighters have announced the lineup for their inaugural D.C. Jam Festival. Headliners Chris Stapleton, Pharrell Williams and The Go-Go’s will perform at the festival set to take place on July 4th at FedExField in Landover, Maryland. The band has previously hosted festivals twice before (their 2017 and 2018 Cal Jam Festival).

Additional artists including Band of Horses, The Regrettes, Durand Jones & The Indications, Beach Bunny, Radkey and other special guests will round out the one-day festival’s lineup.

In addition to celebrating Independence Day, Jam Fest will also help the Fighters commemorate the 25th anniversary of their self-titled debut. Earlier this month, the group announced that it would mark its quarter-century feat by heading out on a North American van tour, with stops in Phoenix, Oklahoma City and Knoxville among others.

D.C. Jam Festival pre-sales begin today, (March 3) at 12 p.m. Eastern Time and public on-sale will kick off on Friday, March 6. Tickets are available here.

For more information on full lineups and festival admission, visit dcjamfest.com.

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Dave Grohl in 1995

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He Stuck Around: Foo Fighters' Eponymous Debut Album Turns 25

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In his post-Nirvana 1995 debut, Dave Grohl launches his legacy as a creator of truly great, mood-stabilizing alternative rock
Dan Weiss
GRAMMYs
Jul 21, 2020 - 10:37 am

You could call Dave Grohl rock's greatest survivor, and have an uncomfortable laugh, but that doesn’t make the question go away. Robert Christgau once put it even more darkly by referring to him in passing as "Nirvana’s most successful member." You'd be hard-pressed to find happier post-tragedy endings in the genre, though, than two albums with significant anniversaries this month. One is AC/DC’s now-40 Back in Black, in which their new singer Brian Johnson sang "Forget the hearse, ‘cause I never die" on the title track, which is supposed to be a tribute to the late Bon Scott, and somehow winds up one of the most tasteful things on the record. The other is Grohl’s first time in the spotlight himself, 1995's Foo Fighters, which turns a more robust 25, and was keyed to the early hit "I'll Stick Around," a promise the drummer's made good on since his last singer killed himself and in some ways took a whole generation with him.

Dave Grohl's stuck around so long that the entire guitar-loving world has watched as he became the genre's new benchmark act, the very horizon itself. The Foo Fighters founder's hard and friendly guitar-bass-drum attack redefined radio's idea of rock especially, a hard rock dad's idea of punk and R.E.M. condensed into one easily swallowed pill. You could call them the most streamlined band ever, and you might not be wrong. Oftentimes, the grain of Grohl’s swollen, jangling guitar sound recalls the unstoppably melodic fuzz of Bob Mould, another major alt-rock figure with two careers, one being a similarly legendary band that was never revived. You could even say that Foo Fighters brought Mould's noise-tune synthesis full circle, playing out its every possible combination before letting emo take over as the new standard for commercial rock. Again, Foo Fighters rarely elicit strong opinions from tastemaker types; they're generally accepted as a part of the ecosystem. But their early records are truly great, if you can imagine the band being considered for the first time and not taken for granted as a reliable AOR staple.

Foo Fighters wasn't even a band's work; save for one guitar solo, Grohl sings and plays every instrument on the entire thing, and gets a surprising variety of colors out of it. "Weenie Beenie" and "Wattershed" honored Nirvana's desire to put a killer riff to bed by simply throwing garbled screaming over top. But "Big Me" is a pop jingle far more squeaky-clean and crowd-pleasing than any Nirvana song, more akin to Weezer's "Buddy Holly." And like Weezer, he couldn’t put forth such a sincere piece of craft with a straight face, so he made the video a Mentos commercial like Weezer simulated a "Happy Days" episode.

Grohl exploited the quiet/loud dynamic even more casually and shamelessly than Kurt Cobain, because Cobain's clean verses still utilized chord sequences as jagged and misshapen as the choruses they'd explode into. You could tell they were going somewhere dark and punk. Foo Fighters on the other hand, starts with the innocent strums of "This Is a Call" as a pump-fake before launching into its reaffirmation of grunge's loudness. Its follow-up, 1997’s The Colour and the Shape, was even more Jekyll-and-Hyde, treating "Hey, Johnny Park!" and "Up in Arms" like outright prom themes plunging into waterfalls of expensive distortion, and especially the 90-second "Doll" into the rip-roar of "Monkey Wrench." Even when Grohl is as abrasive as his hardcore inspirations (which is more often than "My Hero" or "Learn to Fly" haters think), he rarely sounds too disturbed or dangerous, which is probably his legacy: mood-stabilizing alternative rock. Foo Fighters sounds like the work of a middle-class, well-balanced individual; its most enraged moment, the famous "I don’t owe you anything" refrain from "I’ll Stick Around," falls well south of, say, Billy Corgan's contemporaneous "Bullet With Butterfly Wings" on the breakdown-o-meter.

More often, Grohl comes off like a soft-spoken riff-painter who digs shoegaze as much as Corgan did, with broad-brush tones on "X-Static" and "Exhausted," the dirge-y latter of which somehow becoming the very first Foos release. But he allows a little cocktail swing into the funny tantrum "For All the Cows," and hop-skip-waltzes through "Floaty," one of the debut’s most underrated tunes. The incinerating drive of "Good Grief" has improved with time; in fact, most of Foo Fighters is comprised of extraordinarily solid tunes. It wouldn't be a Nirvana album in any way, shape, or form if only, say, "Oh, George" or "Alone + Easy Target" asserted themselves. But post-grunge was rarely so graceful and consistent, so enamored with its own textures and dynamic shifts, so confident of its melodic worth while skirting punk's obnoxiousness. It’s rarely mentioned alongside the '90s' most auspicious debuts, and it’s not like Grohl doesn’t have enough to brag about. But in more than half its songs you can hear a second banana transforming into a headliner-god without making a big deal about it, and doing it all by himself in a realization of purpose that recalls Prince's Dirty Mind. That guy was a Foo Fighters fan, too.

Nirvana Manager Danny Goldberg Talks 25 Years of 'MTV Unplugged In New York'

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Dave Grohl Tells The Story Of Jamming With Prince, Talks Growing Up To His Records

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Foo Fighters' tribute to the Purple One, plus many more, will air on CBS on April 21 as part of "Let's Go Crazy: The GRAMMY Salute To Prince"
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Apr 6, 2020 - 10:01 am

There probably isn't a musician on Earth who hasn't dreamed of jamming with the one-and-only musical force of nature known as Prince. For Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, this dream came true during Prince's now-famous 21-night residency at The Forum in Los Angeles in 2011.

Dave Grohl Tells The Story Of Jamming With Prince

Prince's L.A. takeover kicked off on April 14 that year and also included intimate performances at the Troubadour, House Of Blues. The town was abuzz, as tickets for the Forum shows were only $25, a nice gift to his fans. But even local rock stars took note of the special occasion.

"He did this 21-night run at the Forum in Los Angeles, so of course me and my friends are like, 'of course we've got to go to at least one show,'" said Grohl backstage at "Let's Go Crazy: The GRAMMY Salute To Prince."

So naturally, Grohl and his friends piled into a party bus to head down to Inglewood, taking advantage of L.A. traffic to have a few (too many) drinks. When they arrived, Grohl's security person, who also worked with Prince had some news for Dave.

According to the story, his security guard told him, "'Hey, he knows your here, he's gonna call you up to jam,'" Grohl recalled. "And I was like, 'no no no no no, I've had one too many already, I'm not going up there with Prince like this. Anybody else I would jump up on stage and make a mess, but Prince? No way."

After the show, Grohl would be led back behind a velvet curtain to meet Prince and the great Sheila E., a double thrill. Prince asked him when he wanted to jam, then told him to come back the next week on Friday. To arrange the details, Grohl's manager gave Prince Dave's phone number.

"I sat with that phone in my hand for a week, on vibrate, sleeping with it near my head, the whole thing, waiting for him to call, and he never called," Grohl said.

By the time that Friday came around, Grohl showed up at the Forum not knowing quite what to expect.

"I walk out into the arena... it's empy. I'm talking to my guitar tech and all of a sudden, just like that 'SNL' skit with Maya Rudolph, he just appears," Grohl said. "He goes, 'you wanna jam?'"

Grohl then recalled sitting behind the drum kit as the band started joining in with Prince on bass. After the first song, everyone is high-fiving and Prince told him he had a heavy foot, a compliment Grohl took to heart.

"Then he picks up a guitar and starts playing 'Whole Lotta Love' by Led Zeppelin," Grohl said. "And it was awesome. It sounded so good, amazing. We do that for like eight minutes and I'm like, 'Oh god, this is the best band I've ever been in."

Dave Grohl Lauds Prince Ahead Of Tribute Special

Due scheduling conflicts, Grohl never got to join Prince on stage during a show, though he was invited back. Unfortunately, he never saw Prince again, but the experience is that of a dream and one Grohl will never forget.

"I'm an '80s kid, so I grew up with all of his records, and as a popular musician, he was the most talented of anybody," Grohl said. "He was the best bass player, he was the best guitar player, he was the best drummer, he was the best singer, he was the best dancer. He was just the best."

You can catch Foo Fighters' tribute to the Purple One, plus many more, can be seen as part of "Let's Go Crazy: The GRAMMY Salute To Prince." airing on Tuesday, April 21, the four-year anniversary of Prince's death, from 9–11PM ET/PT on CBS and streaming on CBS All Access.

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"Let's Go Crazy: The GRAMMY Salute To Prince" To Air April 21 On CBS Featuring John Legend, H.E.R., Usher & More

 

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Dave Grohl 

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Fenway Sessions Livestream: Foo Fighters, Jimmy Buffett, New Kids On The Block & More

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Before the Boston Red Sox's opening day, music will ring in baseball season with a special livestream benefitting of COVID-19 relief funds
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jul 20, 2020 - 4:23 pm

Opening day for the Boston Red Sox is days away, but before anyone hits a homerun, the Foo Fighters, Jimmy Buffett and more will ring in baseball season with a music streaming event.

Fenway Sessions, a livestream benefitting the Red Sox Fund and Live Nation’s Crew Nation COVID-19 relief fund on July 22, will feature an archival performance from the Foo Fighters. Jimmy Buffett, Jefferson Starship and New Kids on the Block. The livestream will be hosted by Boston's own singer/songwriter Will Dailey and will take place a couple of days before the Red Sox's first game against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday, July 24. 

Concerts at Fenway Park, including from Lady Gaga, Maroon 5 and New Kids on the Block, have been rescheduled due to COVID-19, but thanks to Dailey, Red Sox President & CEO Sam Kennedy told Vanyaland, the virtual concert will be a great way to celebrate the season with music. 

"Will Dailey has been a close friend of mine for years and when he approached us with the idea to host an event that would celebrate music and Fenway Park, all while raising funds for charity, we were completely on board," Kennedy said. "Of course, this event would not be possible without our partners at Live Nation who have been instrumental in securing the talented artists who have graced the stage at Fenway Park since 2003. Once again, they have helped us deliver on an exceptional program, this time virtual, that pays tribute to music and our great ballpark."

Watch the livestream on Wednesday, July 22, at 7:05 p.m. EST/ 4 p.m. EST on Live Nation New England's Facebook.

23 Years After Forming, Pop-Punk Patriarchs New Found Glory Look Back On All 10 Of Their Albums

Chris Martin & Susanna Hoffs at "Let's Go Crazy: The GRAMMY Salute To Prince"

Chris Martin & Susanna Hoffs

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From Foo Fighters To H.E.R., Chris Martin To Mavis Staples, Here's Who Rocked The GRAMMY Prince Tribute

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Earth, Wind & Fire, St. Vincent, Beck, John Legend, Common, The Time, The Revolution and more also brought purple power to "Let's Go Crazy: The GRAMMY Salute To Prince"
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Apr 21, 2020 - 8:20 pm

"To me, Prince is music. To love Prince is to love music," "Let's Go Crazy: The GRAMMY Tribute To Prince" host Maya Rudolph said as the GRAMMY special aired on Tuesday, April 21. "He said so much, so well, for so long, and then was gone too soon."

On the fourth anniversary of the seven-time GRAMMY winner and cultural icon's death, the Recording Academy and some very special celebrity friends celebrated his life and musical treasure trove. The shimmering Prince tribute concert, "Let's Go Crazy: The GRAMMY Salute To Prince," featured powerhouse numbers from Foo Fighters, Beck, Common, Earth, Wind & Fire, H.E.R., Mavis Staples, St. Vincent, John Legend, Miguel, Coldplay's Chris Martin, the Bangles' Susanna Hoffs and many more. The latter pair sang a stripped-down piano rendition of "Manic Monday," the Bangles' hit penned by Prince, while Dave Grohl led the Foo Fighters in a rocked-up covers of "Pop Life" and "Darling Nikki," the latter complete with growls and shrieks.

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Mavis Staples and The Revolution perform at "Let's Go Crazy: The GRAMMY Salute To Prince" | Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS/Getty Images

Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and Sheila E. served as musical directors for the show, and all performed during it. Jam and Lewis, who got their start as part of Prince-formed act the Time, brought the moves with that classic group, while Sheila served up her epic drumming during the majority of numbers, as the bandleader of the powerhouse backing band. Prince's very own GRAMMY-winning backing band The Revolution also served up major purple realness during the show, performing "Delirious" with Rudolph and her duo Princess, "Purple Rain" with Staples and a joyful, star-studded finale of "Baby I'm a Star."

Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis Tease Morris Day & The Time's Prince Tribute Medley For "Let's Go Crazy"

In case you missed its airing on CBS/CBS All Access, or in case you couldn't Shazam some of the deeper cuts quickly enough, let's take a trip back to a time filled with "Purple Rain," before the coronavirus crisis stopped us all in our tracks (the show was safely and miraculously taped before the pandemic rocked the States).

H.E.R. Celebrates No. 1 Influence Prince

Opening the festivities were fellow GRAMMY winners and guitarists Gary Clark Jr. and H.E.R., who performed the night's titular bop, "Let's Go Crazy." The "Hard Place" singer rocked a fabulously shiny, iridescent white jumpsuit with a color-coordinating electric guitar, while the "This Land" artist stylishly contrasted her in a matte black suit and brown woodgrain guitar.

H.E.R. Celebrates Prince At "Let's Go Crazy" Tribute: "It's Gonna Be A Party!"

Miguel Praises Prince, Talks About Performing "I Would Die 4 U" For "Let's Go Crazy: The GRAMMY Salute To Prince"

Next up was R&B angel Miguel, who brought sexy, Princely swagger—complete with white lace and eyeliner—to Purple Rain track "I Would Die 4 U."

"He set the stage for all of us who follow," said EGOT-winner Legend, who wore a fierce, fitted dark grey suit. He sang a rousing rendition of "Nothing Compares 2 U," Prince's GRAMMY-nominated song originally performed by Sinead O'Connor.

GRAMMY-winning polymath St. Vincent followed, donning a lavender ruffled bodysuit and white go-go boots. Before she calmly slayed "Controversy," she told a story of Prince attending one of her shows, which "scared her to death." "Prince's music means so much to all of us," she added.

Juanes Takes Us Back To "1999" In Prince's Honor At "Let's Go Crazy: The GRAMMY Salute To Prince"

GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY winner Juanes, wearing a maroon crushed velvet top, rocked out with a lively rendition of "1999." The Colombian rock star was introduced by the Purple One's longtime friend, Naomi Campbell. He was followed by another song from H.E.R., this time with dancer and Prince collaborator, Misty Copeland. Her gorgeous dance moves brought a powerful energy to H.E.R.'s electric performance of "The Beautiful Ones." Sitting at a space-age white Roland piano, H.E.R. hit alll the high notes with a commanding, graceful power.

Naomi Campbell On GRAMMY Salute To Prince: "I Really Wanted Him To Have The Celebration He Deserved"

Next on deck during the show was another act featuring beautifully articulated choreography, this time by FKA Twigs and Usher, from their slick 2020 GRAMMY performance (watch above) of "Little Red Corvette," When Doves Cry" and "Kiss." Martin and Hoffs brought us back down to earth with lovely duet of "Manic Monday," with Martin playing the piano.

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The Time perform at "Let's Go Crazy: The GRAMMY Tribute To Prince" | Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS/Getty Images

Not wanting to keep the audience in their seats too long, Morris Day, Jam, Lewis and The Time brought the energy back up with a medley of some of The Time's biggest bops written by Prince: "Jungle Love," "Cool" and "The Bird." They all still dance like it's 1984 and Ice Cream Castle just hit the airwaves—apparently an active diet of Prince music keeps you young and fresh.

Morris Day Pays Tribute To His Friend Prince At "Let's Go Crazy: The GRAMMY Salute To Prince"

Dave Grohl Tells The Story Of Jamming With Prince

Dave Grohl, meanwhile, shared a story (watch the clip above) about the time he jammed with Prince in an empty L.A. Forum. He also spoke about how Foo Fighters used to perform "Darling Nikki" in their early days. Their hard-rocking slayage of the sexually explicit Purple Rain track was the first time they'd played it in over 20 years. Host Rudolph then kicked it over to the legendary GRAMMY winning-soul group Earth, Wind & Fire for a rolicking cover of Sign 'O the Times cut "Adore."

GRAMMY-winning rapper/actor/activist Common followed with a modern update on the 1987 album's socially charged title track, "Sign O' The Times."

Next, GRAMMY-winning alt-rock stalwart Beck sang ubiquitous Prince catalog classic, "Raspberry Beret," complete with the music video's cartoon clouds dancing in the background. 

Clark Jr. returned to the stage for a special duet with Sheila E., of another Sign 'O the Times deep cut, "The Cross."

Gary Clark Jr. On His Admiration For Prince: "He's The Best Guitar Player In The World"

Gary Clark Jr. Sings Prince Deep Cut "The Cross"

Comedian/actor/musician Fred Armisen then took the stage to introduce the evening's true star, Sheila E., who'd already changed into another bold ook. She then led a medley of "America," "Free" and "The Glamorous Life," tracks she recorded with the icon himself.

Sheila E. Honors Prince's Unmatched Musical Legacy: "There's Only One Prince"

Armisen returned to introduce one his "best friends," Maya Rudolph, who'd also changed into another look for her performance with her Prince cover band, Princess, who slayed "Delirious" with The Revolution, Prince's powerhouse backing band.

The Revolution stuck around to rock out with the one and only Staples for a incredibly moving rendition of "Purple Rain." Finally, they lead a packed stage for a very star-studded, lively take of "Baby I'm a Star," bringing out all the amazing performers who channeled Prince's royal energy during the show.

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Dave Grohl Tells The Story Of Jamming With Prince, Talks Growing Up To His Records