Foo Fighters Rock Roll Audience at Festival With Van Halen ‘Eruption’ Solo Fake-Out
Dave Grohl is a showman. The Foo Fighters frontman loves to surprise and delight his band’s fans by giving them a bit of the unexpected amid the sweat and rumble of a typically high-energy Foos show.
On Saturday, during the Foos’ headlining slot at the Welcome to Rockville Festival at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, Grohl did it again with an assist from a famous rock scion. According to fan video of the moment, during the Foos’ mid-show medley, singer/guitarist Grohl cut off drummer Josh Freese to complain that while everyone else was getting their moment to shine, “I never get to f–king solo!”
Then, accomplished shredder Grohl busted into the notoriously tricky Eddie Van Halen guitar line from Van Halen’s instrumental classic “Eruption” off the group’s self-titled 1978 debut album, surprising the crowd by finishing the instrumental with his fingers off the guitar neck entirely. But the jig was instantly up as the cameras panned to Eddie’s son, WVH band leader Wolfgang Van Halen, ripping off the solo on the side of the stage.
“Dude, I told you to keep that cool Wolfie, what the f–k you doing right now?” Grohl jokingly chided Van Halen. “Everybody, give it up for f–ing Wolfgang Van Halen.” Wolfie then played a bit of the the equally killer “Hot for Teacher” solo as the Foos got back to business with “My Hero.”
“Since Wolfie took all that f–king time to pull off that joke with us, I’m gonna dedicate this one to him,” Grohl said. “Let’s sing this one for him, and let’s sing this one for his f–king dad too.” Last week Grohl dedicated a version of “My Hero” to late producer/engineer Steve Albini, who was behind the boards for Nirvana’s final studio album, In Utero, as well as the Foos’ Sonic Highways.
Watch video of the Wolfgang Van Halen cameo below.
Gil Kaufman
Billboard
