Rock torchbearers Foo Fighters will release a new album, Concrete and Gold, Sept. 15. More exciting news for Madison-area fans, though, is the announcement that the band has the city on its tour schedule this time around. The group, led by former Nirvana drummer-turned-guitar hero Dave Grohl, will visit the Kohl Center on the UW-Madison campus Nov. 7.
The album’s lead single, “Run,” has already been released, and it features an intriguing combination of pop sheen and metal textures.
"Run" by Foo Fighters
After working with producer Butch Vig on their last couple full-length albums, this time the sextet turned to Greg Kurstin, better known for collaborations with single-name songwriting divas (Adele, P!nk) than rock ‘n’ rollers. Turns out Grohl and Kurstin have been friends for some years, as Grohl is a fan of Kurstin’s band The Bird & the Bee.
The sound of Foo Fighters has never been easy to pin down, so it’s not surprising that the group is continuing to experiment with different shades of rock. In the press release for the album and tour, Grohl says of the band’s choice of Kurstin, “So I think maybe Greg is the guy that we ask to be our producer because he’s never made a heavy rock record before and we’ve never worked with a pop producer.”
The local concert kicks off a short run of Midwest and Great Plains states dates (interestingly, not including Chicago or Minneapolis). Doors open at 6 p.m. on Nov. 7, with the show at 7:30 p.m. Tickets go on sale June 29, online and at the Alliant Energy Center Coliseum box office (608-267-3995).
Foo Fighters’ show will be the first major concert in the Kohl Center since country superstar Carrie Underwood visited in May 2016. The Fighters last played Madison in 2006, also at the Kohl Center. Along with Grohl, the group’s current lineup includes guitarists Chris Shiflett (Me First & the Gimme Gimmes) and Pat Smear (Germs), drummer Taylor Hawkins, bassist Nate Mendel (Sunny Day Real Estate) and keyboardist Rami Jaffee (The Wallflowers).
