Royal Blood, The Foo Fighters, Figure it out.
It’s been nearly a year since the final night of Life is Beautiful festival where The Foo Fighters headlined Sunday night. The whole day in Las Vegas.. it was all anyone could talk about. Dave Grohl, super human. As I was making my way through the crowed waaaaaaay early in the day, I had the opportunity to chat with not just festival goers.. but die hard, tried and true, “I drove 16 hours to get to Vegas and I will wait for 12 in the Vegas heat to get a good spot” Foo Fighters Fans. To simply state they were PASSIONATE, an understatement.
This post isn’t exclusively about the Foo, it’s more about the fact that I have unfinished business with the Foo. You see that night in Vegas, on the last night of the festival while everyone was enjoying the ever impressive performance I was elsewhere having a chat with the lovely Charlotte Dutoit, street art curator for the festival. No regrets. Part of the allure of this project is the Art. As we were chatting back stage at Skrillex, the conversation was enjoyable. educational and entertaining. Art is a pillar with this festival, it’s raw and influential and completely revolutionizing downtown Las Vegas, it’s a must experience part of the weekend, take some time, loose yourself there.
Today, way up north, back in our home city of Vancouver BC we are back and ready to once again become part of the experience that is a Foo Fighters Show. There have been rumours that the british duo, Mike Kerr and drummer Ben Thatcher of Royal Blood are opening select dates for the Foo and we’re hoping tonight is one of them. (There has also been rumour it will be Van Halen.)
Royal Blood only got their start in 2013, but have made quite the impact. It was rumoured that Matt Helders, drummer for Life is Beautiful Alumni, the Arctic Monkey’s was wearing Royal Blood duo’s t-shirt while performing at Glastonbury, even before the release of their first single. Not a bad way to garner some peer support.
I found this quote by Jimmy Page… like freaking JIMMY PAGE, Led Zeppelin God of Rock about Royal Blood; “I went to hear them in New York. They were fantastic. Absolutely riveting, they’re such fine musicians. Their album has taken the genre up a serious few notches. It’s so refreshing to hear, because they play with the spirit of the things that have preceded them, but you can hear they’re going to take rock into a new realm – if they’re not already doing that. It’s music of tremendous quality.”
Don’t take Jimmy’s word for it, listen for yourself:
I can see the thread of connection here, based on my research during the festival last year and again during the “Beat the Bots” old school ticket lotto at Rogers Arena last November. As someone raised in the age of the Ticket Master App… I’ve never had the opportunity to experience the frenzy of waiting in-line hoping to get a ticket to see a show.
Let me tell you it was the most rad opportunity. I loved the energy, it was cold and clear and Foo Fans had come from all over to try and nab a ticket before the ticket bots scooped them up. I asked again, the same question that I had previously asked in Vegas.. why? Why such fandom? What is it that draws people so passionately toward the band?
I think the answer can be summed up into a few sentences – the common theme for any of the really die hard fans; “Dave, is my therapist”, “Dave really got me through some tough stuff”, & Foo Fighters Music is my THERAPY.
Here is the common thread. I feel the same way about the song, ‘Work it Out’ by Royal Blood. All of last year – it was my anthem. It was the little voice in my ear reminding me, that anything, ANYTHING was doable. I can and would, work it out.
This conversation reminds me of a post from last summer about the poverty of language and the deeply routed ability that music has to help us express emotion.
Tonight will be a surprise whether they are playing or not.. what isn’t a surprise is that in two weeks when our team is back in Vegas for the third instalment of Life is Beautiful festival, Royal Blood will be there too!
Until then, keep seeking the infinite moments & find some music to take you there.
m! Media & LBH Collective 