Rock, Sweat and Singalongs: Foo Fighters Kick Off Their European Tour in Oslo
- Kenneth Sporsheim
- 11 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Unity Arena, Oslo 10th June 2026
IMAGES KENNETH SPORHEIM / WORDS THOMAS V. KIRKEBY
Foo Fighters are a hugely popular band worldwide, and Norway is no exception. Their show at Unity Arena in Oslo was sold out on this Wednesday evening, marking the opening night of their European tour, appropriately titled Take Cover 2026.
Australian indie rock duo Royel Otis and Japanese punk outfit Otoboke Beaver had the honour of opening the show. Unfortunately, many fans never got the chance to see either support act, as the early start time combined with the sometimes challenging journey to Unity Arena proved difficult, even with the many shuttle buses operating throughout the evening. I was among those who didn't make it in time.
According to the schedule, Foo Fighters were due on stage at 8pm. They kept the crowd waiting an extra five minutes, but all was instantly forgiven the moment the band walked onto the stage. Plenty of fans were still making their way into the arena at that point, but they quickly picked up the pace when the roar of the crowd erupted as Dave Grohl and company appeared.
"It's gonna be a long night, motherfuckers!" Dave both promised and threatened before the band launched into 'All My Life' – a perfect opener that immediately set the arena ablaze.
Halfway through the song, the band came to an abrupt stop. Dave stood silently, staring out across the crowd for a few seconds. It was difficult to tell whether he looked impressed or surprised by the response. Personally, I would say he had every reason to be pleased.
The band then picked up exactly where they had left off and powered through the remainder of the song before moving straight into 'Of All People' from Your Favorite Toy, released earlier this year. It felt like many in the crowd had not yet fully absorbed the new material, but any hesitation disappeared the moment the unmistakable opening of crowd favourite 'The Pretender' kicked in.
By the end of the song, Dave's face was drenched, water streaming from both his hair and beard. Whether he had poured water over himself or was genuinely sweating that much remains a mystery. Either explanation would make perfect sense, because the intensity and commitment of the performance were remarkable.
Dave then took some time to chat with the audience, something both I and the rest of the crowd absolutely loved. He comes across as a genuinely likeable and down-to-earth person.
"Do you love rock 'n' roll music?" he asked.
The audience responded with a deafening roar.
"Guess what? We came here to play fucking rock 'n' roll music."
The cheers grew even louder.
Next up was 'Rope', and attention naturally turned towards the band's new drummer, Ilan Rubin, formerly of Nine Inch Nails. It has now been more than four years since the passing of Taylor Hawkins, and I must admit I still miss seeing that cheerful blonde man with the unforgettable smile behind the drum kit. That said, Rubin was doing an excellent job and had already proven himself more than capable. He had also demonstrated that he could smile too.
'These Days' began gently before building into something much bigger. Throughout the song, the band stopped four separate times, taking brief pauses before continuing. It has been fifteen years since I last saw Foo Fighters live, so I honestly cannot remember whether they used to do things like this back then. Either way, I loved it. Each pause felt like the song had ended, only for the band to launch back into it again moments later.
One of the great strengths of Foo Fighters is that they never seem to take themselves too seriously. At times it almost feels as though they are simply jamming for their own enjoyment – albeit in front of twenty thousand people. Yet every stop and every restart was executed with such precision that there was never any doubt about how meticulously rehearsed it all was.
"Who here has been to a Foo Fighters show before?" Dave asked later, after enjoying the sight of the entire arena clapping along to 'Walk'.
Countless hands shot into the air.
"It's good to see you again."
Dave spoke a lot throughout the evening, and honestly, I would love to quote every story and every joke. Instead, I'll leave those surprises for anyone fortunate enough to have tickets for an upcoming Foo Fighters show.
There were goosebumps and mass singalongs when the band launched into 'My Hero'. The communal atmosphere continued during 'Learn to Fly', before the band blasted into 'No Son of Mine', complete with a few lines from Motörhead's 'Ace of Spades'. A shameless crowd-pleaser, and an incredibly effective one.
The entire band then moved out onto the catwalk extending into the arena floor for an acoustic segment. First came 'Wheels', with its unmistakable Tom Petty flavour, and suddenly the massive arena felt surprisingly intimate. Next was 'Marigold', a song Dave wrote and recorded before joining Nirvana, which later also appeared in a Nirvana version during the In Utero era.
The band then returned to the main stage while Dave performed 'Big Me', essentially a love song to the band itself from their 1995 debut album. From there he moved into 'Times Like These', once again creating an intimate atmosphere inside a packed arena. Halfway through the song, Dave sprinted back to the main stage, and the band exploded back into full force.
One of the evening's biggest highlights came when Dave introduced the members of the band.
"Everybody in this band used to play in other bands," he explained.
What followed was a charming and fantastic tribute to both the musicians and their musical histories, as snippets of songs from their former projects were performed.
The segment reached its peak when Ilan Rubin stepped out from behind the drum kit and borrowed Dave's guitar. Dave then sat behind the drums, and the audience was treated to an instrumental version of 'Tap Dancing in a Minefield' from Rubin's solo project The New Regime. It was a fantastic moment, made even better by seeing Dave Grohl back behind a drum kit once again.
Another personal highlight was 'Monkey Wrench', a song I have a special relationship with thanks to Guitar Hero II nearly twenty years ago. I couldn't help wondering how many others were suddenly transported back to their plastic guitars during that one.
The rest of the concert continued exactly as it had begun: a masterclass in energy, charisma and rock 'n' roll, drawing material from across the band's thirty-plus-year career. Dave explained that 'Aurora' was performed in honour of Taylor Hawkins, as it had been every concert since his passing.
The band played for almost three hours, just as Dave had promised—or threatened—at the very beginning of the evening. And it wasn't only Dave who left Unity Arena sweaty and satisfied that summer night.
This was a fantastic evening filled with catchy, energetic rock 'n' roll, and I suspect the band felt it was a pretty special way to kick off their European tour as well.
You owe it to yourself to see Foo Fighters when they come to a city near you.
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