“It’s our biggest show ever in France”: the triumphant return of the Foo Fighters to Paris La Défense Arena! –

Nine years after their last Parisian concert, the Foo Fighters made a triumphant return this Friday, June 19, 2026 at Paris La Défense Arena. In front of more than 40,000 spectators, Dave Grohl and his musicians delivered nearly three hours of incandescent rock, between electric surges, moments of emotion and permanent communion with the public. A monumental concert which will remain as one of the great musical events of the year.

Intense, human, warm and inhabited. Rarely have these qualifiers stuck so closely to a concert as this Friday evening at Paris La Défense Arena. At precisely 8:30 p.m., Dave Grohl appeared on stage, followed by his musicians. In front of him, a compact human sea which fills the largest performance hall in Europe. The leader of the Foo Fighters has lost none of his charisma or energy. For almost three hours, he will run, sing, scream, joke and thank a French audience that he finally finds in the capital. A true rock lesson given by a group which, thirty years after its creation, continues to evolve at the top of its art.

One of the great successes of the evening lies in its construction. The show is split into two parts: an electric first part on the main stage, a more intimate interlude on a stage brought to the heart of the audience, before an explosive return to the A stage for a grandiose finale.

The kick-off is given with« All My Life ». Dave Grohl screams like hell and the machine is immediately launched at full speed.« The Pretender » drives the point home with its raging power. The audience is already on their feet, singing along to every chorus. About« Times Like These »the softer introduction brings a welcome breath before a rise in power that capsizes the Arena. The group gives no respite.« Rope », « Stacked Actors », « My Hero », « Learn to Fly »and« These Days » follow one another without downtime. Giant screens broadcast black and white images while dozens of projectors crisscross the space. On stage, Grohl moves back and forth, dances, jumps and seems driven by inexhaustible energy. Before“Walk”Dave Grohl takes the time to address the audience: “You know it’s going to be a long night, we have a lot of songs. Thank you for following us all these years. »The Arena exults. Throughout the evening, he will punctuate his speeches with “Hello”, “Thank you very much” or “I love you”, each time triggering an ovation.

 

Highlight of this first part,« No Son of Mine » is dedicated to Lemmy Kilmister. The piece continues with an extract from« Ace of Spades » by Motörhead, taken up by a delirious crowd. It is also during this sequence that Dave Grohl launches the sentence which will undoubtedly remain as the declaration of the evening: “It’s our biggest show ever in France! » An assertion greeted by an immense clamor.

The concert then shifts to a more intimate register when the musicians join stage B.« Wheels » opens this acoustic parenthesis. The atmosphere suddenly becomes warmer, almost familial. Before« Marigold »Grohl says he wrote this song during the Nirvana era and recalls that it appeared on the B side of the single.Heart-Shaped Box. Absent from concerts for several years « For All the Cows » taken from the first album constitutes one of the surprises of the evening. « Big Me »with its very British pop accents, then« Under You »performed alone on guitar by Grohl, further reinforce this closeness with the public.

When the Foo Fighters return to the main stage, the tension immediately rises.« The Goddess Of »and« The Glass » restart the machine at full power. Then comes the traditional presentation of the musicians, punctuated by musical excerpts and an impressive drum solo which triggers a real ovation. The classics then follow one another:« Monkey Wrench », « Breakout », “Aurora”, « Best of You ». The emotion reaches its peak on“Aurora”dedicated to Taylor Hawkins. Bathed in a magnificent blue light, the piece stretches out at length in an almost psychedelic atmosphere. A sober, elegant and deeply touching tribute. About« Best of You »Dave Grohl gives himself body and soul. His voice seems ready to break as he pushes each note with extraordinary intensity. The whole Arena sings with him.

The encore transformed this evening into a historic moment.« The Teacher »performed on a double-neck guitar, impresses with its scale.« Exhausted » plunges the room into a soaring atmosphere before« Everlong » comes to conclude the celebration in an explosion of songs and emotions.

For nearly three hours, the Foo Fighters reminded us why they remain one of the greatest rock groups in the world. Generous, powerful, sincere and deeply human, Dave Grohl and his companions offered an exceptional performance which literally set Paris La Défense Arena ablaze. A concert which will remain engraved in the memory of the 40,000 spectators present.

Thanks to Paul Bonneval, Bathilde Lorenzetti and the Paris La Défense Arena teams for their welcome.

Jean-Christophe Mary 

 

 Titres joués :

 

Scene A

 

All My Life

The Pretender

Times Like These

Rope

Stacked Actors

My Hero

Learn to Fly

These Days

Walk

This Is a Call

(Dave explained this song (FF’s 1st single) was released in France exactly 31 years ago on this day)

No Son of Mine

(dedicated to Lemmy; with a snippet of Motorhead’s « Ace of Spades »)

     

Scene B

Wheels

Marigold

(Late! cover) (Dave explained that he wrote this song and it was a B-side of Nirvana’s « Heart-Shaped Box » single)

For All the Cows

(first time live since 2021)

Big Me

Under You

(Dave alone)

 

Scene A

La Dee Da

our Favorite Toy

Invincible / Seven / One Headlight / Manimal / Tap Dancing in a Minefield

(with band introductions)

Monkey Wrench

Breakout

Aurora

(dedicated to Taylor Hawkins)

Caught in the Echo

Best of You

        

Reminders:

  

The Teacher

Exhausted

Everlong