Dave Grohl AC/DC fans got a night to remember Friday, Oct. 2, when the Foo Fighters frontman joined the band on stage at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, to perform “Highway to Hell.” The moment fulfilled a dream that began when Grohl, then 11, watched AC/DC’s 1980 concert film “Let There Be Rock.”
Dave Grohl AC/DC: How the “Highway to Hell” moment happened
Foo Fighters opened the show, their second time as support on AC/DC’s Power Up Tour. They also opened Sept. 8 in St. Louis, stepping in for The Pretty Reckless, according to JamBase.
AC/DC singer Brian Johnson introduced Grohl to the crowd, saying a very good friend had asked to join the band on stage for “Highway to Hell.” “And we said, ‘Yes, Dave, you can,'” Johnson added. The song was staged with dramatic flames, and the crowd roared its approval.
Why AC/DC means so much to Grohl
During Foo Fighters’ set, Grohl told the crowd that “Let There Be Rock” changed his life when he saw it at age 11. “I didn’t know that rock and roll could be like that,” he said, according to Consequence. He said that is when he decided to do it for the rest of his life. Grohl singled out drummer Phil Rudd’s intensity and guitarist Angus Young’s stamina in that film.
When the Dave Grohl AC/DC pairing was announced for St. Louis, Grohl called it “literally a dream come true.” He said AC/DC was “single handedly responsible” for his determination “to give every audience everything I have, every night.” He has described that early exposure to the band as a turning point for his own career. For more on the drummer-turned-frontman, read our story on why Foo Fighters parted ways with a drummer.
What happens next
The Dave Grohl AC/DC moment came at the final stop of the band’s North American Power Up Tour run. The tour supports the band’s 2020 album “Power Up.” It was originally set for Sept. 25 but was postponed after a nor’easter threatened the East Coast, and tickets stayed valid for the new date.
Want to see where the band played this year? Check our Power Up Tour schedule, or read how “Thunderstruck” got its name.
