New York City witnessed a rare and highly anticipated event on Thursday, April 30th, 2026, as rock titans Foo Fighters performed an intimate "underplay" at the 1,200-capacity Irving Plaza. The sight of a serpentine queue winding along 15th Street toward Union Square was a familiar echo of a similar, equally coveted event in the fall of 2014, when the band last graced the smaller venue. Then, as now, the promise was irresistible: to experience the stadium-filling Foo Fighters in an exceptionally up-close and personal setting, a stark contrast to their usual arena and festival appearances. The 2026 engagement, however, arrived amidst a significantly transformed landscape for the band, marked by new musical output, a new lineup, and the enduring legacy of a beloved former member.
The Enduring Allure of the Underplay
For a band of Foo Fighters’ stature, routinely headlining global festivals and selling out massive stadiums—their "Take Cover" tour later in 2026 is slated for some of the world’s largest venues—an underplay is a deliberate and strategic departure from the norm. These intimate concerts, often announced with minimal lead time and employing unconventional ticketing methods like the stand-in-line format seen at Irving Plaza, serve multiple purposes. They foster an unparalleled connection with a segment of their most dedicated fanbase, generate significant buzz for new releases, and allow the band to experiment with deeper cuts and new material in a less pressured environment. The 2014 Irving Plaza show, held in support of the ambitious Sonic Highways project, demonstrated this principle, offering fans a unique insight into an album deeply tied to American musical cities. The 2026 iteration, celebrating their new album Your Favorite Toy, continued this tradition, providing a raw, visceral experience that larger venues inherently cannot replicate. Such events underscore the band’s punk rock roots and their ability to pivot between massive spectacle and gritty club authenticity, proving that even after decades of global success, the spirit of their early days remains potent.
A Decade of Transformation: From Sonic Highways to Your Favorite Toy
The twelve years separating the two Irving Plaza performances have been monumental for Foo Fighters. The 2014 show coincided with Sonic Highways, an album lauded for its unique recording process and an accompanying HBO documentary series. Notably, the 2026 setlist completely omitted any tracks from that ambitious record, signaling a clear shift in the band’s creative focus and historical perspective. The most profound change, however, has been the tragic passing of beloved drummer Taylor Hawkins in March 2022. Hawkins, a pivotal figure in the band’s identity and a celebrated musician in his own right, left an irreplaceable void. Following a period of mourning and reflection, the band returned in 2023 with But Here We Are, an emotionally raw and critically acclaimed album that grappled explicitly with grief and loss. While this album became an instant cult favorite among fans, its tracks were also absent from the Irving Plaza set, further emphasizing the band’s current direction.
The interim period saw the respected Josh Freese join the band on drums for a period, providing a crucial bridge during their return to live performance. However, by 2025, another significant personnel change occurred with Ilan Rubin stepping into the drummer’s role. Rubin, known for his work with Nine Inch Nails and Angels & Airwaves, brings a fresh dynamic to the Foo Fighters, and the Irving Plaza show served as a powerful showcase for his integration into the band’s fabric. This evolution, from a band riding high on a unique conceptual album to one navigating profound loss and embracing new talent, speaks volumes about their resilience and adaptability.
A New Chapter: Your Favorite Toy Takes Center Stage
The primary focus of the April 30th concert was to introduce fans to Your Favorite Toy, the band’s latest studio album, which had been released earlier in April 2026 to generally positive reviews. Six of the album’s ten tracks found their way into the setlist, including the live debut of the contemplative rocker "Window." Dave Grohl himself acknowledged the nascent stage of these new performances, noting they were "slightly rough around the edges." This raw honesty, however, only enhanced the intimate club experience, allowing the audience to witness the band genuinely engaged with their freshest material. Tracks like "Caught in the Echo" reportedly exploded with energy, featuring the tight, syncopated guitar work of Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett, and Grohl, who appeared visibly enthusiastic about performing the new songs. The deliberate decision to heavily feature Your Favorite Toy underscores the band’s confidence in their new material and their commitment to pushing forward creatively, rather than solely relying on their extensive catalog of hits. This strategic album promotion through a high-profile underplay generated significant media attention and fan excitement ahead of their larger tour dates.
A Deep Dive into the Catalog: Unearthing Hidden Gems
Beyond the new material, the intimate setting of Irving Plaza provided a unique opportunity for Foo Fighters to delve into their extensive back catalog, particularly their earlier work. The show opened with "Winnebago," one of Dave Grohl’s earliest solo compositions, immediately setting an old-school, throwback tone. The encore further solidified this nostalgic journey with performances of "Exhausted" and "A320," the latter a track famously recorded for the 1998 Godzilla film soundtrack. This willingness to dust off rarely played gems is a hallmark of their underplay performances, contrasting sharply with the more predictable, hit-laden setlists often necessitated by massive stadium audiences.
The band’s setlist curation has become a topic of considerable discussion among fans. While tracks from their first two albums frequently surface in these intimate shows, other critically acclaimed albums like In Your Honor and Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace are often represented only by their biggest singles, such as "Best of You" and "The Pretender." This selective approach leaves fans pondering the potential inclusion of other beloved songs, such as "No Way Back," "Let It Die," or "Next Year" from There Is Nothing Left to Lose. Grohl’s comment during the show about the band having "a lot of songs" subtly acknowledges this vast repertoire, and the unexpected inclusion of "A320" hinted at a welcome unpredictability that fans crave. The recontextualization of Grohl’s three-decade-old tracks alongside the sonically aligned new album material created a cohesive yet diverse listening experience, demonstrating the enduring quality of their early work and its connection to their current sound.
The Electric Atmosphere and Fan Engagement
The Irving Plaza crowd, a diverse demographic spanning multiple generations, met the Foo Fighters with an intensity typically reserved for much larger venues. The floor became a vortex of moshing, crowd surfing, and fervent sing-alongs, reflecting the raw, unfiltered energy that smaller venues ignite. This palpable enthusiasm was so striking that Dave Grohl paused to share an anecdote about his own crowd-surfing experience at the Hollywood Palladium during an Iggy Pop concert. While not explicitly condemning the activity, Grohl’s playful "be cool" directive underscored his surprise and appreciation for the audience’s unbridled passion, highlighting the unique, almost primal connection forged in such tight quarters. The sheer force of fan engagement is a testament to the Foo Fighters’ enduring appeal and their ability to command a room, regardless of its size. The shared experience, where fans felt closer to the band, amplified the emotional impact of every riff and lyric, creating a collective catharsis.
Ilan Rubin: A Force to Be Reckoned With
A significant highlight of the night was the towering performance by new drummer Ilan Rubin. Following in the formidable footsteps of Taylor Hawkins and the interim tenure of Josh Freese, Rubin faces the complex task of not only executing Dave Grohl’s meticulously crafted drum parts but also channeling the spirit and technical prowess that defined Hawkins’ playing. Furthermore, he is integral to realizing Grohl’s sonic vision for the new material on Your Favorite Toy. The Irving Plaza show emphatically demonstrated Rubin’s mastery of these challenges. His ability to express his own distinct style within the Foo Fighters’ established rhythmic identity is a mark of a truly magnificent drummer. Observers noted his apparent ambidextrousness, playing a right-oriented kit with left-handed emphasis without any discernible compromise in power or precision. His contribution to the band’s dynamic, particularly on the new tracks, was undeniable. For anyone considering attending the Foo Fighters’ upcoming "Take Cover" stadium tour, paying close attention to Rubin’s performance is highly recommended; he is clearly a vital force propelling the band’s latest iteration forward.
Broader Implications and Enduring Legacy
The Foo Fighters’ underplay at Irving Plaza transcended a mere concert; it was a powerful reaffirmation of their identity and adaptability. In an era where many legacy acts might comfortably settle into a routine of greatest hits tours, Foo Fighters consistently challenge expectations. This intimate show allowed both band and audience to reconnect with the unfiltered energy of punk rock and early ’90s alternative, the very foundations upon which the band was built. Experiencing the band in such close proximity offered a purer, more direct connection to their musical lineage, evoking the raw power that fueled their ascent from garages to global stages.
The concert underscored that Foo Fighters have not "aged out" of anything. Instead, they have seamlessly transitioned from club heroes to stadium headliners without sacrificing their core essence. They demonstrated an uncanny ability to play a club like a group of hungry, twenty-something punks with everything still to prove, while simultaneously commanding the gravitas of multi-platinum, Grammy-winning artists. This duality is a testament to their enduring relevance and artistic vitality. The successful integration of new material, the powerful performance of a new drummer, and the unwavering connection with their fanbase all point to a band that, despite profound changes and challenges, continues to evolve, innovate, and thrive at the apex of rock music. The Irving Plaza show was not just a recap of a single night; it was a snapshot of a legendary band’s dynamic present and promising future.
Foo Fighters Setlist – April 30th @ Irving Plaza in New York City:
- Winnebago (Late! cover)
- All My Life
- Times Like These
- Caught in the Echo
- Of All People
- Stacked Actors
- La Dee Da
- The Pretender
- My Hero
- Learn to Fly
- Window (Live Debut)
- This Is a Call
- No Son of Mine
- Your Favorite Toy
- These Days
- Walk
- Aurora
- Monkey Wrench
- Hey, Johnny Park!
- Best of You
Encore:
- A320
- Spit Shine
- Unconditional
- Exhausted
- Everlong
