By Daniel Paiz

Foo Fighters deliver Mile High Magic with Everything or Nothing at All Tour stop to a packed Broncos stadium. It’s still undetermined if the arena was left scorched by the nearly triple-digit heat, or the performances that kept the stadium shaking from time to time. Mammoth WVH and The Pretenders each powered through their own sets before the headliners arrived, delivering over two dozen tracks.

The Foo delivered in spite of hot temps and occasional smoke from fires around the state, and seemingly did so with ease. As soon as the openers started it felt as if the headliners were finished. There wasn’t an overly frenetic pace to the sets, but tunes soared across the Mile High.

Openers

Mammoth WVH

Mammoth WVH has been touring with the Foo Fighters for several stops on this tour and did a good job of warming up the crowd. Their sound lingered between Rock and Hard Rock, and their lead singer was abundantly excited to be on this tour. He kept thanking the crowd. Mammoth had a good flow moving between energetic tunes and a more somber sound. This listener knew none of their work, but they’re now getting a further look.

The Pretenders

Seasoned professionals in their own right, this group kept the energy going throughout their set. Fans’ ages seemed to decide their familiarity with this group. They rocked out as expected, had solid crowd engagement, and had jokes scattered here and there. Those familiar with The Pretenders seemed to almost prefer them over the Foo, and those new to them likely gained a new rabbit hole to explore. Another raising of the bar here with their musicianship and performance.

The Foo arrives

Frontman Dave Grohl clearly remembers playing the Ogden Theater in Denver many years ago; Grohl mentioned the storied venue several times. Playing roughly to 55,000 fans at Broncos stadium, Grohl seemed awe-struck at the Denver turnout. Allegedly, Dave claims this is their largest U.S. show in 30 years. These fans believe it, and that’s all that matters. A good chunk of this crowd witnessed the Foo for the first time.

That’s a feat in itself, as not all artists can boast such a large age range of fans. It’s not all of the records, hits, and tours aren’t what this band recalls the most; it’s getting to sing along with the fans. What’s interesting about this show is how it feels timeless as it proceeds.

You guys have been the perfect fuckin’ audience, you know that right?

-Dave Grohl to a very full Empower Field at Mile High

There was something for everybody as this impressive lineup of band members strummed and slammed out notes to raucous approval. “My Hero”, “The Pretender” and “Best of You” are likely recognized by the more casual listener. “All My Life”, “Times Like These”, and “These Days” likely resonate with more seasoned listeners. Diehards were likely familiar with “Monkey Wrench”, “Everlong”, and the various medleys performed.

The pacing of the night was top-notch, and the peaks and valleys of stadium anthems to acoustic tunes and back again was slick. It’s difficult to put into words who had a better time, the band or the fans. What can be said is, it was an unforgettable evening for everyone in attendance.