Foo Fighters are back in action with But Here We Are, their first album since the tragic 2022 passing of longtime drummer Taylor Hawkins. By all accounts, it’s the band’s best work in years, fitting in detours in shoegaze and multi-passage epics in between the band’s classic style of straight ahead rock. At a recent show in Arkansas, the band debuted “The Teacher,” the 10-minute song that serves as one of the record’s most interesting moments. Check out the performance below.
“The Teacher” is likely inspired by Grohl’s mother Virginia, a longtime schoolteacher who also passed away last year. “You showed me how to breathe, never showed me how to say goodbye,” he sings. Adding to the family affair in the track’s live debut is the artist’s 17-year-old daughter Violet, who sings on But Here We Are and has been touring with the band as a backing vocalist.
“The Teacher” starts with ominous keys before the band kicks into one of their most insistent riffs in years. From there, the dynamics keep changing; we even get a guitar change for Grohl and Chris Shiflett!
Foo Fighters’ 2023 tour continues through the summer and includes stops at Bonnaroo, Outside Lands, and Ohana Festival. Another recent show saw the debut of “Show Me How,” another But Here We Are highlight that also features Violet Grohl on vocals. Grab tickets to an upcoming show here.