Foo Fighters Play The White House For July 4 (VIDEO)

President Obama held a July 4 barbeque on the White House lawn in honor of U.S. troops, hosted by NBC late night host Jimmy Fallon and headlined by the Foo Fighters.

A YouTube user posted three videos from the evening's musical festivities -- the camera is a bit shaky but the audio quality is great. In the second video, the Foo Fighters play a new song, "Wheels."

Some more details from the scene via The Hill:

Dave Grohl, lead singer and guitarist for the Foo Fighters, grew up in Alexandria and said he used to "sweat his butt off" watching the fireworks on the mall. He said he never thought he'd be performing on a stage just yards from the Oval Office in front of about 1,500 people. [...]

President Obama, in remarks at the beginning of the evening, said the spirit behind the event was to throw a backyard party just like the ones being held across the county. ... "In small towns and big cities, folks are firing up grills, laughing with family and friends, and laying out a blanket in preparation for the big show," Obama said. "They're reliving the simple, unmistakable joys of being an American."

Comments

[Tasies]

Nice Clear Channel Rock.

[jaydeedub]

Nice gig.

[CUL8R]

Kewl!

[NoSillyName]

Too cool! Foo Fighters & fireworks!!

[justanotherday]

One of the greatest bands around....period.

[sullavox]

Dave Ghrol Rules, Foo Fighters Rock, President Obama and the Foo Fighters is what dreams are made of. God Bless the USA and Happy 4th to everyone.

[sammyscout]

Funny that, I had foo on in my car all of yesterday

[me4you]

I absolutely love the Foo Fighters! Wish I had been there, but I had fun where I was anyways ;)

[Tasies]

So but oh so over rated.

[imfedup]

You know nothing about music.

[Tasies]

Ha ha, I'm a songwriter goof ball, for over fifteen years. And yes, The Foo Fighters have one good song in their repertoire. The rest is Dave Grohl showing signs of constipation. You want to hear some good rock n roll bands check Jesus Lizard, Autolux, Lansing Dreiden, BRMC, Cat a Tac. I know nothing of music, please.

[SidChimaera]

awesome vids, especially the last one. foo fighters rock. happy 4th

[Malkin71]

President Obama, in remarks at the beginning of the evening, said the spirit behind the event was to throw a backyard party just like the ones being held across the county. ... "In small towns and big cities, folks are firing up grills, laughing with family and friends, and laying out a blanket in preparation for the big show," Obama said. "They're reliving the simple, unmistakable joys of being an American."

How many of you had a rock band at your 4th of July party yesterday?

They said that the event was "in honor of the troops"...were there actual troops there?

Otherwise, this looks like yet another celebrity coming through the White House....

Wall Street is robbing us blind. Health care reform is on life support. And they are jamming to "Monkey Wrench."

GET TO WORK.

[myjs]

You going to criticize the USO, too?
The USO organized this event for the troops. I guess you think they don't deserve this.

[Kiowa317]

Honestly, your right, Most people don't have rock bands at their July 4th BBQ..you should be ashamed of yourself questioning if was really any troops there!! 99% of the people who were there where military members and their family. How do I know? I was there with my family. I'm an active duty blackhawk pilot in the army and was standing side by side with other military members who have sacrificed more than you can imagine.. Limbs.. Eyesight.. Families.. Things you can't imagine.. I personally suffer from back injuries and PTSD related to a fatal helicopter crash. I went from being an extremely successful pilot who flew high profile VIP's and doing air assault missions in combat to barley finding my way out of bed for a year and a half.. Now I'm medically retiring from the military and though nearly recovered and successfully managing PTSD I face an uncertain fate.. I will probably never be able to get another decent paying job due to the stigma of PTSD...even though I am doing better now. Your right most folks don't have a rock band.. But most folks don't sacrifice everything they hold dear for your right to try to discredit such an event either. I personaly would like to thank the USO, Mr Obama, and all the others who put this event together for giving myself, my wife, my son and so many others a glimmer of sunshine In what have been some very dark days..

[frantaylor]

Grohl was hired by Nirvana as a drummer, he was not involved in the founding of the band. In fact Nirvana went through several drummers before deciding on Grohl.

Grohl is from California and went up to Seattle to check out the music scene. Kurt and Chris were old friends from high school in Olympia.

When you listen to Foo Fighters, you constantly hear little bits of stuff that Grohl stole from Nirvana. The tempo changes, the alternation of loud and quiet passages, are all hallmarks of Nirvana, all blatantly stolen by Grohl.

Face it, Grohl got tired of sitting behind the drums. He wanted to be in a band where he could sing and play guitar.

[nycvagabond]

foo fighters sound nothing like nirvana... and any small coincidences are just coincidences.. stop looking into things so much and enjoy the music

[frantaylor]

I do enjoy the music. Dave Grohl is an excellent drummer.

[ARowebie]

Your facts are off. Grohl is from Virginia via the midwest. Kurt was aware of Grohl and specifically invited him to Seattle to audition. When Grohl joined, the band hit the big time.

Loud and quiet song structure is used by the Beatles and everyone else dude.

Music reviews are not your strength.

[prog]

Loud and quiet passages are used by other less famous musicians as well...like Beethoven.

Everyone is, as Harlan Ellison says, a chambered nautilus. They carry their past on their backs. Of course Foo Fighters have some vague resemblance to Nirvana; Nirvana sounded like they did partially because Grohl WAS IN THE BAND.

Just because he died young doesn't mean Kurt Cobain was a god, or a genius. He had an interesting band, and was a fairly good writer. Let it go.

[jwredd]

You are a strange person to come on here and make such an ugly case with no prompting whatsoever. Did Grohl beat you out in the Nirvana drummer auditions or something?

[NoSillyName]

Regardless of your incorrect "facts", your last sentence is correct. He obviously wanted to sing and play guitar. And I'm glad he did!

[Tasies]

There's zero innovation in that band. Sounds like a typical FM radio "modern" rock band. Clear Channel would love them though.

[kamandi777]

I would have got Public Enemy to play!

"And that ain't it (think I'll every quit)
Still I pray to get my hands 'round
The neck of the man wit' the whip"

[FreakOnALeash]

Yeah, boi!

[mapleaforever]

Some folks still have a "Fear of a Black Planet".

[jones]

I loved the fireworks! That was beautiful piro-art over the washington monument.

[frantaylor]

The tinfoil hats will be out in force when they hear that the secret UFO task force has decided to take up rock 'n roll.