“Tonight was the first night I came face to face with my arch-nemesis!” proclaimedFoo FightersfrontmanDave Grohl.
All simmering “feuds” were joyously resolved as he welcomed 11-year-old drumming phenom Nandi Bushell – with whom he engaged a playfulonline drum battleamid the pandemic — to the stage for an epic performance of “Everlong” at The Forum in Los Angeles on Thursday.
Calling Bushell “the most badass drummer in the world,” Grohl sang the praises of the British pre-teen whom he says bested him in their viral drum duels.
“We’ve had the honor to jam with some pretty amazing people over the years. SomeBeatles, some [Rolling] Stones, some Pink Floyds. But this one right here takes the cake,” he said on stage.
“One day I picked up my phone, and my friends were all texting me asking if I had seen this s–t? And I clicked on the link and I see someone is challenging me to a drum-off,” Grohl told the crowd at The Forum. “So I’m like, ‘Isn’t that nice?’ I kind of brush it off. But all my friends tell me, ‘No dude, you have to step up. This is the real deal. This is a drum-off!'”
“So I respond. I said alright, I’ll play nice. But then she comes back, and she whoops my f—ing ass in front of the entire planet,” explained Grohl. “Round three! I do something else, and she comes back and kicks my f—ing ass again.”
Donato Sardella/Getty; Nandi Bushell/Instagram
“This person inspired me last year so much, and I’ll tell you why,” Grohl said. “Because in a time when you would pick up your phone or turn on your computer and all we had was bad news, for that one day, you’d pick up your phone and see that connection between two people who never making music together and spreading joy and love all across the world.”
Indeed, the hundreds of Foo Fighters fans filling The Forum gave Bushell – appropriately clad in red plaid flannel – an enthusiastic welcome as she jubilantly took the stage and took her place on a drum kit, spinning her drumstick confidently in the air before launching into a thunderous rendition of “Everlong” with the band to close the show.
As she finished, Grohl led her to center of the stage where, arms triumphantly aloft, she soaked up a loud round of cheers and applause.
“It Happened!!! It was #EPIC!!!” Bushell later posted on YouTube alongside a video of her performance. “Tonight I jammed with the @foofighters live @theforum!!! Wow!!! What an INCREDIBLE night! THANK YOU @foofighters @davestruestories! Thank you @taylorhawkinsofficial thank you everyone who made this possible!!! #foofighters #davegrohl #theforum #everlong – It’s my Daddy screaming a lot and filmed this video. MORE TO COME!!!”
The tour has also become a family affair for Grohl: his15-year-old daughter Violetappeared as one of the group’s backup vocalists throughout the concert.
source: people.com
