The Foo Fighters’ first Twin Cities show in over half a decade on Sunday was a masterclass in rock showmanship.

Nearly 30 years after the band’s inception, the Foo Fighters delivered a tour-de-force stadium rock show for the tens of thousands of fans watching them at Target Field.

After a 15-minute delay due to intermittent rain, the crowd’s excitement at the stadium was palpable as the Foo Fighters took the stage and opened their set with the explosive “All My Life.”

It was clear from the moment the band started playing that the Foo Fighters could still bring the passion and energy needed to excite and entertain a packed stadium for nearly three hours. 

Frontman Dave Grohl, charismatic as usual, was the stand-out performer throughout the night. The 55-year-old sang and screamed, sometimes with more energy than was on the band’s studio recordings.

Grohl’s prowess as a songwriter was highlighted throughout the band’s career-spanning set, which featured songs from nearly every Foo Fighters album. With songs ranging from the Foo Fighters’ first single “This Is A Call,” to their modern-rock classic, “The Pretender,” to the band’s newer material, it was obvious the band’s reputation preceded itself as they went through the setlist in rapid-fire succession.

It is rare for a band like the Foo Fighters, who came to prominence decades ago, to still find their new material clicking with fans just as much as their classics, but the Foo Fighters performed songs from their great 2023 album “But Here We Are” to an extremely receptive crowd. The crowd consistently met the band’s energy level throughout the night, making for a memorable night of live music.

As one of the most charming rock frontmen, Grohl continued to delight the crowd. Onstage, Grohl paid tribute to the Twin Cities music scene, referencing their 1995 performance at First Avenue and later citing St. Paul’s Hüsker Dü as one of his favorite bands of all time, even giving them a lyrical shoutout during the song “Times Like These.”

Grohl brought out his 18-year-old daughter Violet Grohl for a performance of their duet from the band’s latest album, “Show Me How.” Grohl and his daughter sounded great, just like they did on the album, and the performance was extra special considering it is only one of a handful of performances of the song the band has done to date.

Capping off the night was the Foo Fighters’ greatest song, the expertly dynamic “Everlong,” a perfect climax to a night of summer rock and roll. Like many songs performed over the night, the band sounded nearly spot-on to the original recording as they played it live, with Grohl adding dimension to the song with his vibrant live presence.

There is no doubt about it: the Foo Fighters are still one of the most fun stadium rock acts to watch live. 

Whether it be their earliest material or their latest, the band consistently produces melodic rock bangers, and Sunday night’s show at Target Field felt like an exhibition of the last 30 years of their great music. Hopefully, it will not be too long before they return for another undoubtedly great rock show.