There goes my hero
The Independent’s resident Foo Fighters groupie Kyra Dawson pulled together an entourage to storm Mt Smart Stadium. She gives her view on what happened next.
Laying on my back looking up at the sky, my ribs ache, my voice is gone and I can’t even imagine how I’m going to pick myself up off the ground: it was totally worth it.
8.30am – Piled in the van with six of the biggest Foo Fighters fans I know, on our way up to Auckland to pick up the eighth member of our Dave Grohl groupies. Grohl’s voice is already breaking the silence and forcing us to wake up. The van is in overdrive and we are on the long road to ruin.
11am – We have recruited our eighth fan and someone mentioned the Wizard of Oz so I’ve been quietly singing, “we are off to see the Foo Fighters, the mighty Fighters of Foo,” like a silly, excited school girl. The boys are up in arms about how to set up the tent while all I can think about is my hero.
1pm – We finally find a car park two streets down from Mt Smart Stadium after filling up on fast food and making a last minute toilet stop. We walk down the drive towards Gate F. There are about 60 people relaxing on the lawn in front of the closed gates and the official merchandise tents are opening up. I decide to buy two shirts at $50 each, which is expensive but at times like these the money is fully justified: IT’S THE FOOS!
3pm – Gate F opens. It’s total carnage. Run. RUN! Ok, I’m one of the first. She scans my ticket, “you need a wrist band.” I stick my arm out and the next lady has just put the sticky side down before I sprint to the next gate. I wish I could learn to fly. Approximately two minutes later and I am at the front of the holding pen with the rest of my crew. We have just enough space to sit down when some lady yells at the crowd to take a step back. The security guard then informs us that the holding pen will open at 5:30pm. I look down the crowd and realise there is no way back from here.
5.30pm – There are two security guards holding restriction tape and ask us to follow their pace down the stairs that lead to the stage. This is terrifying. As soon as we start walking the pushing starts. The stairs disappear. The tape snaps. The security guards start yelling in unison, “SLOW DOWN!” But no one seems to understand their language. The only open entrance to the front of stage is on the right, through a gap wide enough for two average sized people. Hundreds are trying to push through and I am one of the first. The floor is slippery and my chucks don’t have much grip but I manage to get to the front and grab hold of the barrier. I’ve never been this excited in all my life.
6.20pm – The first opening act, Miss June, comes on. I don’t want to be a pretender so all I can say is congrats to them for landing the gig. It’s only a matter of time I tell myself, a matter of time.
7.30pm – Next, Rise Against takes the stage. And own it. I have never been their biggest fan, but they were amazing. They rocked the crowd back and forth before they were over and out. It’s not long now.
8.30pm – Dave Grohl walks out and the crowd comes alive. I’m in shock. I can’t stop smiling. They open with one of their most recent singles Something from Nothing and it’s perfect. Grohl commands attention and holds it. The mosh pit gets tight and I can feel my skin and bones fusing together as I get crushed against the barrier. My arms are stuck in front of me and I can’t reach my phone to take a close up picture, but it doesn’t bother me. I can’t take my eyes off Grohl and on the third song, Learn to Fly, he looks me in the eyes. I scream and smile so hard my mouth hurts. Soon I realise I haven’t been able to breath for at least 30 seconds and try to push back for a breath. On the ninth song I get pulled out by security so I can breathe again. My legs are full of cramp but it’s nice to have my feet back on the ground.
9.30pm – Met up with my fellow Grohl groupies outside the bar. Grabbed a drink. Back in the crowd. Fell in love all over again. We danced in the middle for the last hour and a half. I was mesmerized the entire time. When it came time for the last song Grohl said “we don’t say goodbye, we just say,” and he began strumming the first few cords for Everlong. From where I was standing it sounded like the whole crowd was singing with him. This was one of the most magical nights of my life.
11.30pm – Laying on my back looking up at the sky, my ribs ache, my voice is gone and I can’t even imagine how I’m going to pick myself up off the ground: it was totally worth it.
