Dave Grohl Dedicates ‘My Hero’ To Steve Albini At Foo Fighters Concert In Charlotte

Foo Fighters came to PNC Music Pavilion in Charlotte on Thursday. Frontman Dave Grohl honored Steve Albini, who sadly died on Tuesday, by dedicating a performance of “My Hero” to the beloved producer and musician.

Dave Grohl worked with Steve Albini on Nirvana’s final album, 1993’s In Utero. The relationship for the most part was copacetic as Albini shared Nirvana’s vision for the record, stating in Gillian G. Gaar’s Nirvana’s In Utero (33 1/3), “they wanted to make precisely the sort of record that I’m comfortable doing.”

Albini, who was a staunch hands off producer and preferred to be referred to as an engineer, suggested that Nirvana pay for the fees at Pachyderm Studio in Cannon Falls, Minnesota as he was wary of interference from the band’s label DGC.

Albini also refused the royalties he stood to make from In Utero on moral grounds, stating in Michael Azerrad’s Come As You Are: The Story of Nirvana that taking royalties was “an insult to the artist.” Additionally, he left selection of the takes to the band.

“Generally speaking, [Cobain] knows what he thinks is acceptable and what isn’t acceptable,” Albini said in Come As You Are. “He can make concrete steps to improve things that he doesn’t think are acceptable.”

Albini did work his particular magic on the album, working with Grohl on the drum sound by recording some tracks in the kitchen for it’s natural reverb and outfitting Grohl’s drums with roughly 30 microphones.

On Thursday in Charlotte, Grohl, on electric guitar and backed by keyboardist Rami Jaffee on piano for the intro, addressed the audience ahead of “My Hero.”

“Tonight I’d like to dedicate this song. To a friend that we lost the other day… who I’ve known a long, long time. And he left us… much too soon. And he’s touched all of your lives I’m sure. I’m talking about Steve Albini. And those of you who know, you know. And those of you who don’t know, just remember that name, Steve Albini. So let’s sing this one for him.

Watch Foo Fighters honor Steve Albini with “My Hero” below:

Foo Fighters opened the concert with “Bridge Burning” from 2011’s Wasting Light. The band also delivered four tracks from their latest album, But Here We Are, including “Rescued,” “The Glass,” “The Teacher” and more along with older favorites like “The Pretender,” “Walk” and “Monkey Wrench.” The Steve Albini tribute wasn’t the only dedication as the band performed “Aurora” in honor of late drummer Taylor Hawkins. The band capped the concert with trusty closer, “Everlong.”

Foo Fighters are set to perform at the Welcome To Rockville Festival in Daytona Beach on Saturday before heading over to the UK. The band will return to North America in July. Check out the Foo Fighters’ full itinerary with ticket info below.