🎸🔥 Even rock legends have heroes, butt! FOO FIGHTERS frontman DAVE GROHL has revealed that he was reduced to tears after fulfilling a lifelong dream of performing with Australian hard rock giants AC/DC. The emotional moment came on 2 October 2026 at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, where Grohl joined Angus Young, Brian Johnson and the band for an unforgettable performance of ‘Highway To Hell’.
And while Grohl has spent decades performing on some of the world’s biggest stages, nothing could have prepared him for the emotions that followed. With his wife watching from the side of the stage, the former NIRVANA drummer walked backstage and completely broke down. Why? Because more than four decades earlier, an 11-year-old Dave Grohl had watched AC/DC’s concert film Let There Be Rock and decided that rock music was exactly what he wanted to do with his life.
Well, bloody hell, Riff Report crew!
You might want to grab a tissue for this one.
Because we’ve got a story that proves something we’ve always believed here at The Riff Report.
No matter how famous you become, you’re never too big to be a fan!
Dave Grohl has achieved more during his musical career than most musicians could possibly imagine.
He was the drummer in NIRVANA.
He founded FOO FIGHTERS.
He’s sold millions of records.
He’s performed at enormous festivals.
He’s won countless awards.
And he’s shared stages with some of the biggest names in rock history.
But even after all those extraordinary achievements, there was still one musical experience capable of leaving him completely overwhelmed.
PLAYING WITH AC/DC!
And when that dream finally became a reality during the Australian legends’ Power Up Tour, it proved almost too much for the FOO FIGHTERS frontman to take in.
Speaking during a new interview with New Zealand radio station The Rock, Grohl recalled the extraordinary evening when he joined his childhood heroes onstage for their 1979 classic Highway To Hell.
The performance took place on Friday 2 October 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
And while thousands of fans witnessed a spectacular meeting of rock royalty, something deeply personal happened once the song ended.
Grohl walked offstage.
The adrenaline began to fade.
And suddenly, the emotions hit him.
He described himself as:
“Sobbing like a baby.”
Yes, butt.
The man who’s spent decades screaming his lungs out onstage was completely overcome by the experience.
And honestly?
We absolutely love that.
Because beneath the fame, the enormous concerts and the rock superstar lifestyle, Dave Grohl is still that young lad who fell in love with music and dreamed of doing something extraordinary.
❤️ Dave Grohl Reveals The Emotional Moment He Broke Down Backstage
During his conversation with radio presenter Rog from New Zealand’s The Rock, Grohl looked back at the performance with genuine amazement.
He explained that his wife had been watching from the side of the stage as he performed Highway To Hell with AC/DC.
And when he returned backstage afterwards, he simply couldn’t contain his emotions.
The musician said:
“I walked off stage, and I broke down in tears, sobbing like a baby.”
He described the experience as an extraordinary full-circle moment, something he would never forget.
And when you understand the story behind it, the emotional reaction makes perfect sense.
For Grohl, this wasn’t simply another celebrity guest appearance.
It wasn’t a carefully planned publicity opportunity.
And it certainly wasn’t something he needed to add to an already enormous musical CV.
This was personal.
This was a childhood dream coming true in front of thousands of people.
And sometimes, those are the moments that hit the hardest.
Let’s be honest.
Most of us have experienced that feeling on a much smaller scale.
Perhaps you’ve finally seen your favourite band perform live.
Maybe you’ve met a musician whose songs helped you through a difficult period.
Or perhaps you’ve stood at a festival watching somebody perform a song you’ve loved since childhood.
You wait years for the opportunity.
You imagine what it’ll feel like.
And when it finally happens, the emotions can catch you completely by surprise.
Now imagine that feeling.
Except instead of standing in the crowd, you’re actually performing Highway To Hell alongside AC/DC.
No wonder the bloke needed a moment backstage, mun!
⚡ How Did FOO FIGHTERS End Up Supporting AC/DC?
Here’s where the story becomes even more interesting.
Because the two bands weren’t originally scheduled to perform together.
AC/DC had been touring with THE PRETTY RECKLESS, the American rock band fronted by Taylor Momsen, serving as their regular support act.
However, scheduling commitments meant THE PRETTY RECKLESS were unable to appear at two performances.
And that’s when Grohl received a rather extraordinary opportunity.
🎤 Taylor Momsen Makes The Call!
According to Grohl, he and FOO FIGHTERS have enjoyed a longstanding friendship with THE PRETTY RECKLESS.
When Momsen realised her band couldn’t make one of AC/DC’s performances, she contacted him about the possibility of stepping in.
Grohl checked his schedule.
And incredibly, FOO FIGHTERS happened to have a day off.
Now, most bands would probably use a day off to rest.
Perhaps explore the city.
Get some laundry done.
Or enjoy a few hours away from the noise and chaos of touring.
But Dave Grohl?
He decided to open for AC/DC!
Because apparently, when your musical heroes need a support band, having a day off suddenly becomes considerably less important!
🤘 The First Concert – St Louis, 8 September 2026
FOO FIGHTERS made their first appearance supporting AC/DC on Tuesday 8 September, at The Dome at America’s Center in St Louis, Missouri.
The unusual booking came about because Taylor Momsen had a separate commitment involving the surviving members of SOUNDGARDEN during a Seattle Seahawks event.
And for Grohl, the opportunity was enormous.
FOO FIGHTERS are international headliners in their own right.
They’re perfectly capable of selling thousands of tickets without anybody else appearing on the bill.
So seeing them willingly take an opening slot was unusual.
But the reason was simple.
Dave Grohl wanted to share a concert bill with the band that had helped inspire his entire career.
And he wasn’t shy about expressing that excitement.
During the performance, Grohl made it clear that he was delighted to be supporting AC/DC.
He also admitted he was looking forward to getting offstage so he could watch the Australian rock legends perform.
That’s rather wonderful, isn’t it?
A stadium-headlining musician acting like an excited fan who can’t wait for the main band to start!
But the story didn’t end there.
🏟️ A Second Opportunity Arrives At MetLife Stadium!
The first support appearance had originally been described as a special one-off.
But then fate intervened again.
AC/DC had been scheduled to perform at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on 25 September 2026.
However, the concert was postponed because of dangerous weather conditions associated with a powerful coastal storm.
The show was subsequently rearranged for Friday 2 October.
And with THE PRETTY RECKLESS unavailable for the new date because of other commitments, FOO FIGHTERS were invited to return.
Suddenly, Grohl had another chance to share a stadium bill with his heroes.
Only this time, something even more extraordinary would happen.
🎸 The Two Historic AC/DC And FOO FIGHTERS Concerts
Date
Venue
What happened
8 September 2026
The Dome at America’s Center, St Louis
Foo Fighters supported AC/DC
2 October 2026
MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
Foo Fighters supported AC/DC, and Grohl joined them for Highway To Hell
The MetLife performance was the closing concert of AC/DC’s 2026 North American Power Up Tour.
For fans lucky enough to attend, having FOO FIGHTERS as the support act was already a pretty spectacular bonus.
But nobody could have expected the surprise that arrived during AC/DC’s headline set.
🔥 Brian Johnson Invites Dave Grohl Onstage For ‘Highway To Hell’!
As AC/DC’s performance progressed, frontman Brian Johnson revealed that the band had a special guest waiting.
And not just any guest.
A musician who had asked whether he could join them for one of their most famous songs.
DAVE GROHL!
The FOO FIGHTERS frontman appeared with his guitar and joined AC/DC for Highway To Hell, playing alongside Angus Young and contributing vocals.
For thousands of people inside MetLife Stadium, it was an unexpected collaboration between two generations of rock royalty.
Just think about the musical history represented on that stage.
AC/DC, the Australian hard rock giants whose music helped inspire countless younger musicians.
And Dave Grohl, who went on to become one of the most recognisable figures in modern rock through his work with NIRVANA and FOO FIGHTERS.
Different generations.
Different musical journeys.
But united by an enormous love of loud guitars and proper rock ‘n’ roll.
And the song they chose couldn’t have been more appropriate.
⚡ Highway To Hell – A Rock Anthem For The Ages!
Originally released in 1979, Highway To Hell remains one of AC/DC’s most recognisable songs.
Written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Bon Scott, it was the title track of the band’s sixth Australian studio album.
The recording featured the unmistakable vocals of Bon Scott, whose extraordinary contribution to AC/DC’s early career remains hugely important to the band’s history.
Following Scott’s death in February 1980, Brian Johnson joined the group and helped usher in another enormously successful era.
Today, Highway To Hell remains an essential part of AC/DC’s concert repertoire.
It’s one of those songs that seems almost guaranteed to get thousands of people singing along.
The opening guitar riff.
The pounding drums.
The enormous chorus.
And that unmistakable AC/DC attitude.
It’s a proper rock classic.
And now Dave Grohl can say he’s played it with the band themselves.
That’s not a bad achievement to add to the old rock ‘n’ roll CV, is it, butt?
🎬 It All Began With An 11-Year-Old Watching ‘Let There Be Rock’!
Now here’s the part of the story that makes the whole thing particularly special.
To understand why Grohl became so emotional, we need to travel back to his childhood.
Long before FOO FIGHTERS.
Before NIRVANA.
Before the enormous festivals, international tours and Grammy Awards.
Back when Dave Grohl was an ordinary 11-year-old discovering the extraordinary power of rock music.
During the interview, he recalled attending a midnight film screening with a childhood friend after the friend’s father offered to take them to the cinema.
The film was AC/DC: Let There Be Rock.
And it changed everything.
🎸 A Film That Changed His Life
The concert film captured AC/DC during the Bon Scott era, showcasing the band’s extraordinary intensity onstage.
For young Dave, who was already familiar with acts including THE BEATLES and KISS, it was a completely different experience.
He’d heard AC/DC’s music before.
But watching them perform was something else entirely.
There was Angus Young charging around the stage.
The raw power of the guitars.
The relentless energy.
The sweat.
The physical exhaustion.
And musicians pouring every ounce of themselves into the performance.
Grohl had never experienced anything quite like it.
And that night, he discovered what he wanted to do with the rest of his life.
He wanted to become that kind of rock musician.
Not simply somebody who could play an instrument.
But somebody capable of delivering the same overwhelming intensity.
The same energy.
The same extraordinary connection with an audience.
And when you think about Grohl’s career, it’s easy to see that influence.
From his ferocious drumming with NIRVANA to the enormous live performances of FOO FIGHTERS, he’s built a reputation for giving everything onstage.
And all those years later, he found himself standing alongside the musicians who originally inspired that ambition.
That’s what makes the MetLife performance such a powerful full-circle moment.
The young boy watching AC/DC on a cinema screen had become the rock star performing beside them.
And when that realisation finally hit him backstage, the tears came flooding out.
🔊 Dave Grohl Says AC/DC Are The Loudest Band He’s Ever Played With!
Now then, here’s another brilliant detail from the interview.
Grohl has spent decades performing with some seriously loud bands.
He was the drummer in NIRVANA, for heaven’s sake!
He’s fronted FOO FIGHTERS.
He’s performed with members of QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE.
He’s been involved with THEM CROOKED VULTURES.
And he’s shared the stage with some extraordinary rock musicians.
So when he starts talking about volume, he’s got plenty of experience.
But according to Dave, nothing prepared him for the sheer noise coming from AC/DC’s stage.
He described it as the loudest stage he’d ever stood on.
Even louder than MOTÖRHEAD!
Now that’s quite a statement.
Because MOTÖRHEAD were famously not a band that believed in keeping the volume at a sensible level.
Lemmy and his bandmates built an enormous reputation for delivering concerts at absolutely punishing volume.
And anyone who experienced them live will know exactly what we’re talking about.
But Grohl reckons AC/DC were louder still.
Just imagine that.
Thousands of fans.
Enormous speaker systems.
Angus Young unleashing those unmistakable riffs.
And enough volume coming off the stage to make even Dave Grohl take notice.
If that’s not proper rock ‘n’ roll, butt, we don’t know what is!
Although we’re fairly certain your ears would appreciate a decent pair of concert earplugs.
Even when you’re watching the greatest bands in the world, protecting your hearing is always a good idea.
🎸 AC/DC – The Band That Helped Shape A Generation Of Rock Musicians!
One of the most interesting things about Grohl’s story is how it demonstrates AC/DC’s enormous influence.
Formed in Sydney in 1973 by brothers Angus and Malcolm Young, the band went on to become one of the most successful hard rock acts in music history.
Their sound is instantly recognisable.
Direct, blues-influenced guitar riffs.
A thunderous rhythm section.
Massive choruses.
And an unwavering commitment to playing loud, energetic rock music.
While countless artists have experimented with different musical styles, AC/DC have remained remarkably consistent in their approach.
And that consistency has helped them build an extraordinary worldwide following.
Their catalogue includes some of rock’s greatest anthems.
Highway To Hell.
Back In Black.
Thunderstruck.
You Shook Me All Night Long.
Hells Bells.
Whole Lotta Rosie.
For Those About To Rock (We Salute You).
And that’s only scratching the surface.
These songs have become part of rock culture.
They’re played in stadiums.
Featured in films.
Covered by younger bands.
And blasted from speakers in bedrooms, garages and rehearsal spaces around the world.
For musicians such as Dave Grohl, AC/DC weren’t simply another band to listen to.
They demonstrated how powerful live rock music could be.
And that influence helped shape the next generation.
🥁 From NIRVANA To FOO FIGHTERS – Dave Grohl’s Extraordinary Journey!
There’s something particularly fascinating about the contrast between Grohl’s childhood dreams and the career he eventually achieved.
Born in January 1969, Grohl became interested in music at a young age.
He developed his skills as a drummer before joining the Washington DC punk band SCREAM.
His career subsequently took an extraordinary turn when he became the drummer for NIRVANA in 1990.
Alongside Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic, Grohl helped record some of the most influential music of the grunge era.
The release of Nevermind in 1991 changed alternative rock forever.
And songs such as Smells Like Teen Spirit, Come As You Are and Lithium became enormous international hits.
Following Cobain’s death in 1994, Grohl began creating music under the name FOO FIGHTERS.
What started as a personal recording project eventually developed into one of the world’s most successful modern rock bands.
The group went on to release celebrated albums including The Colour And The Shape, There Is Nothing Left To Lose, One By One, Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace and Wasting Light.
And in April 2026, FOO FIGHTERS released their twelfth studio album, Your Favorite Toy.
The band’s current line-up includes Grohl alongside Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, Pat Smear, Rami Jaffee and drummer Ilan Rubin.
Throughout all those changes, Grohl’s enthusiasm for performing has remained one of his defining characteristics.
And that’s what makes the AC/DC story so wonderful.
Despite becoming a major rock star himself, he hasn’t forgotten the musicians who first inspired him.
🤘 It’s Not The First Time Dave Grohl Has Shared Music With Brian Johnson!
Interestingly, the MetLife concert wasn’t Grohl’s first musical encounter with AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson.
The pair previously performed together at the VAX LIVE: The Concert To Reunite The World event in 2021.
During that concert, Johnson joined FOO FIGHTERS for a performance of Back In Black.
It was another memorable meeting between two generations of rock musicians.
But performing alongside Johnson at a special event and joining AC/DC themselves during their own headline show are two rather different experiences.
At MetLife Stadium, Grohl wasn’t welcoming a guest onto his band’s stage.
He was entering AC/DC’s world.
Standing beside Angus Young.
Playing one of the songs that helped establish the band’s legend.
And experiencing the enormous sound and atmosphere of an AC/DC concert from inside the performance itself.
That’s something very few musicians ever get to experience.
And judging by Grohl’s emotional reaction, it meant everything to him.
🐉 Why This Story Will Resonate With Rock Fans Across Wales!
Now then, here’s something we understand particularly well in Cymru.
Rock music isn’t just about the famous faces standing onstage.
It’s about the people whose music has shaped our lives.
Think about the first band that made you fall in love with heavy guitars.
Maybe it was BLACK SABBATH.
IRON MAIDEN.
AC/DC.
THE ROLLING STONES.
QUEEN.
Or perhaps one of our own Welsh legends such as BUDGIE, STEREOPHONICS, MANIC STREET PREACHERS or BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE.
For some of us, that first musical discovery becomes something much bigger.
It inspires us to learn an instrument.
Start a band.
Attend our first concert.
Or simply begin exploring the enormous world of rock music.
And sometimes, those memories stay with us for the rest of our lives.
That’s why Grohl’s story is so relatable.
He’s achieved extraordinary things.
But the original spark is still there.
The excitement of watching a favourite band.
The feeling of hearing a guitar riff that changes everything.
And the dream of one day becoming part of that musical world.
Here at The Riff Report, we’ve always believed that connection between musicians and fans is what makes the rock community special.
Whether you’re watching a huge international band at Download Festival or discovering a brilliant unsigned act in a small Cardiff venue, those experiences matter.
And every major musician started somewhere.
Usually as an ordinary music fan.
Dave Grohl might be a rock legend today, but somewhere inside him there’s still an 11-year-old lad absolutely losing his mind over AC/DC.
And we reckon that’s bloody wonderful.
🎶 The Power Of Live Music – Some Moments Stay With You Forever
There’s another important point worth celebrating here.
Live music creates experiences that recordings simply can’t reproduce.
You can listen to your favourite album hundreds of times.
Watch concert videos.
Read interviews.
And collect every piece of merchandise imaginable.
But standing in a venue while the musicians perform in front of you is something different.
You feel the energy.
Hear the crowd.
Experience the atmosphere.
And become part of a moment that will never happen in quite the same way again.
For Dave Grohl, 2 October 2026 was one of those moments.
He’d already supported AC/DC once.
He’d already achieved incredible things with FOO FIGHTERS.
And he’d already shared stages with numerous rock legends.
But walking out to perform Highway To Hell represented something more personal.
It connected the musician he is today with the child he once was.
The kid sitting in a cinema.
Watching Angus Young tear around the stage.
Wondering whether he could ever become part of that extraordinary world.
And then, decades later, discovering that he’d actually done it.
There’s something genuinely moving about that.
And it’s a reminder that success doesn’t necessarily make people immune to emotion.
Sometimes it simply gives them the opportunity to experience something they once believed was impossible.
🎸 What Happens Next For FOO FIGHTERS And AC/DC?
FOO FIGHTERS remain active following the release of Your Favorite Toy in April 2026.
The band have been promoting the record through live performances and are continuing to develop their international touring schedule.
For AC/DC, the MetLife Stadium concert marked the conclusion of their 2026 North American Power Up Tour.
The tour followed the band’s return to major international stages in support of their 2020 album Power Up.
And after another run of enormous performances, fans will naturally be wondering what the Australian legends have planned next.
However, no additional AC/DC concerts were announced as part of Grohl’s latest interview.
Nor has there been any confirmation of further joint performances with FOO FIGHTERS.
For now, the two support appearances and the extraordinary Highway To Hell collaboration remain special moments in the bands’ recent history.
And perhaps that’s part of what makes the story so memorable.
Nobody planned an enormous joint tour.
Nobody spent months hyping a special collaboration.
An opportunity appeared.
A friendship helped make it happen.
And one of rock’s biggest stars fulfilled a childhood dream.
Sometimes the best moments arrive when nobody expects them.
🔥 The Riff Report Verdict – Even Rock Legends Need Their Heroes!
Well, butt.
What a genuinely wonderful rock ‘n’ roll story.
You’ve got Dave Grohl.
One of the biggest names in modern rock.
A musician who has already achieved more than most people could ever dream of.
And yet, after one song with AC/DC, he’s standing backstage in tears.
Not because anything went wrong.
Not because the performance was disappointing.
But because it meant that much to him.
And honestly?
That might be one of the most beautiful things we’ve heard in rock music this year.
There’s something enormously refreshing about seeing a famous musician express such genuine admiration for the people who inspired him.
No pretence.
No trying to look cool.
No pretending that sharing a stage with Angus Young and Brian Johnson is just another ordinary night at work.
Instead, Grohl has openly admitted that he was overwhelmed.
And that tells you everything about how much AC/DC have meant to him.
From watching Let There Be Rock at the age of 11 to playing Highway To Hell alongside the band in 2026, his journey is one extraordinary full-circle moment.
But it’s also a story about the lasting power of music.
A single film screening helped inspire a young musician.
That musician went on to become part of NIRVANA.
He founded FOO FIGHTERS.
He helped create music that inspired millions of other people.
And decades later, he finally got to perform with the band that helped start it all.
That’s rock ‘n’ roll history coming full circle, mun.
And here’s something worth remembering.
Somewhere in Wales right now, there could be a young musician watching concert footage of FOO FIGHTERS, AC/DC or another favourite band.
Maybe they’re sitting in a bedroom with a cheap guitar.
Perhaps they’re learning their first drumbeat.
Or maybe they’re dreaming about standing on a festival stage one day.
And who knows?
Forty years from now, that person might be telling a similar story.
About the moment they finally performed alongside the musician who inspired them to begin.
That’s what makes music special.
It connects generations.
Creates dreams.
Builds communities.
And occasionally reduces a world-famous rock star to tears.
So fair play to Dave Grohl for sharing such an emotional experience.
Fair play to Taylor Momsen for helping create the opportunity.
And fair play to AC/DC for welcoming him onto their stage.
You can win awards, sell millions of albums and headline the biggest festivals on the planet. But sometimes, nothing compares to finally meeting your childhood heroes as a fellow musician.
And if that makes you cry?
Well, butt…
That’s not weakness. That’s the power of rock ‘n’ bloody roll! ⚡❤️🤘
💬 Have Your Say, Riff Report Crew!
Right then, you wonderful bunch of rockers!
What do YOU think of Dave Grohl breaking down in tears after performing with AC/DC?
Would you have reacted the same way?
And which legendary rock band would leave you completely overwhelmed if you had the opportunity to perform alongside them?
AC/DC?
IRON MAIDEN?
METALLICA?
FOO FIGHTERS?
Or perhaps one of our brilliant Welsh rock bands?
Here’s another question.
What was the very first band that made you fall in love with rock music?
Was it an album?
A song on the radio?
A music video?
Or a concert that completely changed the way you thought about music?
We’d love to hear your stories.
Because sometimes the most important moments in music aren’t the biggest concerts or the most expensive productions.
They’re the experiences that stay with us for the rest of our lives.
Keep those riffs loud, celebrate your musical heroes and never stop being a fan, butt! 🐉🎸🤘
