Foo Fighters & Dudamel Send LA Phil Out With a Bang

Gustavo Dudamel's tenure at the LA Phil is wrapping up, and the orchestra decided to mark the occasion the right way: by bringing in the Foo Fighters to blow the roof off the Hollywood Bowl.

It's a move that tracks. The LA Phil has collaborated with rock and pop acts before, but there's something about Dave Grohl and the band's massive, anthemic sound that apparently hit different when filtered through a full symphony. This wasn't some awkward genre experiment either—it worked, and witnesses say it was genuinely memorable.

Dudamel's time leading LA's primary orchestra is coming to an end, making this final weekend his last go-round in the role. Whether it's by design or happy accident, pairing him with one of rock's biggest bands feels like the kind of send-off that sticks with people. The dude leaves on a high note—literally.

Read the full story at Variety → https://variety.com/2026/music/concert-reviews/foo-fighters-hollywood-bowl-gustavo-dudamel-concert-review-1236841090/