Grohl, Foo Fighters rock hard during Boston show

I had always heard the Foo Fighters — the rock band fronted by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl — were simply amazing in concert. Having never been a so-called ‘super-fan’ of the boys, they weren’t necessarily on the top of my “Must-See-in-Concert” list. But over the years, I’ve realized how consistent yet innovative the Foo Fighters were — hit after hit they always made it work, all while sticking to their rock n’ roll roots.

And so, when I saw tickets go on sale in July for their latest tour, I decided ‘What the heck?’ What made the idea of purchasing tickets even easier was the fact that they would be playing at the one-and-only TD Garden in Boston. That place was made for rock shows — and Celtics and Bruins games, of course.

The show kicked off at 7 p.m. — to a somewhat empty arena — with a band from Wales called The Joy Formidable. Rock n’ roll to the core, this trio performed their hearts out for six songs, including the radio-friendly hit “Whirring.” Lead singer Ritzy Bryan sure knows how to shred, and it’s too bad there weren’t more people in the arena to enjoy the intense performance.

Following suit was the legendary punk band Social Distortion. Despite an ever-revolving door of band members, Social D — with its originator, singer Mike Ness — has been in the game for the last 25 years.

Playing songs from way-back-when such as “Mommy’s Little Monster” and “Story of My Life” to their latest hit “Machine Gun Blues” to their ever-popular cover of Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire,” Social D knows how to please their fans and have a good time doing it.

As the clock struck 9 p.m., the Foo Fighters took the stage for what would end up being a three-hour set. The Foo were in full force as they played “Bridge Burning” and “Rope,” songs off their latest album “Wasting Light.”

Along the way, the Foo made sure to get through many of the hits from year’s past — “My Hero,” “Monkey Wrench,” “Learn to Fly,” “Pretender” and “All My Life,” to name a few.

Covers of Pink Floyd’s “In the Flesh?” — which the Foo first performed on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” during Pink Floyd week in September with original Floyd member Roger Waters — and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ “Breakdown” were thrown into the mix of Foo Fighter staples, and the boys never slowed down one bit.

OK, maybe for three bits. Taking a slight break after 17 songs, Grohl and drummer Taylor Hawkins egged the audience on through backstage cameras as to how many more songs they should come on and play. The total jumped from two to six by the end of the gag.

From here, Grohl took to a rising platform stage in the middle of the arena to sing to the balcony seats with acoustic performances of “Wheels,” “Best of You” and “Times Like These” while the rest of the band took an extended break.

Ending the set with fan-favorite “Everlong” off the band’s 1997 album “The Colour and the Shape,” the Foo Fighters churned out 23 songs altogether, and put on one hell of a performance.

The key element to a great rock show is the frontman, and Dave Grohl is the frontman. He’s funny, sincere, full of crazy energy and appreciative of where he’s landed in life.

He’s encouraging — to all the kids in the audience, he urged them to pick up an instrument and see what comes of it. Some of the Foo never took lessons and he welcomed the idea that those kids could someday be up on stage just like they are.

He cares about his fans deeply — promising to return to play a small club in the area for a more intimate performance next time the band was in town.

He speaks to the crowd with honesty and he doesn’t need to put on a spectacle to have a great show — he lets the music do the talking. And judging by the fact that the crowd was filled with all ages of people, the band’s music speaks to a lot of different people. And that is why, I’m sure, Grohl’s energy will never die down and the Foo Fighters will stick together for many more years to come.

Wednesday night’s performance showed me what I’ve been missing all these years. And now it’s my turn to tell you to put the Foo Fighters on your “Must-See-in-Concert” list. You won’t be disappointed. I sure wasn’t.

Kirsten Dunst makes all walks of acting look easy

At the mere age of 29, Kirsten Dunst has worked with such acclaimed directors as Cameron Crowe (“Elizabethtown”), Woody Allen (“New York Stories”) and Sofia Coppola (“The Virgin Suicides”, “Marie Antoinette”).

And now she adds to the list the controversial, yet brilliant Lars von Trier, whose film “Melancholia” — which comes out this weekend — she had the pleasure of most recently starring in and which has already earned her a Best Actress Award from the Cannes Festival. It looks as if she could be on her way to claiming a second Golden Globe nomination from her performance as well (her first stemming from her performance in “Interview With the Vampire” at the ripe old age of 12).

With the resurgence of Dunst back on the big screen — she’ll star in at least three movies next year — I thought I’d take a look back at some of my favorite Dunst films — pre-Spider-Man franchise, aka 2002. And here's to Dunst giving us many more stunning performances to come.

“The Virgin Suicides” (1999)

A beautiful piece of work directed by Sofia Coppola, and based on the book by Jeffrey Eugenides, “The Virgin Suicides” tells the story of the Lisbon sisters — five girls who live in an overly strict and religious household in the ’70s. After the youngest of the sisters commits suicide, the girls are secluded even more than before.

Dunst plays Lux Lisbon, the sister eager to break the rules. After the Lisbon parents allow the girls to go to a school dance, Lux stays out late with a boy, only for him to leave her high and dry, asleep on the football field. After this event, the girls are no longer allowed to step foot out of the house — even to attend school.

In the end, the sisters make a suicide pact — and on the same night, all take their lives in a different manner.

It’s a depressing story, for sure, but wonderfully told all the same. And Dunst plays the sister who holds the story together. She does a wonderful job at embodying a girl who puts on such a sweet visage, but under it all is hiding a rebellious, insecure and disturbed girl.

“Little Women” (1994)

In the movie adaptation of the classic Louisa May Alcott novel, Dunst plays young Amy March, along with an ensemble cast of Winona Ryder, Clair Danes, Christian Bale, Eric Stoltz and Susan Surandon.

Amy is the youngest of four sisters, and is the brat of the bunch — but she also has a strong heart. Dunst does a fabulous job at balancing these two traits — portraying strong emotions mature beyond her 12-year-old years, but also giving the character a mischievous side that makes Amy hard not to like.

“Jumanji” (1995)

Who doesn’t like “Jumanji”? It’s such a fun — and somewhat creepy — movie in which a young boy, Alan (Robin Williams) gets trapped inside a jungle board game. After 26 years, he is released after Dunst’s character Judy and her brother find the game in an attic, and dare to play it. From here, the creatures of the jungle invade the city and it is up to Judy and her brother, along with Alan and his former opponent, Sarah (Bonnie Hunt), to put an end to the chaos, but only by finishing the game they had started so many years ago.

It helps that Dunst has a great storyline to follow, and after two dramatic roles — “Interview With the Vampire” and “Little Women” — Dunst gets to have a bit more fun, and she manages to hold her own against Williams and Hunt while doing it.

“Drop Dead Gorgeous” (1999)

A dark comedy in nature, but fun all the same. “Drop Dead Gorgeous” is shot in mockumentary form and takes place during an annual beauty pageant in small-town, Minn. Amber Atkins (Dunst) is hoping that by winning the pageant she can escape the small town and rise to success. But not if Rebecca Leeman (Denise Richards) has anything to do about it. Leeman is the daughter of former winner and current head of the pageant committee, Gladys Leeman (Kirstie Alley). After a series of mysterious — and silly — killings occur, Amber wonders if it is all worth it.

It’s a lesser-known movie, but it’s filled with a cast of young talent, including Denise Richards, Brittany Murphy and Amy Adams. And Dunst fits in well among her newbie actor peers.

“Bring it On” (2000)

Dunst plays Torrance Shipman, the cheer captain of a high school team, who is in need of some new moves after finding out that the previous captain stole all their moves from another high school. In order to make it to the championships, the squad must reinvent themselves and save their reputation.

It’s a movie that spawned four sequels and a stage musical along the way, but the original is the only one worthy of attention. It’s somewhat a parody of competitive cheerleading, but Dunst keeps it fun but putting just the right amount of pep into her role, without taking herself too seriously.

And any movie that can conjure up a catchphrase that is still commonly used today gets a spot in my book. Approach the phrase “Brrr ...It’s cold in here” to any girl in her 20s — even some boys, I’m sure — and they’ll be able to finish it with “There must be some Toros in the atmosphere.” Guaranteed.

New Christmas albums to get you in the holiday spirit

You here that? The faint sound of bells in the distance? Not yet? It’s out there. Just listen closer... closer... there! It’s the sound of Christmas music in the air!

Too soon?

As a lover of all things holiday-related, I must say as soon as that first snowflake hit the ground last weekend, I was ready to “Deck the Halls” and be “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” There’s something about Christmas music that just puts me in a good mood — I know many would argue it has the opposite effect on them — and the early snow gave me an excuse to start playing it a few weeks early.

But judging by the retail stores who are on the same page as me, it is never too soon to get in the holiday spirit. So here are two recently released Christmas albums that will be sure to get any Grinch or Scrooge in the holiday mood.

Michael Bublé — “Christmas”
You know Michael Bublé as the crooner of the 21st-century, combining a big-band instrumental feel with pop-like vocals. He’s perfected the style as his own, and he brings out the smooth vocals and finger-snapping rhythm in full form on his first full-length holiday album “Christmas.”

With a full array of horns on “Santa Clause Is Coming to Town,” or the jazz inspiration on “Jingle Bells,” to the beautiful string accompaniment on “Cold December Night” — a song in which Bublé penned himself — you won’t be let down.

For Bing Crosby fans out there looking for something a little new-age, Bublé is the perfect match taking on such classics as “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” and “Silent Night.”

Bublé’s “Christmas” is jam-packed with 16 songs — including a duet with Shania Twain on “White Christmas” — and it’s the perfect album to liven up a holiday gathering.

She & Him — “A Very She & Him Christmas”
On the softer side of things, She & Him strip down the holiday classics and make them their own for a perfect companion to a night next to the fireplace.

The duo, comprised of Matt Ward and bubbly actress Zooey Deschanel, really keep it low-key and simple, performing beautiful renditions of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and “Christmas Wish.” What works is that the instrumental backing provided by Ward doesn’t overpower the earthy vocals of Deschanel — they both take on a happy medium, and stay in sync with one another.

The only downfall with “A Very She & Him Christmas” is that it leaves you wanting more. The album, comprised of 12 tracks, only runs for 32 minutes. With that aside, it’s an album worth scooping up for the holidays, if only for the duo’s reinvention of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” in which Deschanel once perfected in the film “Elf” alongside Will Ferrell.