Foo Fighters play first Tiny Desk Concert with new songs and classics

Foo Fighters marked their first Tiny Desk Concert with a stripped-back set that mixed new material and catalogue staples.

The band were at NPR’s offices on Wednesday May 13, shortly after releasing their new album Your Favorite Toy. They played two songs from it, “Spit Shine” and “Child Actor.”

“Child Actor” had already surfaced on SNL UK, and Dave Grohl nodded to that performance as he introduced the track. He joked that he had accidentally inhaled a lock of his hair during the television appearance, then ended this version by saying he “didn’t choke.”

The set also reached back for “Learn To Fly,” “My Hero” and “Everlong.” Grohl used part of the appearance to name two of his own favourite Tiny Desk Concerts: Trouble Funk and Juvenile.

NME gave Your Favorite Toy three-and-a-half stars and wrote: “Vocally, Grohl has rediscovered his roar, but lyricism has never been his strongest suit, and much of it here is throwaway; those looking for signs of where his head is at after his infidelity scandal two years ago will be largely disappointed.

“Your Favorite Toy is a few more tracks of that depth away from being the most vital Foo Fighters record since 1997’s The Colour and the Shape. For now, at least, they have remembered that no-frills punk, played fast and loud, suits them much better than middle-of-the-road dad-rock.”

Since the album’s release, the band have said they were forced to rename it because of Wicked: For Good. They also appeared on Track Star and The Late Show, and are now preparing to go back on the road.

The upcoming run includes a European stadium tour with two nights at Liverpool’s Anfield Stadium at the end of June. They are also due to play a number of major European shows, a North American stadium tour, and an Australian and New Zealand tour set for late 2026 and early 2027.

Any remaining tickets for the Foo Fighters’ US tour are available here and tickets for UK and Europe shows are available here.