asauldm | Music

The debut performance of American rock giants Foo Fighters at the iconic NPR Tiny Desk Concert took place on May 13, 2026.

This event became historic for fans as the stadium band “compressed” their massive sound to fit a small office space in Washington, D.C. for the first time. The performance was part of the promotional campaign for their twelfth studio album, Your Favorite Toy.

The band prepared a specially balanced 5-song set, blending brand-new material with timeless classics:

1. “Spit Shine” (from the new album Your Favorite Toy) — a powerful and energetic start. Despite the acoustic-intimate format of the show, Foo Fighters brought maximum energy and even a touch of anarchy to the track: Dave Grohl sang part of the vocals through a megaphone, attempting to recreate his signature studio overdrive.
2. “Learn to Fly” (from There Is Nothing Left to Lose, 1999) — fit perfectly into the stripped-back, semi-acoustic Tiny Desk style.
3. “Child Actor” (from the new album Your Favorite Toy) — an emotional, quieter, and more introspective track.
4. “My Hero” (from The Colour and the Shape, 1997) — one of the most emotional moments of the concert, with NPR staff standing around the desk singing along with Dave on the entire chorus.
5. “Everlong” (from The Colour and the Shape, 1997) — a traditional and heartfelt finale, performed in an incredibly warm atmosphere.

The musicians took the limited space so seriously that before heading to the studio, they literally outlined the exact dimensions of the original NPR desk with tape at their rehearsal space to arrange their instruments. However, as Grohl himself joked during the recording: “If you put instruments in our hands and sit people around us — plans go to hell, and it just becomes fun to play!”

Between songs, Dave entertained the crowd with stories, sharing how his long hair (which he hadn’t cut for almost a year while working in the studio) almost choked him on a recent TV show. During a deep breath right before a final scream, he accidentally inhaled a strand of his own hair, feeling like a cat with a hairball in its throat.

This performance held personal significance for Grohl, who grew up in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. During breaks, he gave a special shout-out to local funk legends Trouble Funk, calling their performance one of his personal favorites on Tiny Desk.