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Watch: Foo Fighters Pack Five Songs Into Their First-Ever NPR Tiny Desk Concert

May 14, 2026 | Entertainment

Dave Grohl and all six bandmates squeezed into NPR headquarters for an intimate five-song set mixing new material with classic hits.

Foo Fighters made their first appearance at NPR's Tiny Desk, performing a five-song set at the outlet's Washington, D.C. headquarters that blended two tracks from their new album Your Favorite Toy with a trio of enduring catalog favorites. All six members of the band, including frontman Dave Grohl, guitarists Pat Smear and Chris Shiflett, bassist Nate Mendel, keyboardist Rami Jaffee, and drummer Ilan Rubin, took part in the intimate office performance.

A Homecoming for Grohl at NPR Headquarters

Grohl, who was raised in the Washington, D.C. area, made clear the performance carried personal weight beyond the typical promotional stop. Before launching into ‘Learn to Fly,' he addressed the NPR staff directly. ‘It's an honor to be here,' he said. ‘I mean, I've watched so many of these Tiny Desk shows and have a bunch of favorites. I got to say, when I saw Trouble Funk squeeze into this tiny little office space right here, I was like, “Well, it's not that tiny. You can put Trouble Funk in here. Oh my god.” But it's great to be here and to be home, too. That's one of the things I love.'

The reference to Trouble Funk, the veteran D.C. go-go band, was a nod to shared regional roots. Grohl's comfort in the cramped setting was evident throughout, and the cluttered office environment appeared to have little effect on a band accustomed to stadium stages. After the final song, Grohl leaned back into the mic and said, ‘Thank you, that was a lot of fun,' drawing cheers and applause from the dozens of NPR staffers packed in to watch.

The Full Tiny Desk Setlist

The band opened with ‘Spit Shine,' a track from Your Favorite Toy, with Grohl snarling ‘You know I don't really give a damn' into the mic before the band filled in with melodic backing vocals. The set moved through a mix of new and classic material before closing on two of the band's most recognizable songs.

Spit Shine (Your Favorite Toy)
Learn to Fly (There Is Nothing Left to Lose, 1999)
Child Actor (Your Favorite Toy)
My Hero (The Colour and the Shape, 1997)
Everlong (The Colour and the Shape, 1997)

New Album Context and What Comes Next for the Band

The Tiny Desk appearance served as a showcase for Your Favorite Toy, the band's latest studio record, with two of the five slots going to new material. The choice to bookend the new songs with catalog staples reflects a familiar promotional strategy for legacy rock acts: give existing fans the hits while introducing newer listeners to fresh work in a setting that rewards close attention.

Beyond an appearance at BottleRock Napa Valley, the next opportunity for North American fans to see the band live comes in August, when Foo Fighters return for close to two months of dates, opening that run at Toronto's Rogers Stadium.

After wrapping the Tiny Desk set, Grohl also joked with the crowd about the demands of performing without an instrument, calling the microphone ‘the hardest instrument of them all to play.'

What we know

Foo Fighters performed a five-song Tiny Desk Concert at NPR headquarters in Washington, D.C., marking their first appearance at the series.
All six current members of Foo Fighters participated: Dave Grohl, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett, Nate Mendel, Rami Jaffee, and Ilan Rubin.
The set included two songs from the band's new album Your Favorite Toy: ‘Spit Shine' and ‘Child Actor.'
‘My Hero' and ‘Everlong' are both from the 1997 album The Colour and the Shape.
‘Learn to Fly' is from the 1999 album There Is Nothing Left to Lose.
Dave Grohl was raised in the Washington, D.C. area and referenced the performance as a homecoming.
Foo Fighters' next North American dates begin in August, opening at Toronto's Rogers Stadium, following an appearance at BottleRock Napa Valley.

The take

The Tiny Desk series has become one of the more reliable litmus tests for a rock band's confidence in its own catalog. The format strips away production, lighting rigs, and the safety net of arena acoustics, leaving only the songs and the players. For a band of Foo Fighters' stature, agreeing to do it for the first time after three decades in the business says something about where they feel they stand right now. The choice to open with new material from Your Favorite Toy rather than leading with a guaranteed crowd-pleaser like ‘Everlong' suggests the band is genuinely invested in the new record, not just using it as a touring pretext. Grohl's comfort in the space also matters. Tiny Desk performances by legacy rock acts can sometimes feel stiff or obligatory, but his D.C. roots gave this one a genuine sense of occasion. The reference to Trouble Funk, a foundational act in the city's go-go tradition, was a knowing nod that landed differently than a generic ‘great to be here.' Historically, Tiny Desk appearances have given catalog-heavy rock acts a second wave of streaming attention, particularly on tracks that translate well to a stripped-back setting. ‘Everlong,' already one of the most-streamed rock songs of its era, tends to benefit from exactly this kind of intimate recontextualization.

Why it matters

For Foo Fighters, the Tiny Desk debut arrives at a moment when the band is actively rebuilding its live identity following the death of drummer Taylor Hawkins in 2022 and the subsequent addition of Ilan Rubin. Performing all six members in a format this exposed, with no production to hide behind, is a statement of stability. For classic rock fans broadly, it reinforces that the Tiny Desk remains one of the few formats where legacy acts can reach younger audiences without compromising the music that made them essential in the first place.

What's next

Foo Fighters are scheduled to appear at BottleRock Napa Valley before launching a North American tour run of close to two months in August, with the opening date set at Toronto's Rogers Stadium. The band's new album Your Favorite Toy is currently available.

Frequently asked questions

What songs did Foo Fighters play at the Tiny Desk Concert?

The band played ‘Spit Shine,' ‘Learn to Fly,' ‘Child Actor,' ‘My Hero,' and ‘Everlong,' mixing two tracks from their new album Your Favorite Toy with three catalog favorites.

Where is the NPR Tiny Desk Concert filmed?

The Tiny Desk Concert is filmed at NPR headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Is this Foo Fighters' first Tiny Desk Concert?

Yes, according to reporting on the performance, this was Foo Fighters' first-ever appearance at the NPR Tiny Desk.

Who are the current members of Foo Fighters?

The six members who performed at the Tiny Desk are Dave Grohl, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett, Nate Mendel, Rami Jaffee, and Ilan Rubin.

When do Foo Fighters tour North America next?

Beyond an appearance at BottleRock Napa Valley, Foo Fighters return for close to two months of North American dates in August, beginning at Toronto's Rogers Stadium.