After reaching go-down-in-history fame from being in a band like Nirvana, what in life is there left to do? A mere mortal would take the money, take the memory and run. Perhaps this is the reason why the rest of Nirvana is not in the news six years on. Except for Dave Grohl, that is.

Instead of retiring after Cobain's suicide in '94, Grohl bounced back with the Foo Fighters [ tickets ]. And five years later, even with a relatively new guitarist in place, the Foos were still in top form at their gig on Saturday (3/4). Secretly filmed for an MTV show, with only a few hundred contest-winning fans in attendance, it was their best UK performance in years.

Grohl's style of intensely heavy guitar rock has always been massively popular with punk and grunge addicts, but it's his and the Foos' personalities that ultimately make them winners. How many multi-millionaires sing and chew gum at the same time, accept demo tapes from their following in the middle of a set or laugh off massive feedback problems? Although Grohl is past the 30-mark and a consummate professional, he's also still a big kid who has a bad haircut and a stupid smile and who loves to play his guitar.

Starting on a high with ''Aurora'', off of last year's album ''Nothing Left to Lose,'' it was obvious that the band's set was going to be tight throughout (never mind the band's falling-down drunk appearance at the BRIT Awards the night before). Hard and fast versions of ''Break Out'' and ''Learn to Fly'' then followed, as mohawk-sporting punks at the front of the stage began the night's body-surfing trend.

The whole point of the show, as Grohl put it, was: ''Well, it's more fun to play in front of you guys, than film it with nobody around.'' And he was right, half of the excitement was the audience's wild reaction to the group's well-known faves such as ''All the Cows'', ''New Way Home'' and ''Up in Arms,'' as well as newer material. Unlike Grohl though, drummer Taylor Hawkins proved why the sticks-man, by default, is never allowed up to the mic: his cover of Pink Floyd's ''Have a Cigar'' was by far the most off-key number of the night, but for this reason, also the coolest.

Musically, the Foos are still on the top of their game. But it's the earnest, ''boys with toys'' attitude towards the music which has always made them so accessible to their audience, and will continue to psyche 'em up and groove them out on the upcoming U.S. tour.