The Foo Fighters played their first gig with new drummer Ilan Rubin this weekend at a 900-capacity venue in San Luis Obispo, California.
It was very much a last-minute booking. The band only announced the gig on the Saturday, telling fans via social media that tickets would only be available in-person at the venue itself – The Freemont Theater – from 8am on the day of the show.
And with it being Rubin’s debut show with the band, Dave Grohl took the opportunity to introduce the new drummer to fans, saying: “Everybody else has said it, I finally get the opportunity to say, ladies and gentlemen, will you please welcome, the most badass motherfucker, Ilan Rubin, is playing drums in the Foo Fighters. It’s official.”
The gig was the first Foo Fighters show for over a year, but their second is coming hot on its heels. In fact it is tonight (September 15). It’s at The Observatory in Santa Ana, California.
The band are utilising the same method for distributing tickets, which are $30 each with a maximum of two per person. So, if you are in the vicinity of Santa Ana and are at a loose end tonight…
The gigs come a week after the band posted a pic to social media of the six band members’ feet standing together in a circle. “Foo Fighters Assemble!!!” the band captioned the snap, before they hinted at an imminent announcement, writing: “Make sure you’re subscribed to the newsletter for info you won’t want to miss… just sayin’…”
So is it just these two shows, or are there more in the pipeline? Fans would be advised to stay tuned to the Foos’ socials.
