Continuing their back-to-basics return to the stage, the Foo Fighters played another surprise, intimate club show last night, this time taking over the legendary 900-capacity Toad’s Place in New Haven, Connecticut. The performance is the latest in a string of pop-up gigs designed to break in new drummer Ilan Rubin and reconnect with fans in a raw, club setting before the band’s major international tour begins next month.
The show, which took place on Tuesday, September 23, was announced just one day prior, sending local fans scrambling for the limited, $30 tickets, with many camping out to secure a spot. During the concert, frontman Dave Grohl expressed his own surprise at the band’s first-ever performance at the iconic venue, exclaiming, “I can’t believe we’ve never played this f**king joint!” Fan-filmed video of the entire concert has been uploaded to YouTube by the Steve’s Concert Corner channel and can be seen down below.
This string of intimate club dates serves as the public’s first opportunity to see the band with their new powerhouse drummer, Ilan Rubin. The former Nine Inch Nails drummer made his official debut with the band on September 13 in San Luis Obispo, California. At that show, Grohl gave his new bandmate a powerful and definitive introduction.
“Everybody else has said it,” Grohl told the crowd. “I finally get the opportunity to say, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, will you please welcome…’ The most badass motherf**ker, Ilan Rubin, is playing drums in the Foo Fighters right now. It’s official. You can stamp the passport.”
These warm-up shows are the prelude to the Foo Fighters’ official return to the global stage after a year-long hiatus. The band is scheduled to kick off a run of international dates on October 2 in Jakarta, Indonesia, followed by shows in Singapore, Japan, and Mexico in the fall.
