Foo Fighters have played a lot of interesting places in the road to their new studio album: Mexico, New Orleans, pizza parlours – but one place Dave Grohl and his merry rockers have yet to grace is Richmond, Virginia. Something which the residents of the American city, who haven’t seen a concert from the band in 16 years, was hoping to rectify when they started an online campaign to get the band to visit.
Led by chief Foo fan Andrew Goldin, a freelance creative director and copywriter, a group of Richmond residents launched a crowdfunding campaign on Crowdhoster last April, selling 1,400 tickets for $50 each in order to generate funds for a staged gig “that didn’t exist (yet).”
“It’s simple. The Foo Fighters haven’t played Richmond, Virginia since May 17, 1998… that’s way too long. So we’re taking it upon ourselves to bring ’em back!” reads the mission statement, while a video plea from Goldin noes: “If the band comes we all rock out. If they don’t come, everyone gets their money back. Every cent. So buy your tix, spread the word, and let’s make some rock-n-roll history.”
Word of the campaign must have reached the willing ears of the band, because after breaking the $70,000 target over the weekend, the campaign now gets its own happy ending, as Rolling Stone reports.
Foo Fighters tweeted Goldin and his backers over the weekend with a message confirming that they’d managed to make their own piece of rock n’ roll history.
well, well, well…@foofighters_rva @rvadonuts @browns_vdubs @Crowdtilt See ya soon…let’s have a good time.#RVA pic.twitter.com/D4e873tXJG
— Foo Fighters (@foofighters) June 14, 2014
The final dates, details, and venue for the concert are still being finalised, but even those Richmond locals who didn’t back the campaign still have a chance to attend the crowdfunded gig, with two local businesses – Brown’s Volkswagon and Sugar Shack Donuts, each offering to give away the 100 tickets they scored by pledging $5,000 each to the campaign.
Currently, the only confirmed date on Foo Fighters’ upcoming tour schedule is a headline appearance at Firefly Music Festival (on 20th June) but the band are planning extensive world touring to coincide with the release of their new studio album this November, which includes teasing plans of a return to Australia.
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A recent social media post by the band reads: “Hey AU/NZ pals… It’s been WAYYY too long,” attached with a message prompting fans to sign up to the newsletter. The teaser was also shared by Frontier Touring – the band’s Australian promoters.
In combination with the touted ‘Fall’ release of Sonic Highways, the eight-part HBO series about the making of the new Foo Fighters album, and the November release of the new album, Foo fans Down Under might just be getting a visit from the band before year’s end.
