UK FOO FIGHTERS | O2 SHEPHERD'S BUSH EMPIRE | LONDON

Our biggest ever UK headline show at London’s O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire on Fri 30th June 2023.

As many of you will know, we’ve extensively toured the UK since 2007, it’s been a life changing journey and we are so grateful for the incredible support we’ve received over the years. Thank you for believing in tribute and coming out to celebrate the music of the Foo Fighters with us. Year in, year out.
It was an unforgettable evening. With special guests Royal Monster (a tribute to Royal Blood).

O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire has cemented itself as one of the capital’s most important entertainment venues and alongside music has also presented comedy shows from top performers Jo brand, Harry Hill and Simon Amstell and special one-off events including Island Record’s 50th Anniversary and War Child’s BRIT after show gigs. There have been some truly inspiring performances held here and a few of the most renowned artists to play O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire are Prince, David Bowie, Oasis, Bob Dylan, Take That, Adele, Amy Winehouse, Bon Jovi, Pearl Jam, Elton John, Muse, The Rolling Stones and The Who.

UK Foo Fighters & Pearl Jam UK | Times Like These #saveourvenues #letthemusicplay #FF25

For over a decade we have toured the UK, performing in many of the venues currently at risk of closure. What can WE do to help grassroots music at this time of crisis?

The idea to collaborate on this track was born a few weeks ago. When Jay (UK Foo Fighters) posted on Kev's (Pearl Jam UK) live stream saying, "play some Foo Fighters Kev!?". Kev obliged playing a few bars of 'Times Like These' and we both watched his feed fill with dozens of requests saying, "you guys should do a duet!". Well here it is folks! And for a pretty damn good cause too we think?

Foo Fighters and Pearl Jam both have very special relationships with the UK music scene. I know for one, Dave Grohl credits the UK and its music fans massively for his bands' international success.
Fitting that today also marks 25 years of Foo Fighters. #FF25

UK Music - Let The Music Play
"UK live music has been one of the UK’s biggest social, cultural, and economic successes of the past decade. But, with no end to social distancing in sight or financial support from government yet agreed, the future for venues, concerts and festivals and the hundreds of thousands of people who work in them looks bleak. Like other countries such as Germany and Australia, we need the Government to help the music industry, which contributes £5.2 billion to the economy annually and sustains almost 200,000 jobs to ensure it remains world-leading following the damage caused by this pandemic. Until these businesses can operate again, which is likely to be 2021 at the earliest, government support will be crucial to prevent mass insolvencies and the end of this world-leading industry. On July 2nd 2020, UK Music and members of the UK Live Music Group, alongside a coalition of live music businesses including artists, venues, concerts, festivals, production companies and industry figures launched a campaign, Let The Music Play, to highlight the importance of the sector to the UK’s economy."

Read more to find out what UK Music & Music Venue Trust are asking for, why it is needed, what they are doing and what you can do. Read more:-

UK Music
https://www.ukmusic.org/policy/let-the-music-play
Music Venue Trust
https://saveourvenues.co.uk
Pearl Jam UK
https://pearljamuk.com

UK Foo Fighters | Maida Vale Live Sessions | London

UK Foo Fighters | Maida Vale Live Sessions | Monday 4th November 2019

If you’d told me that one day this band would be invited to record at Maida Vale Studios, I would have said…… “Ha! Only in my dreams!”.

I contacted Simon Askew (Music Producer/Engineer) at Maida Vale Studios in 2017 to enquire about recording a live session with him. School boy dreaming as usual!
“Simon records more artists in a year than most engineers do in their entire careers. As a result, he has evolved some very distinctive working methods to suit the particular challenge of capturing a band’s sound in a short live session” - SOUND ON SOUND Magazine (Jan 2013).
Testament to this, Simon has recorded a multitude of world-class artists for the BBC’s Live Lounge in his career (spanning over 30 years) including Foo Fighters on a number of occasions.

Nearly 2 years on! Simon (recalling our exchanges back in 2017) got in touch asking about our availability to do a live session with him. They needed a band and he immediately thought of us! A date was set and we were to record in Maida Vale Studio 4. In case you don’t know, these studios are home to the infamous BBC Live Lounge & John Peel Sessions.

There was lots of debate and conversation around what tracks to play in the days leading up to this monumental day, as you might imagine. And there’s lots to choose from! As we were approaching the end of our own 2 year-long ‘Banging On The Ceiling Tour’, paying homage to the Foo’s ‘Concrete and Gold’, we soon settled on a duly inspired playlist.

On Monday 4th November 2019 we entered Maida Vale Studios to record our very own ‘Live Sessions’, following in the footsteps of more bands than I could ever list here. But I’ll name a few of my all-time favourites; The Beatles, Nirvana & Foo Fighters.

We did two takes of the following first 3 tracks and as time ran out fast, just one take of a song by AC/DC that the Foo’s have covered extensively in recent live shows and during their BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge performance in 2017. It was an incredible experience! I can’t thank Simon enough for this opportunity and I know I also speak on behalf of the whole band. We had an absolute blast!

Big thanks also to the BBC’s Richard Courtice, Guy Worth, Suzanne Goodman and Neil Hester for their support on the day. We will talk about and remember this day for many years to come.

Jay

Playlist:-

1. The Sky Is A Neighborhood
Artist: Foo Fighters
Album: Concrete and Gold

2. Run
Artist: Foo Fighters
Album: Concrete and Gold

3. Everlong
Artist: Foo Fighters
Album: The Colour and the Shape

4. Let There Be Rock
Artist: AC/DC
Album: Let There Be Rock

Recorded by Simon Askew (Music Producer/Engineer)
Photography by Tony Woolliscroft

My Hero: UK Foo Fighters

MY HERO: UK FOO FIGHTERS

Not so long ago, tribute bands were regarded as merely enthusiastic amateurs. Not anymore, it's now become a thriving business, and for some, the imitation borders on obsession. In My Hero: UK Foo Fighters we discover the extraordinary double life of Harrogate regional manager and weekend Dave Grohl, aka Jay Apperley, and how his uber-fandom enabled him to fulfill the ultimate tribute fan fantasy: performing live on stage with his heroes.

UK Foo Fighters - Standing in for Foo Fighters!?

So…… Dave breaks his leg at Gothenburg and was forced to cancel a number of Sonic Highways tour dates including both nights at Wembley Stadium (London) and Murrayfield (Edinburgh).

Shortly after the announcement we started receiving messages from followers of both UK Foo Fighters and Foo Fighters saying, “are you standing in Jay?”, “are you free Jay?”, “have you had the call yet guys?”.  We kinda laughed it off at the time but it was also very humbling to receive such acknowledgements and to be considered as a worthy stand-in.
Cue Tom Pugh from Given To Live (a live music related project we have been working with)…..
Tom had organised fundraisers for the Wembley shows with the support of Foo Family UK, planning to put on a number of original acts at Wembley Stadium Crystal Clubs to coincide with Foo’s performances on 19-20th June at Wembley Stadium.  Tom calls up the very next morning after the Foo’s announcement and says, “I’m going to have to cancel our fundraisers……. unless you fancy headlining both nights?”.  To cut the story short….. we did! And if you didn’t know, we even went to Edinburgh on 23rd June and did it again!  Those performances were so special in so many ways, for one, we learnt that Foo Fighters fans who had travelled from all over the world to see Foo Fighters were now coming to see UK Foo Fighters.  We were now ‘standing in’…… no pressure!

It was an honour and a privilege to do what we did!  As we always say, “we hope you approve Dave and Foo Fighters?”.  We are delighted to announce that collectively we raised over £10,000 for Given To Live.  Tom has already been working hard to put the money to use and we look forward to hearing of more great stories from him over the coming months. Dave has already been helping too: Kayleigh meets Foo Fighters by Given To Live

So….. a massive thank you to all Foo Fighters fans who came to see us play at Wembley and Edinburgh from a very proud Jay, Arron, Alex, Jamie, Nick and Ollie (UK Foo Fighters).  See you on the road and at the after parties!

Press:-
http://www.gigwise.com/news/101205/foo-fighters-cancelled-wembley-show-uk-tribute-band
http://www.nme.com/news/foo-fighters/86287
http://consequenceofsound.net/2015/06/foo-fighters-tribute-band-fills-in-for-real-foo-fighters-with-last-minute-gig-in-london/
http://loudwire.com/tribute-band-uk-foo-fighters-rock-nearby-wembley-venue-foo-fighters-cancellation/
http://www.palatinate.org.uk/?p=60214

UK Foo Fighters - iHeartRadio Music Awards 2015

March 29th, 2015 - iHeartRadio Music Awards 2015's 10 Best and Worst Moments

7. Best Wish Fulfillment Fantasy
Many performances were punctuated by short video interviews where accomplished artists recounted their "journey." The best anecdote came courtesy of the Foo Fighters, who told the story of a European gig attended by a tribute band called UK Foo Fighters. Dave Grohl, exhausted from tour, recognized his British counterpart in the crowd and invited him onstage to perform "White Limo." Apparently, the guy killed it.

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/live-reviews/iheartradio-music-awards-2015s-10-best-and-worst-moments-20150330#ixzz3Zs6i2nut
Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/foo-fighters-play-with-cover-band-premiere-new-material-at-secret-show-20140911

Watch Jay's performance of White Limo: https://youtu.be/ylmJhTxus54

UK Foo Fighters | Given To Live | Leeds Music Trust | Sonic Motorways

Imagine your favourite band is coming to a town near you and it’s been a year or two since you last saw them. You book your tickets, perhaps a day or two off work, a hotel, the train.

Now imagine that life is not quite so straightforward.  That your disability, lifelong health condition or personal circumstances prevent you from accessing a computer, public transport or crowds.  Perhaps you need a support worker or a companion to go with you.  Perhaps you are a carer who struggles to leave a dependent or you live in a refuge.  In which case, you are one of thousands of music lovers across the UK who, every year, due to no fault of their own, miss out on the chance to see their favourite bands live.

In an effort to remedy this situation, Foo Fighters tribute band, UK Foo Fighters, fronted by Dave Grohl lookalike, Jay Apperley, recently headed to the Blues Bar in Harrogate, North Yorkshire to record their version of Foo track ‘In the Clear’, taken from the Foos’ 2014 ‘Sonic Highways’ album.  In an unusual move for a tribute band, the UK Foo's will be releasing the song on iTunes, with proceeds going to Bristol-based charity Given to Live and Leeds Music Trust (a music charity based in the Old Chapel Music Studios in Leeds) supported by Ricky Wilson and his Kaiser Chiefs.  The aim of both of these projects is to break down social barriers and offer disadvantaged youngsters access to live music and musical skills. 

Jay, who recently had a dream come true when he was given the chance to sing with the real Foo's at Brighton Concorde, says, "When Dave Grohl invited me to front his band last September, in front of the world’s press, he changed everything.  He didn’t have to do what he did, it wasn’t about him (it never is with Dave), he knew he was making my dream come true.  Foo Fighters recorded ‘In the Clear’ at Preservation Hall, New Orleans in 2014.  Dave’s inspiration for the song was the music history of the region and the people of New Orleans, their community spirit and their recovery since the catastrophic Hurricane Katrina in 2005.  This project is my way of celebrating our local music scene but more importantly, of helping others to access live music and, perhaps, if they get the chance to meet their idols, make their dreams come true.  Just like Dave did for me."

Tom Pugh, founder of Given To Live, thinks what the UK Foo's are doing is amazing, saying, "For the charity to be recognized in this way shows me how important what we do is.  I have so much respect for Jay and this project means that we can really move the charity up a level, going from helping one or two vulnerable people a year to enjoy live music to, perhaps, helping two or three a month."

UK Foo Fighters cover of ‘In the Clear’ will be available on iTunes April 18th.

By Jacqueline Grima - April 1st, 2015

Fact File

Featuring world renowned saxophonist Snake Davis.
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake_Davis
Snake’s most famous collaboration was on Take That’s – Million Love Songs

Music video produced by: Ontsofa Limited
Edited by: Declan Creffield
Audio recorded in the 'Kaiser Room' (Kaiser Chiefs rehearsal room) by: Adrian Burch & David Whitaker of Czar Street Studios (at Old Chapel Leeds).
Ricky Wilson from Kaiser Chiefs is a patron of Leeds Music Trust

Holy Shits | Concorde 2 | Brighton

Rolling Stone Magazine

Foo Fighters Play With Cover Band, Premiere New Material at Secret Show

The Foo Fighters played a secret gig at Brighton, England's Concorde 2 on Wednesday, performing under the alias "the Holy Shits." While the group usually packs arenas, only 600 fans caught this surprise concert, which featured a mix of greatest hits, songs that had dropped off the band's set lists and one brief snippet of Sonic Highways material. There was also a cool moment where frontman Dave Grohl invited the lead singer of the tribute band UK Foo Fighters to come stage and sing Wasting Light's "White Limo" with the real Foo Fighters. Read more

By Daniel Kreps - September 11, 2014

Consequence of Sound

Foo Fighters perform with Foo Fighters tribute band during secret UK show

The band’s performance of “Big Me” was dedicated to a UK Foo Fighters tribute band in attendance. “We don’t wanna shit the bed in front of the UK Foo Fighters. They’ll be like, that’s not how it goes,” Grohl quipped. Later, Grohl invited the tribute band’s lead singer to the stage to join the band in their performance of “White Limo”. Read more

by Alex Young - September 11, 2014

UK Foo Fighters | Concorde 2 | Brighton

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Following in the footsteps of Grohl, Hawkins, Shiflett and Mendel!

Remember when one of the world’s biggest bands; the Foo Fighters, played a secret show at Concorde 2 to 400 very lucky fans one sunny afternoon in August 2007 for BBC Radio 1 - Chris Moyles Show?  Dave Grohl pronounced Concorde 2 as “the perfect venue".

Well..... it's happening rockers! We are so stoked to announce on Saturday 27th September, as part of our national tour, we will be playing Concorde 2.

Jay

Foo Fighters to make TT appearance.......... really?

Foo Fighters or UK Foo Fighters?

Recently we announced our main stage headliner at the Isle of Man TT races for Motofest 2014.

A big deal?  We think so!

But what does Dave Grohl think?

This week the Isle of Man misread our tweet and released breaking news to the world..... "Foo Fighters to make TT appearance............".  Holy shit!!!

I contacted Manx Radio the very next morning to alert them of their mistake but it was too late.....  the world thought Dave Grohl and his Foo Fighters were heading to the TT races in May.

With speculation and excitement on social media growing by the minute, one IOM FF fan (Nathan Harwood) decided to simply ask the man himself if it was true........ and Dave replied, "sorry, but it's not".  Don't you just love Twitter?  Don't you just love Dave?

The fact our authenticity as a tribute fooled even the press is quite an acknowledgement but we really hope Jason at Manx Radio is not beating himself up over it all.  Jason might be the very reason that Dave now knows about UK Foo Fighters.

See you at the TT rockers!

UK Foo Fighters (tribute act) will be headlining the IOM TT at Motofest 2014 (Jurby Airfield) - Friday 30th May

IOM TT (Motofest 2014) - Isle of Man

We're heading to the Isle of Man in May, now confirmed as the headliner for the Motofest main stage at the 2014 TT races!  The Manx made The Bee Gees, so I wonder....... are they up for a Foo Fighters show? Tina is (Manx FF fan)!