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Foo Fighters Head to D.C. to Rock White House Fourth of July Bash

7/2/09, 8:10 am EST

Photo: Samad/AFP/Getty

The Foo Fighters will take a short break from their extended hiatus when they play a very special Fourth of July party this Saturday — at the White House! Rolling Stone has learned that the band will perform a short set as part of the annual festivities on the South Lawn, which has an unblemished view of the capital’s elaborate fireworks display. Earlier this week, President Obama invited staffers and their immediate families to the official First Family celebration; and it should be noted that back in January, it was many of those same staffers who campaigned for the Arcade Fire to play their much-deserved victory ball on inauguration night.

Frontman Dave Grohl, who’s been on full-time daddy duty since second daughter Harper was born on April 17th, is known to get antsy in between albums, but with bassist Nate Mendel reuniting his original band, Sunny Day Real Estate, for a national tour that kicks off in September, and word spreading of a possible Grohl side-project involving Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones and Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme, any Foos activity would have been a complete surprise, never mind this unexpected booking. To that end, when we ran into the rocker near his current home turf — L.A.’s San Fernando Valley — Grohl was visibly excited about the one-off gig in D.C. (the city where he honed his punk rock chops as a teen living in nearby Alexandria, Virginia) and the opportunity to play for “Him.”

Jimmy Fallon, Michelle Branch and “The President’s Own” U.S. Marine Band are also booked for the event, a “Salute The Troops” USO concert for 1,200 troops and military family members.


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Comments

Kathleen | 7/2/2009, 10:18 am EST

Badass! Wish I could go!

Mark | 7/2/2009, 10:25 am EST

Grr, come back ove here, fuck america! :) England is the place you wanna be for gigs, wembley stadium, milton keynes, O2 arena, come on foo fighters, i know im not the only one who wants to be blown away by your AMAZING music, :)

x

Dave | 7/2/2009, 1:32 pm EST

Great rockband.

... | 7/2/2009, 1:42 pm EST

acoustic show would be real dope

Phil | 7/2/2009, 1:42 pm EST

If you think foo fighters are a great band your fucking nuts.They suck!!

richard hurtz | 7/2/2009, 1:44 pm EST

hey mark, great attitude. yeah fuck america, where did you come up with that. you stay on your side of the pond and we will enjoy our american music.

MaiLow68 | 7/2/2009, 3:02 pm EST

Grohl and those boys rock!

Drewdog21 | 7/2/2009, 5:11 pm EST

FIGHT THE FOO!!! (You know what the foo is? It’s all that crap music that’s out there right now! The foo is The Jonas Brothers at the top of the charts. That’s the fuckin’ foo right there! FIGHT THE FOO!!!)

Aspire2Inspire | 7/2/2009, 5:28 pm EST

The Foo Fighters let me down. What the FUCK is it going to take before you guys can stop kissing Obama’s ass???

That guy could be grilling fucking dolphin while he whistles the Amos & Andy theme and kicking homeless puppy dogs and you guys would still never figure this whole thing the fuck out.

I am so ready to vote. Sadly, the Republicans suck so fucking badly that there is nowhere to go.

Ryan | 7/2/2009, 6:12 pm EST

Get back to your country records Phil

kcv | 7/2/2009, 6:23 pm EST

rockstars have to get all lame and have kids, how boring. i’d rather be out there banging groupies like gene simmons…..he has the best of both worlds….

Caleb | 7/2/2009, 6:25 pm EST

inb4 token anti-Obama posts..

Oh wait… damn.

Liz | 7/2/2009, 6:37 pm EST

Pft. Don’t bring the Jonas Brothers into this, Drewdog. They are making the best pop music since the 80s ended and mainstream music stopped being at all interesting. Back in the day there used to be worthwhile pop to match worthwhile country & R&B, etc, and there hasn’t been any of that since Britney Spears set foot on a stage and commenced to suck the soul, creativity & energy out of pop performance. Are you too young to remember?

That said, the Foo Fighters are pretty bland…

Anonymous | 7/2/2009, 10:47 pm EST

whatever, foo fighters are awesome but they do kiss major ass to just about everyone.

Eddie | 7/3/2009, 1:30 am EST

I can`t believe Dave Grohl is the same Grohl who once played with Nirvana. Can this guy sell out any more? It seems when Kurt would say “corporate rock sucks” Dave had other opinions.

Ryan | 7/3/2009, 1:59 pm EST

Wow somebody calling the Foos bland while defending the Jonas Brothers

that’s just wrong

Americano | 7/3/2009, 3:53 pm EST

Why do you guys call your country America If America is the WHOLE CONTINENT???

Anyway, los Foo can rock, I dont give a crap if they are sellouts, they can rock real good

salud y viva Mexico cabrones!

mm | 7/3/2009, 4:14 pm EST

Everyone is such a critique! Give Dave a break. It’s time to move on past Nirvana really!

Antisilent | 7/3/2009, 5:58 pm EST

Homme Grohl and Jones will save rock and roll!

Anonymous | 7/3/2009, 6:18 pm EST

foo fighters are the biggest and best rock band of today, what better way to celebrate the 4th of july? GO FOOS!!

Double d | 7/3/2009, 7:19 pm EST

Rollingstone.com has the dumbest bloggers on the internet. Foo Fighters rock!!!!

Keith | 7/3/2009, 7:47 pm EST

Earth, Wind, & Fire…Stevie Wonder…Foo Fighters – talk about diversity in the White House. Yes we can…rock the house.

Jack Locker | 7/3/2009, 8:37 pm EST

I am a long time fan of their music and seen them perform many times since they started out. As far as performing for the President Obama who represents the criminal New World Order-Illuminati careless losers who run the corporation known as the United States, I would have to agree knowing the truth about these evil super rich few that it is a form of selling out.

The greedy anti-enviro bankers, warmongers, and industrialists are the problem of our country and world. Obama is their main man on the inside. These lying murdererous scum who did 9-11 to justify their ongoing oil wars are still at the helm.

Go to http://www.ae911truth.org where over 700 accredited architects and engineers have signed on for a new independent investigation into the destruction of the 3 World Trade Towers collapses on 9-11. Learn about the evidence of explosives, molten metal, and military high tech thermate charges. The US CORPORATE MASS MEDIA run and owned by these same people will never tell you or show you this story because they are were in on the lie from the get go. The real terrorists are still controlling the White House. Get a clue Dave.

needs textmates | 7/3/2009, 9:11 pm EST

i don’t care about that. just text me…i am from the philippines…09279107146 (globe)

gun for hire | 7/3/2009, 9:20 pm EST

you want someone to be killed?….hate somebody so much?….i am a gun for hire…..text me….my number is 09279107146

thetruth | 7/3/2009, 9:34 pm EST

Foo Fighters rock. America rocks. Obama rocks. Fuck all the haters. Have a great holiday everyone!

Jeff Tweedy | 7/4/2009, 12:00 am EST

my band is the only band that should play for the prez being from chicago area and all. dave grohl needs to chew his gum and make stupid pop songs that all sound the same. get you some dem mentos!

Rock | 7/4/2009, 12:06 am EST

Happy Dependence Day!

Our Dear Leader, Hugo Chavez- er, Barrack Hussein Obama wants you to burn the American flag on this day!

Barrack is turning this country into a Banana Republic!

All hail Karl Marx!!!!

Riot | 7/4/2009, 12:10 am EST

Help Obama on his War on Prosperity!
Let the Obama administration tear away at a once robust economy! Only the Obama administration will prolong the recession. How’s “hope” and “change” working for you?

Gun | 7/4/2009, 12:16 am EST

Wow. Hypocrite Obama is taking credit for the victory in Iraq~!

Igos | 7/4/2009, 12:19 am EST

Is dissent still patriotic?

Al Gore | 7/4/2009, 12:23 am EST

Obama cares more about his approval rating than the country…

Al Gore | 7/4/2009, 12:26 am EST

“Salute the troops”??
I thought the military were mind-numbed baby killers! I mean, our troops in Iraq raped Iraqis!

The Truth | 7/4/2009, 12:29 am EST

Thank ACORN and the Black Panthers, fraudulent voting, and voter intimidation for the Obama presidency…

Ammon | 7/4/2009, 12:37 am EST

When is Obama going to grow up and be a man and stop whining about the stuff he allegedly “inherited” from Bush?

Jacob | 7/4/2009, 1:22 am EST

To the asshole Republicans and the conspiracy theorists: Shut the FUCK up, please!!!!!!!
Everybody else: Happy 4th / Foo Fighters rock!

Foo Fan | 7/4/2009, 1:49 am EST

Foo Fighters are the biggest and best rock band of today. “they will save rock music”

Eddie | 7/4/2009, 5:17 am EST

Grohl says his biggest influence is Led Zepplin. Then why does he keep insisting on sounding like some band you would see on a Saturday morning TV show for kids? “Come on gang it`s time to play rock star! Yippee!”

alan | 7/4/2009, 8:18 am EST

lol at the right wingers qqing. go obama, go foo fighters

patrick Bonsant | 7/4/2009, 9:23 am EST

why do so many whack job right wingers post wing-nut comments here? I thought Rolling Stone was for a younger, more enlightened crowd…?

Ian | 7/4/2009, 12:00 pm EST

It’s too bad the FOOS would not go and play for the TROOPS- those that are actually trying to do something for this country.Some people confuse diplomacy with patriotism, and that is shameful.

Dave Grohl | 7/4/2009, 12:03 pm EST

I can laugh at you guys all the way to bank.

Ian | 7/4/2009, 12:33 pm EST

Ahhh… there it is. I guess at least you are honest, unlike the rest who just are “supportive” of this government, or are friends of so and so. The wheels on the bus go round and round. You are going to a bank? Ever hear of electronic transfer? Put it somewhere overseas.

Mitch | 7/4/2009, 12:52 pm EST

That is some pretty kickass stuff. I saw the Foo show in Chicago February 2008–much excellence took place. I must state my surprise, though. Foo Fighters’ sound doesn’t exactly fall into place with the other bands that have performed at the White House this term: Earth, Wind, and Fire, as well as Stevie Wonder. Bit of a change of pace, innit?

p.james | 7/4/2009, 10:36 pm EST

ian, you’re an idiot. i hate to break it to you, but the troops aren’t doing anything for our country. they’re fighting in a war that has absolutely nothing to do with the united states (other than that it was our agenda that sent them over there in the first place). i love and support our brave men and women for putting their lives on the line for others, but right now, those others aren’t us. shut the fuck up you dumb fucker!

Glo | 7/5/2009, 1:32 am EST

Foo Fighters are a great band.I love that they do perforemances with a diverse variety of bands and musicians.You can see it on Dave Grohls face..He just LOVES music!

DG | 7/5/2009, 1:57 pm EST

the new song sound great, as always

Adriana | 7/5/2009, 2:52 pm EST

I just love Foo Fighters, and Rolling Stone, but I use to read the brazilian Rolling Stone, cos’ I’m from Brazil

kims deeler | 7/5/2009, 3:50 pm EST

why has this post created such strife? The Foo Fighters aren’t sellouts, and to the guy who talked about Dave in Nirvana, Kurt once said he’d be honored to play for Clinton, so I don’t think you know what the fuck you’re talking about.
There is no New World Order. On either side. 9/11 wasn’t an inside job. Obama is a great president, the Foo Fighters are talented. Happy 4th (on the 5th)

Ant | 7/5/2009, 4:24 pm EST

I was there last night for that show.. pretty good stuff.

Dave Rocks | 7/5/2009, 11:31 pm EST

It was a fun show. Of course, I was there. Fallon was just OK, Branch was boring, but the Foos were awesome. They only played 5 songs but introduced a new song – Wheels Down, a song about the moment when a plane lands. Dave was also nice enough to greet the crowd and let people have their pictures taken with him. Thanks guys, and thank you Mr. President for the invite and all of those Dove bars.

Dissapointed | 7/6/2009, 8:56 am EST

Fuck Obama and the Foo’s for playing for him.

Observer | 7/6/2009, 5:45 pm EST

It dosent take long for all you losers to find a website that will post your all of your B.S. Does that make you think that you are important now?

Now that you are on the internet, do you think that you are working for CBS news?

The Jonas Brothers | 7/6/2009, 9:39 pm EST

We just want to date Obama’s daughters!

Becky | 7/7/2009, 8:39 am EST

Th Foo Fighters, Michele Branch and Jimmy Fallon were all awesome! The entire night was perfect. I’d like to find the set list for both. Michele sang 1 song I didn’t know but REALLY liked. Oh, BTW,dumbass, they did play for the troops, and their families and the President.

chris & murph | 7/7/2009, 2:33 pm EST

let`s bare in mind that you`re all descended from the pilgrim fathers!…however, as much as we love the foos, U2 ARE THE BEST ROCK BAND IN THE WORLD! guess what, they ain`t from the USofA!LOVE U ALL..XX!

um | 7/9/2009, 1:27 am EST

What would Malibu Jesus write here?

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