The Foo Fighters to rock Acropolis in rare rock show
NEW YORK: Foo Fighters will play a televised concert at the Acropolis in a rare rock show at one of the world’s most iconic historical sites, producers announced on Friday.
The alternative rock icons led by Dave Grohl of Nirvana fame will perform July 10 at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the nearly 2,000-old stone theatre on a slope of the ancient citadel that overlooks Athens.
Proceeds from the concert will go to unspecified Greek charities.
The concert will later air on US public broadcaster PBS as part of the series “Landmarks Live in Concert,” in which artistes play celebrated venues and discuss the significance with Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith.
“I’ve always wanted to work with the Foo Fighters and do a show in Greece,” Daniel Catullo, the director of the series, said in a statement.
“We’ve had some incredible shows so far, but this one officially sets our standard at a new level,” he said.
Other episodes include Italian crossover tenor Andrea Bocelli playing Florence’s central Palazzo Vecchio and Alicia Keys singing at the Apollo Theater, New York’s historic jazz venue.
The so-called Herodeon, built in the first century AD under Roman rule, seats nearly 5,000 people and has frequently been the site of historic concerts, though generally from the classical and opera world.
Artistes from other genres who have played the Acropolis include Elton John, Frank Sinatra and Sting as well as French electronic pioneer JeanMichel Jarre.
Foo Fighters on Sept 15 release their ninth studio album, “Concrete and Gold,” which according to early indications will mark a return to the heavy, whirling guitars reminiscent of Nirvana.
Meanwhile, Grohl hasn’t denied that Adele could be the “biggest pop star in the world” featured on “Concrete and Gold”.
Grohl, 48, previously teased a “surprising” collaboration with a mystery pop singer who lends their vocals to one of the album’s “heaviest songs”, but is not prepared to give away the surprise.
The rocker has hinted that it could be any number of stars who were recording at the famous EastWest studios in Los Angeles while they were making their album, from Lady Gaga to Deep Purple.
Speaking to the latest issue of NME magazine, Grohl said of the rumours: “You might have Shania Twain having a record-release party, or the guy from Deep Purple hanging out with Jason Bonham, or Justin Timberlake would be in for a couple of weeks, or Lady Gaga working with these other cats from Nashville. And every so often we’d be like, ‘Hey, wanna come sing some backing vocals?’ and they’d just (expletive) do it. It was loose and random: everyone was hanging out, drinking whiskey, having a good time. I never went to college, but it’s what I imagine a dormitory’s like.”
The rumours circulated after it was revealed that the band have worked with Adele’s producer Greg Kurstin, who did ‘Hello’ with the pop megastar.—