Dublin’s Academy venue saw a rapid sell-out Monday night as Foo Fighters staged a surprise performance, following a similarly intimate gig at St James’ Church in Dingle, County Kerry on Sunday. Tickets for the Dublin show, priced at €99 including fees, went on sale at midday and were distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, with a two-ticket limit per person and a restriction to physical debit or credit card purchases.
The impromptu Irish appearances come as the band celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Other Voices festival, with the Dingle performance taking place within St James’ Church, a venue seating approximately 80 people. Promoter Philip King initially expressed surprise at the request, questioning the suitability of the small space, but ultimately agreed to host the event.
Dave Grohl, the band’s frontman and former Nirvana drummer, has a personal connection to the Kerry region. Following the death of Kurt Cobain, Grohl travelled to the Ring of Kerry to grieve, and it was during this trip, while hitchhiking, that he encountered a teenager wearing a Kurt Cobain t-shirt, an experience that prompted him to return to the United States and form the Foo Fighters.
The band, formed in 1994, has sold over 50 million albums worldwide. The Dublin gig marked their first performance in Ireland since 2019. Rumors of the band’s presence in Ireland circulated online in the days leading up to the announcements, with reports of a Foo Fighters van spotted in Dingle.
Following the Dublin performance, the band announced further intimate gigs at London’s O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire on Wednesday, February 25th, and Manchester’s O2 Ritz this Friday, February 27th.