Few superstar musical artists are gracious enough to still play intimate shows at tiny venues for their hardcore fans. Fortunately for 200 people on Long Beach record store Fingerprints’ email list, the Foo Fighters are one of those bands.
The Foo Fighters played a gig at the local audiophile hot-spot to promote a limited-edition record called “Medium Rare” on Saturday. The people lucky enough to get into the show received an email three weeks ago on a Monday afternoon, and wristbands went on sale immediately.
Cal State Long Beach College of Continuing and Professional Education Foundation worker Matt Reimers was one of the people fortunate enough to get tickets.
“We waited for five hours two weeks ago to get these tickets,” Reimers said from his position at the front of the line with his friend Juliette Espinosa.
The two friends, who met in line for a different concert in LA, had also waited for three hours the day of to get their first-in-line position.
Other less fortunate fans were content to just be in such an intimate space with a band that they idolized. Michael Yanoska, Connor James and their band, The Smoking Mirrors, were in LA for a gig they got opening for Stereofix at the Cabana club the same weekend. When they heard that one of their favorite bands was going to be playing a show at a record store, they made the short trip down to Long Beach, optimistically trying to get in.
Just a few minutes earlier, the band’s signature white limousine with the “FF” logo pulled up alongside Yanoska and his band, and Foo Fighters’ drummer Taylor Hawkins leaned out the window and asked them directions to the record store.
“Technically they wouldn’t have known where the place was without me!” Yanoska said. James added, “Yeah! So let us in!” while he gestured at Fingerprints and Sony Music combined private security forces.
Dave Grohl, the band’s frontman, and arguably one of the most prolific hard-rock musicians of all time, arrived in true rock star style on a red and white Harley Davidson. Grohl whipped past the record store and through a side alley where his fans ran after him. Shortly after being whisked inside by security, an excited and smiling Grohl kicked open the rear door that he’d entered through and told the jealous crowd, “They’ve got beer upstairs, guys!” before disappearing once again into the record store.
The store’s windows were papered up in accordance with the city of Long Beach’s request to prevent on-lookers from obstructing the surrounding area. But according to the security personnel at the store and on the surrounding sidewalks, they couldn’t have asked for a better crowd.
Disclaimer: The Daily 49er is not responsible for Postings made on www.daily49er.wpengine.com. Persons commenting are solely responsible for Postings made on this website. Persons commenting agree to the Terms of Use of the website. If Postings do not abide by the Rules of Conduct or Posting Regulations as listed in the Postings Policy, the Daily 49er has all rights to delete Postings as it deems necessary. The Daily 49er strongly advises individuals to not abuse their First Amendment rights, and to avoid language suggestive of hate speech. This site also encourages users to make Postings relevant to the article or other Postings.