Foo Fighters…Wembley… NY Central Park …Frome!

HOW does one of the world’s biggest bands announce they will be playing the UK’s most famous music festival? With a secret gig in Frome, of course!

Frome was the envy of music-lovers across the world last Friday when rock megastars, Foo Fighters, played a surprise invite-only show – their first gig in over a year – at the Cheese & Grain to announce that they will headline Glastonbury Festival in June.

Masterminded by the band and festival organiser Emily Eavis, a patron of the venue in Market Yard, the two-hour gig was streamed online to 2.4million people around the globe. Foo Fighters, fronted by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, have sold tens of millions of albums and played in front of tens of thousands of people at venues like Wembley and New York Central Park; a far cry from 650 people at the Cheese & Grain.

A whirlwind of speculation led up to the show after hundreds of select local fans were sent free airline-style tickets imagining a plane departing Los Angeles for destination ‘CAG’.

The real venue wasn’t revealed until Thursday, and a staff member at the Cheese & Grain said they had been none the wiser until then.

No tickets were available to people who hadn’t been sent them, but around 100 people who waited outside were let in.

‘Free ticket came out of nowhere’

One fan, Ben Mackay, had a ticket turn up at his dad’s house in Westbury the weekend before.

He told Frome Times, “The gig was epic. I couldn’t believe how close we were to the stage.

“The ticket came out of nowhere and was totally free. I had to check in online when it came, but we didn’t find out the venue until the day before.

“I know a couple of people who threw them away because they didn’t know what they were; they had to fish them out of the bin!

“It seemed very random. I am subscribed to their newsletter and have seen them a few times before at big arenas in front of 80,000 or so people – the Cheese & Grain was much more intimate!”

Frome musician Leander Morales had gone down to promote his reggae event at the venue this weekend, and was among the crowd admitted to the gig.

‘A testament to Frome’s culture’

Leander said, “It was a surreal experience. I have seen Foo Fighters before at a major festival, but the small gigs are always the best. The atmosphere was incredible.

“Frome deserved something like this; it’s just a shame more local people couldn’t have gone. It’s testament to the hundreds of people in the town who put so much into the culture and arts here that Frome is able to attract an event like this.”

‘Dave has promised to return’

The Cheese & Grain’s marketing manager Tracey Rawlins said, “The Foo Fighters were so friendly and gracious. They chatted to staff throughout the day and even sat in the café and had lunch, mingling with our staff and posing for photographs.

“They commented on how much they loved the venue and were very impressed that we are a not-for-profit social enterprise.

“Frontman Dave Grohl personally promised to return, as he enjoyed playing in Frome so much.”

“We knew we had potentially something big booked in as promoters SJM had been to the venue a few times. They wouldn’t reveal who it was but we, like everyone,  guessed that Glastonbury Festival was involved.

“We are so grateful to Emily Eavis, our patron, for putting us forward for this exciting event. It went like clockwork, all our staff worked hard and we thoroughly enjoyed working with SJM and Showsec. It has certainly put us on the map!”

The story quickly reached national headlines when Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis introduced the band and announced they would headline the festival this year.

One reviewer from The Telegraph said the Cheese & Grain was more used to hosting events like a ‘humble village hall birthday party’.

‘Foo Fighters have put the wonderful Cheese & Grain on the map’

Emily Eavis said in a statement on the Glastonbury website, “The thought, effort and generosity [Foo Fighters] put into this announcement is just unbelievable. Plus, I’m so happy that we’ve been able to help shine a light on Somerset’s local music scene by having one of the world’s biggest bands play in Frome.

“The Cheese And Grain is a wonderful, not-for-profit venue, which I’m very proud to be a patron of, and it was our first suggestion when the band asked where might be good to do a secret show. They’ve certainly put it on the map now!”

‘The best way to dive into another year’

Dave Grohl later posted a message on Twitter saying, “Thank you to all involved tonight because I’m still buzzing from our first gig in one year, three months and ten days (but who’s counting).

“Shaking off the dust for the sweet people of Frome was the best way to dive into another year and many more surprises.”