Foo Fighters’ Drummer Ilan Rubin Speaks Out Following First Gig with Band

Ilan Rubin is thrilled to be part of Foo Fighters.

After making his official debut with the rock band on Sunday, Sept. 14, the drummer posted about his first show on Instagram. “Last night with @foofighters could not have been a better time,” Rubin, tkage, began, sharing images from their first concert.

“After keeping my head down for a couple wild months and throwing myself into the material, that first show was such an incredible release of energy. I’ve been taken aback by all the positivity and support, and I just wanted to say thanks!”

“Excited for all the volume and sweat that lies ahead,” concluded Rubin.

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Fans were excited about his joining the Foo Fighters. “I am so so so happy about all of this and can’t wait to see you in action!!!!” one fan wrote. “So happy it’s you man! You’re the perfect fit!” another chimed in.

“They are lucky to have you,” a third said. “Sounds so strange saying that the Foo Fighters are ‘lucky’ to have anyone. But you sir, are the exception. Congratulations to both you and the foo fighters.”

During the Sept. 14 show at the Fremont Theater in San Luis Obispo, Calif., Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl officially introduced their drummer.

“Everybody else has said it,” Grohl, 56, told the crowd at one point during the surprise show.

“I finally get the opportunity to say, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, will you please welcome…’ The most badass motherf—er, Ilan Rubin, is playing drums in the Foo Fighters right now. It’s official. You can stamp the passport.”

The band announced that they had tapped Rubin, who previously was the drummer for Nine Inch Nails, to join them in July, joining Grohl, Nate Mendel, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett and Rami Jaffree.

Rubin replaced Josh Freese, who was with the Foo Fighters from 2023 to that May. Before Freese’s time with the band, Taylor Hawkins served as the drummer from 1997 until his death in 2022 at 50.

The band, known for “Everlong” and “Learn to Fly,” performed another surprise show at the Observatory in Santa Ana, Calif. on Monday, Sept. 15. Up next for them are international shows in Mexico, Singapore and Japan this fall.