Secret Foo Fighters Gig Turns Into Pseudo-Nirvana Reunion

BY Gregory AdamsPublished Dec 23, 2010

Back in the fall, we reported that the Foo Fighters were recording a new album and that the sessions had turned into a mini-Nirvana reunion. Main Foo Dave Grohl brought Nevermind producer Butch Vig in to man the mix, six-stringer Pat Smear (who toured with Nirvana and was an early member of Foo Fighters) returned to lay down some guitar work and, most excitingly, Nirvana co-founder Krist Novoselic came in to play some accordion. Considering Kurt Cobain's 1994 suicide, it was the closest thing to a full reunion that fans would ever get. That is, up until last night when Grohl, Smear and Novoselic appeared together onstage last night (December 22) at a secret Foo Fighters gig in California.

Rolling Stone reports that Tarzana, CA dive bar Paladino's, known mostly for its karaoke nights, hosted a barely publicized Foo Fighters gig that found the long-running act trotting out a smattering of new songs, as well as their many classics. New tunes included "Back + Forth", "White Limo" and "These Days."

As thrilling as that would have been for Foo fans, who were invited through the group's Facebook page, the real excitement of the night came when Novoselic and Smear popped up onstage to jam with Grohl on the old Nirvana track "Marigold." The B-side from the "Heart Shaped Box" single, was the only Nirvana song to feature Grohl on lead vocals. The song has been redone at the occasional Foo Fighters show.

The set is said to have been filmed as part of a documentary about the making of the Foo Fighters' as-yet-untitled seventh album. Barring any fan uploads of the performance popping up on YouTube, we will have to wait until that disc's release to see this moment of hard rock history. A release date has yet to be announced.

While no official statement has been made over the appearance, here's betting this reunion set was a rarity.

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