Dave Grohl introduces Ilan Rubin as Foo Fighters’ new drummer at secret gig

Dave Grohl used a secret Foo Fighters show at the Fremont Theater in San Luis Obispo, California, to put Ilan Rubin in the drum seat in front of a crowd, not in a press release. Grohl’s onstage introduction made the point plainly: “I finally get the opportunity to say, ladies and gentlemen, will you please welcome, the most badass mother, Ilan Rubin.”

The reveal landed inside a 25-song set that was described as Foo Fighters’ first live performance in over a year. That matters in this band more than it does in most rock acts, because the drummer is not just another lineup slot. For Foo Fighters, the backbeat is part of the identity, and every change behind the kit gets measured against how the band locks in, pushes songs live, and carries the emotional weight of the Taylor Hawkins era.

Hawkins died on March 25, 2022, at age 50 during the band’s South American tour, and Foo Fighters later brought in Josh Freese as drummer. Freese left the group in May 2025, which made Rubin’s introduction the next major pivot in a chair that has been watched closely for years. A live debut in a smaller, secret-gig setting gave Foo Fighters a way to show the transition in motion rather than stage it as a formal announcement.

Rubin’s resume explains why the handoff carries real weight for drummers. Born on July 7, 1988, he spent 2009 to 2025 as Nine Inch Nails’ drummer, and he and the band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on November 7, 2020. Coverage also identifies Rubin as a member of Angels & Airwaves and the frontman of The New Regime, which points to a player with both high-pressure arena experience and the flexibility to move between different rock contexts.

That is why Grohl’s introduction mattered as much as the setlist. At a secret show built for the most dedicated fans, Foo Fighters did not frame Rubin as a stopgap. They put him onstage, gave him the spotlight, and turned the first public glimpse of the new lineup into the story itself.