The Foo Fighters are renowned for their playful spirit, and their performance at the O2 Arena in London on September 19, 2017, proved that. The audience was treated to an unexpected guest when Rick Astley joined the band on stage, leading to an impromptu ‘Rickroll’ that electrified the crowd.
While enjoying a Foo Fighters’ set at a festival with his wife, Rick Astley was invited to take the stage with Foo. The band’s roadie asked Rick, “Dave Grohl wants you onstage,” and happily agreed, jumping on the stage. They performed his renowned track “Never Gonna Give You Up,” lighting up the stage.
The performance was a creative blend, mixing the powerful intro of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” with the melody of Astley’s famous tune. Astley, though admitting to being slightly inebriated and affected by “tipsy and jet-lagged” at this point, managed to deliver a stellar performance, injecting a rock ‘n’ roll vibe into his typically smooth sound.
The unexpected duet was a hit with the crowd, who went wild with excitement, while the band members clearly reveled in the joy of the moment.
The internet reaction mirrored the live audience’s enthusiasm, with the video of the performance amassing over 9.2 million views. Plenty of Youtube viewers left compliments for their spontaneous collaboration. Let’s enjoy their striking performance in the video below:
Reflecting on the performance during an interview on a UK radio station, he gave a language warning for anyone watching the performance online, explaining that “I just lost myself in that moment… singing in front of 50,000 people with the Foo Fighters.”
At 52 years old and having retired from music once, Rick Astley showcased a spot-on voice in this performance. The English pop star surprised fans and brought a huge smile to Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl’s face during this rock and pop crossover.