Foo FightersFoo Fighters need no introduction. First formed in 1994 by Nirvana veteran Dave Grohl, they are a band of international renown, and have been for decades.
With beloved hits such as My Hero and Best Of You, and a whopping eleven Grammy Awards and to their name, they long ago established themselves a permanent place in the cultural zeitgeist. And it seems that they are well aware of the influence and power they have – and how to use it to assist up-and-coming artists.
The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductees have recently announced an Australia and New Zealand Take Cover stadium tour. This is not unusual. Foo Fighters are known for their commitment to constant touring and high-octane performances.
What is unusual is that the Foos have hand-picked local up-and-coming Aussie and Kiwi acts to share the stage with them.
The support act line-up is a thrilling roster of the continent’s most exciting rising stars, including Full Flower Moon Band, The Belair Lip Bombs, Mini Skirt, Downgirl, TEENS, The Buoys, C.O.F.F.I.N., FRENZEE, Kurralta Park, Spooky Eyes, Dartz, Seek Help!, Dick Move, Ringlets, Southern River Band, and Last Quokka.
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Frontier Touring’s CEO Dion Brant says of the inclusion of these local support acts, “For a band of Foo Fighters’ stature to consistently use their platform to elevate emerging and independent Australian and New Zealand acts speaks volumes – they understand that strong music communities are built from the ground up, and they’ve always wanted to help amplify the next generation.”
He continues, “Foo Fighters personally selected all of the local acts joining their AU/NZ tour – a reflection of how closely they follow the incredible music coming out of both countries.
“On previous visits, they’ve invited the likes of Amyl And The Sniffers and The Meanies to share the stage, while in Launceston they invited Tasmania’s Spooky Eyes and Brisbane’s Full Flower Moon Band… both of whom Foo Fighters were so impressed by they’ve invited them back to rejoin the band on the November dates.
“It’s Foo Fighters’ doing what they’ve always done: supporting local bands at every opportunity.”
Finding lasting recognition can be tough to come by for up-and-coming Australasian artists, landlocked as they are. Local acts often feel isolated, disenfranchised, and unsupported.
To many, this opportunity to play with one of the world’s biggest rock acts is not only a dream come true, but a huge – and all too rare – career stepping stone.
On the subject, rising Victoria-bred rockers The Belair Lip Bombs gush, “When the offer came through we couldn’t really believe it, it meant a lot to all of us. It’s surreal thinking about Dave Grohl listening to our music! He’s had an impact on all of our musical journeys in one way or another over the years.”
Likewise, Melbourne-born Greek siblings Apollonia, Nikos, and Adonis of FRENZEE describe their band’s hand-picked selection as “a huge honour.”
Femme soul punk band DOWNGIRL praises the way that Foo Fighters have treated local artists as “an essential part of the tour rather than as an afterthought. We were stoked to be part of the first announcement for the tour. It's also huge for us to be given the chance to play in a different part of the country, somewhere we wouldn’t normally get the opportunity to reach.”
When asked what this support slot means to them, the band states, “Everything.” They confide that drummer Skarlett had her bedroom walls plastered with pictures of Dave Grohl when she was younger.
“Not as a crush – as an inspiration,” the add. “She learned how to drum as an escape from being bullied at school and at recess pretended to play to thousands. She’s been rehearsing for this for a long time!”
Bindi McCallum of Adelaide’s beloved grunge rock outfit Kurralta Park says, “It feels completely unbelievable, and I’m not using that word as hyperbole. It’s going to be a soccer stadium full of people who came to see the biggest rock band in the last 30 years… and we’re sneaking right in front of their eyes.”
He adds, “It’s a bit of a full circle moment for me as well. I went to my first gig when I was 14; my parents drove me six hours from the Flinders Ranges to Adelaide and back on a school night to see Foo Fighters at the same venue. That night definitely steered me towards music being my main motivator and purpose in life.
“More than anything, I think I just feel heaps grateful for such a crazy opportunity,” McCallum adds. “I know that there are hundreds of epic Aussie bands consistently writing after work, practicing in sweaty sheds in the middle of summer and driving themselves from state to state on their spare weekends.
“We’ve been unbelievably fortunate to get a chance to try to represent that part of our scene in front of people who don’t engage with local music the way our regular listeners do.”
This level of local representation on a major act’s headlining tour of the area is notably rare, as many of the supporting bands touch on.
“I think it should be the norm, because there’s so much great music coming out of every state at the moment,” the Lip Bombs say.
“Lately there’s been a real shift in how people are showing up for live music, with large-scale tours like Oasis, Taylor Swift, and now the Foo Fighters pulling huge crowds. These tours create jobs and inject money into the local economy. Why can’t local artists reap some of the benefits too?” DOWNGIRL says.
“Having Australian artists open for big international acts is an easy win. It gives emerging acts exposure to audiences they’d never normally reach, and helps build a stronger local scene. There should be more initiatives like Michael’s Rule in New South Wales, where touring companies get incentives for including local supports. Only with government and industry support can we see real change.”
McCallum adds, “There’s a huge demographic of music lovers who won’t gamble their time to see a show at the Ed Castle or The Tote, but they’ll go to a stadium. When international acts bring good local bands onto their stages, it nudges people in the direction of the awesome music that’s happening in their backyard.
“In our local scenes, we know how important it is to rally around not only musicians, but all artists involved in these processes,” he continues. “So to see a band like Foo Fighters doing that on such a massive level, it doesn’t just say that local music is worth listening to, it says that all of the artists tied to that project are valued contributors to our ecosystem.”
The Belair Lip Bombs admit that it is “hard to get recognised as an Australian artist and even harder to make a sustainable career.” They are, however, immensely proud of their Aussie roots – and so far their background hasn’t hindered them from hitting major milestones such as being the first Australian act to sign with Jack White’s Third Man Records label.
Similarly, DOWNGIRL has learned to “embrace” their cultural identity. “We love living on Gadigal country. It comes out in our music and we're not the only ones. Artists like Courtney Barnett, Amyl And The Sniffers, and The Chats have found international success while leaning into their Aussie accents.
“While once upon a time artists fled to the UK or US to make it when there weren't as many opportunities at home, I don't think Australia is the cultural wasteland it was once thought to be,” they explain.
“As a kid I was always drawn to and felt represented by the grit that comes from Australian art – even before I discovered it in music,” McCallum says, crediting Glenn Robbins’ Russell Coight character, Kath & Kim, and The Castle.
“To me, being an Australian artist just means writing honestly about the places that mould me. I come from a farming family in the Flinders Ranges. Droughts and high-yielding years, isolation and community; it can be both a beautiful and brutal life. It would feel strange to ignore that texture and pretend I was from somewhere else by hiding my references to landmarks, or changing the way vowels come out of my mouth when I sing.”
Thanks to Foo Fighters, all of these acts – with their open vowels, their unflinching ideals, and their heartwarming commitment – will be seen onstage by thousands. Hopefully, that kind of grand, supported exposure will start to become more and more normal in this part of the world.
Tickets to the Foo Fighters’ upcoming tour are on sale now.
Presented by Frontier Touring and Triple M (AU), The Rock (NZ)
FOO FIGHTERS
AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND TAKE COVER STADIUM TOUR
Thursday, November 5th 2026 – Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, QLD
With special guests Full Flower Moon Band (Brisbane) + Mini Skirt (Byron Bay)
Saturday, November 7th 2026 – Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville, QLD
With special guests Full Flower Moon Band (Brisbane) + Downgirl (Sydney)
Tuesday, November 10th 2026 – Accor Stadium, Sydney, NSW
With special guests The Belair Lip Bombs (Frankston) + TEENS (Hobart)
Thursday, November 12th 2026 – McDonalds Jones Stadium, Newcastle, NSW
With special guests The Buoys (Sydney) + C.O.F.F.I.N (Sydney)
Saturday, November 14th 2026 – Marvel Stadium, Melbourne, VIC
With special guests The Belair Lip Bombs (Frankston) + FRENZEE (Melbourne)
Tuesday, November 17th 2026 – Coopers Stadium, Adelaide, SA
With special guests Kurralta Park (Adelaide) + Spooky Eyes (Launceston)
Tuesday, January 19th 2027 – One New Zealand Stadium, Christchurch, NZ
With special guests Dartz (Wellington) + Seek Help! (Dunedin)
Friday, January 22nd 2027 – Western Springs Stadium, Auckland, NZ
With special guests Dick Move (Auckland) + Ringlets (Auckland)
Monday, January 25th 2027 – HBF Park, Perth, WA
With special guests Southern River Band (Perth) + Last Quokka (Perth)
This piece of content has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body
