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\n\tStarting a new gig is always a bit nerve-wracking. But imagine walking into the office in front of 900 people who are freaking out to see how the \u201cnew guy\u201d is going to do his job. That was the situation drummer Ilan Rubin faced on Saturday night (Sept. 13) when he made his live debut as the new Foo Fighters<\/a> timekeeper at a way-underplay, all-ages gig at the 900-capacity Fremont Theater in San Luis Obispo, Calif. <\/p>\n \n\tRubin, who, until recently, was the live drummer for Nine Inch Nails, joined the band for their first live show of 2025, taking over for studio and live veteran Josh Freese, who kept the seat warm for two years following the death of beloved Foos drummer Taylor Hawkins in 2022; in an unusual bit of rock portal transfer action, Freese is now keeping time in NIN. While Rubin didn\u2019t say much in advance of the show, he took to Instagram on Monday (Sept. 15) to rave about his new gig.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cLast night with @foofighters<\/a> could not have been a better time,\u201d Rubin wrote in the post<\/a> that featured some pics from the sweaty, tight-quarters concert that was way more intimate than the arenas and stadiums the Foos are used to. \u201cAfter 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.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tIn addition to live shots, the carousel also featured a snap of the band\u2019s new lineup, with Rubin pictured hanging out backstage with singer\/guitarist Dave Grohl, guitarists Pat Smear and Chris Shiflett, bassist Nate Mendel and keyboard player Rami Jaffee.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cI\u2019ve 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,\u201d Rubin added.<\/p>\n \n\tDuring the show, Grohl introduced the band\u2019s drummer to the crowd by saying, \u201cEverybody else has said it, I finally get the opportunity to say, ladies and gentlemen, will you please welcome, the most badass motherf\u2013ker, Ilan Rubin, is playing drums in the Foo Fighters. It\u2019s official.\u201d The Foos also officially invited Rubin into the fold in an Instagram carousel<\/a> featuring pics from their first show together with the caption, \u201cTHAT WAS FUN!!! Welcome @ilanrubin.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tThe band played another club show on Monday night at the Observatory in Santa Ana, Calif. The Foos released their 11th studio album, But Here We Are<\/em> album in 2023, a year after Hawkins\u2019 shock death, and in July they celebrated their 30th anniversary with the new single, \u201cToday\u2019s Song<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tThe band that\u2019s been off the road since September 2024 is\u00a0set to return to the stage<\/a>\u00a0with upcoming shows in Indonesia (Oct. 2), Singapore (Oct. 4), Japan (Oct. 7, 8, 10) and Mexico City (Nov. 14).<\/p>\n