My Night with Foo Fighters, Rick Nielsen in Chicago [PICS & VIDEO]

Friday, October 17 was one of the most surreal days and nights of my entire life. What started as a compliment to one of my friends, turned into meeting some of my musical heroes. Here's my story...

On my way to work Friday (10/17) morning, I listened to Rockford native and Cheap Trick guitar great Rick Nielsen perform with the Foo Fighters on the Late Show with David Letterman. They played the Cheap Trick song "Stiff Competition" and it sounded so good that I cursed at my car stereo. It sounded so good that I couldn't wait to play it on the show... and I did.

***LANGUAGE WARNING***

The words I shouted at my car stereo while listening to that performance above, were the same words I started my compliment with when I sent this text to Rick Nielsen

Steve Shannon, Townsquare Media

Rick Nielsen is an incredibly kind and generous man and as you see from that text, he doesn't take compliments well, he never said 'thank you' for the compliment. Six hours after that text he DID say thank you in his OWN way, by giving me two tickets to the show and backstage passes for after the show. Holy crap ARE YOU KIDDING ME! I get to watch one of the greatest ever play with one of the best bands out there today and also some of my musical heroes. And not at a 20,000 seat arena either, at a small club across the street from Wrigley Field.

The show was as fantastic, loud, packed and sweaty as I thought it would be. Two-and-a-half hours of the best rock and roll being made today. Rick Nielsen played "Stiff Competition", "Surrender" and his new song with Foo Fighters, "Something from Nothing."

Then it happened. I was getting the 2nd half of Rick Nielsen's 'thank you'... me and the FOOS!

The meet and greet started with a 30-minute conversation with Foo drummer Taylor Hawkins and Cheap Trick drummer and son of Rick, Daxx Nielsen.

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Could this night be any better. Foo Fighters Taylor Hawkins and @xxadaxx
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Then I met Foo guitarist Pat Smear who, on stage, always looks like the happiest guy in the world... always smiling. Foo Fighters performed a cover of the Rolling Stones' "Miss You" that night and Pat liked my 'Keith Richards' shirt.

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Never watched a musician who seemed happier to play... Foo Fighters Pat Smear, are you kidding me!?!?
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Then came the 'nicest guy in rock n roll', a fact that I can now back up. I put may hands on his shoulders, looked him in the face and said, "is everything you do fabulous?" And he said, "you should ask my wife that question." We took some pictures, laughed about the Chicago Bears (hat) and off he went to spend time with EVERYONE in the room.