WASHINGTON, D.C. – Dramatic kabuki drape and sniffer created by Sew What? Inc., as well as Dave Grohl’s Epic Throne, showcased during Foo Fighters 20th Anniversary Blowout tour.
More details from Sew What? Inc. (www.sewwhatinc.com):
Foo Fighters’ 4th of July show, which was part of the Foo Fighters 20th Anniversary Blowout tour, was memorable for fans on several accounts.
The show, held in RFK Stadium in Washington DC, was the first on Foo Fighters US leg. It was a raucous celebration of their adrenalin pumping rock, since Dave Grohl’s and Foo Fighters’ album debut over 20 years ago.
Due to lead singer’s Dave Grohl’s broken leg, which occurred in falling off a stage in fall in Sweden on June 12, 2015, the stage set added an epic “throne” which Grohl himself designed to sit at while he played. Featuring more than a dozen guitars, black leather chair, and large “FF logo”, someone even dubbed the tour the “Foo Fighters’ throne tour” in its honor.
Added to this, the concert’s 4th of July show drama and opening set was further enhanced by some dramatic stage drape magic: a kabuki reveal and sniffer effect created by stage drapery manufacturer, Sew What? Inc., of Rancho Dominugez, CA. (See Paul Roma’s video here.)
“Each year numerous bands and artist’s stage designs are completed by Sew What? Inc. which include kabuki drapes as part the performance”, says Sew What? Inc, and sister company, Rent What? Inc. owner, Megan Duckett. “However, the sniffer effect is a less utilized type of stage magic and one we’ve found to be a sure crowd pleaser.”
A sniffer drape is a Kabuki drape that has a D-ring sewn onto the back of it with a cable attached to it. Nearly simultaneously after the kabuki solenoids are fired, the drape drops and the sniffer mechanism rapidly pulls the drape up until it disappears from eyesight.
Sew What’s team additionally worked at a rapid pace in getting the concerts backdrop pieces together for the 4th of July show. They were contacted the beginning of June to build the large 40’ x 40’ backdrop with a 30’ x 30’ “FF” logo and two side pieces at 40’ x 24’, for a total of 2,340 feet of fabric. The logo was dye sublimated onto Poly Silk. The center piece was to become a sniffer drape, while the two side pieces adjoining it were dropped in a reveal effect in front of the band.
While the European leg of the Foo Fighters tour was cancelled due to Grohl’s injury, there’s still time to enjoy their US concerts as Dave performs atop a custom made “throne” equipped to support his broken leg. It looks like the final show on the US Tour may be on Saturday, October 17th at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. For more information about other upcoming tour dates, visit their official website.
