Milton Keynes is gearing up for the third visit this weekend by rock n roll royalty, the Foo Fighters.
It's a big deal – not least for Total MK who has pushed back our holiday to make the weekend shenanigans, writes Sammy Jones.
These are the shows that really shouldn't have been – hastily re-arranged following frontman Dave Grohl's near legendary leg fracture earlier in the summer, the band had originally been scheduled to play Wembley Stadium.
But Dave's tumble from a stage in Sweden saw those dates – and a few more – scrapped.
“...I will do everything I can to come back and give you a night to remember for the rest of your lives as soon as possible...” he promised then.
And true to his word, the National Bowl dates came to be.
The band – who first played here as a late addition on the Ozzfest bill back in 1998 – returned as headliners for a two-night stand in 2011, of course.
That sun-drenched weekend wasn't special only for the fans – the band loved it too, as guitarist Chris Shiflett recalled.
“I can honestly say those two shows were two of my favourite Foo Fighters shows that we've ever done,” he told me.
“When we go on tour now, especially in the summer, we all bring our wives and kids and all our families out, and for the Milton Keynes shows in particular, my mum and stepdad, who had never been out to a big Foo Fighter show.
“We don't do big shows like that in America, it's mostly Europe and Australia where we do those stadium sized gigs.
“I'd regretted that I hadn't brought my mum over when we played Wembley, so I flew my mum and my stepdad and my wife's mum and stepdad out, and it became this big thing – then a bunch of our really close friends came over with their friends and we had the best backstage set-up that we have ever had,” he says.
“Our tour manager put together this incredible thing backstage, mostly for the kids, and we had this whole crazy play area.
“When we were playing those shows I would look over and see my whole family and it was amazing.
And the venue itself scores brownie points with Chris: “I really like the way that venue is set up. It's really amazing the way you have that big open space and then it goes up at the back, just like a big giant amphitheatre...”
This Saturday and Sunday, that amphitheatre will be heaving with people once again, back to share time and music with the Chris, Dave, Nate, Pat and Taylor – and the Foo's are bringing the master that is Iggy Pop (below), and the best of the new breed -Royal Blood - as special guests too.
The shows might be gargantuan, the band a rock n roll juggernaut, but this collective won't ever turn into divas.
“The Foo Fighters are never going to turn into The Eagles...you can see how that happens with other bands, but that ain't gonna happen with us...” he said.
As for the frontman with the busted leg?
He is still off his feet and playing from his custom made throne, which doubles up as a mighty fine rockin' chair!
To book tickets visit www.ticketmaster.co.uk
