The Aporia · Foo Fighters interrupt Sydney concert to pay tribute to Beaconsfield miner Todd Russell

During a Foo Fighters concert in Sydney, frontman Dave Grohl paid tribute to Todd Russell, one of the Beaconsfield miners who was trapped underground for 14 days in 2006. Grohl recalled sending tickets and beers to Russell and Brant Webb when they were rescued and meeting them backstage at a show later that year. He also mentioned writing a song about their ordeal, which he performed at Tuesday’s concert after showing a picture of Russell on screen. The tribute came shortly after news broke of Russell's death at age 54.

Written by AI on 2026-11-11, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

Story summary

The Foo Fighters paid tribute to Todd Russell during their recent concert in Sydney, playing a song they had written for him and fellow survivor Brant Webb after Russell's death at the age of 54. The tribute came shortly following the news of Russell's passing, which occurred nearly two decades after the pair were rescued from the Beaconsfield mine collapse in Tasmania.

Written for “Foo Fighters Tribute To Todd Russell” on 2026-11-11, grounded in this article and the 3 other(s) covering the same event.

Why this leaning score

This article does not take a side on a contested political question, so it has no leaning score. That is an answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political position.

No political leaning scored for article 143776 · logged 2026-11-11

Foo Fighters Tribute To Todd Russell

Entertainment · 4 article(s) covering the same event. See how they differ ↓

This article reads unscored and hedges 0% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.

Foo Fighters' tribute to Todd Russell Same event

The Sydney Morning Herald

Hedges 0 of 2 claims Outlet record 61/100

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Australian Associated Press

53 article(s) here · 0 carrying a prediction

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Wire or desk byline, not an individual reporter.

Also by Australian Associated Press

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2026-11-10 · The Guardian

Todd Russell, Beaconsfield mine collapse survivor, dies aged 54 due to illness

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Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 53 articles by Australian Associated Press →

A solemn moment has broken up an otherwise raucous Foo Fighters Australian concert as the band’s frontman made a lengthy on-stage tribute to Beaconsfield survivor Todd Russell. asserted

frontman → break → Russell

The US band are touring Australia for the 16th time in their 32-year history and Tuesday night’s Sydney show coincided with the news of Russell’s death at the age of 54. asserted

show → tour → 54

The Tasmanian mine collapsed on Anzac Day 20 years ago and trapped Russell a kilometre below ground with co-worker Brant Webb. asserted

mine → collapse → Webb

The pair were presumed dead in the disaster, which killed a third miner, Larry Knight. asserted

which → presume → miner

The two survivors were trapped in a vehicle underground and their 14-day rescue effort became global news. asserted

effort → trap → vehicle

When the duo were asked what supplies they needed, Russell asked for an iPod with Foo Fighters music to keep his spirits alive as loud drilling took place for the rescue effort. asserted

drilling → ask → effort

The Foo Fighters frontman, Dave Grohl, told the Accor Stadium crowd his band had a funny relationship with the Beaconsfield miners. asserted

band → tell → miners

While the duo were trapped, Grohl sent a message to say he had two tickets and two beers waiting for them for any Foo Fighters show when they got out of the mine. asserted

they → trap → mine

He kept his promise and met the pair backstage at the Sydney Opera House show later in 2006. asserted

He → keep → 2006

Grohl wrote the duo a song the night before, called Ballad of the Beaconsfield Miners. asserted

Grohl → write → Miners

At Tuesday’s show, band members left Grohl standing on stage as a picture of Russell appeared on screen and the singer recalled their get-together 20 years earlier. asserted

singer → leave → together

“Afterwards we all went to the bar and we had the beers I promised, and I got so drunk I promised I’d put [Ballad of the Beaconsfield Miners] on our next record,” he said. “ asserted

he → go → record

And I did. asserted

I → do → ?

I’m glad I did because I’ve met a few heroes in my life but that was a big one, so I’m doing this one tonight for Todd Russell.” asserted

I → ’m → Russell

Russell’s death came one week after he announced a move home to “see out his days” following an illness. asserted

he → come → illness

Foo Fighters interrupt Sydney concert to pay tribute to Beaconsfield miner Todd Russell

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