Foo Fighters headlined the Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE) benefit Rock-N-Relief virtual festival on Saturday, March 8. They played two songs during their set, Medicine at Midnight opener “Making a Fire” and a cover of Andy Gibb’s 1978 #1 hit “Shadow Dancing.”

Drummer Taylor Hawkins took over the lead vocals for the Andy Gibb cover, with the band’s live backing-vocalists helping on the chorus and mimicking the original’s string parts. The guitars have a bit of ‘hard rock’ grit tonally, but Foo Fighters still keep the song pretty faithful to the classic otherwise. Nate Mendel’s bass playing shines through to give the track that funky disco groove that drives the song’s verses.

Andy Gibb was not a member of the Bee Gees, but his brothers Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb were the vocalists and main members. All of the Gibb brothers were involved with writing “Shadow Dancing,” which was also the title track for Andy Gibb’s 1978 album.

Rock-N-Relief was a two-day event that also featured artists such as Sheryl Crow, Deadmau5, L7, K. Flay and Silversun Pickups. Over 150 artists signed up to the event in aims of supporting CORE at this crucial time. 

The organization began as a response to the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010, but CORE has adapted to fight the current pandemic by making COVID-19 testing more easily accessible in critical locations across the country. They’ve also begun administering the vaccine that is now becoming publicly available.

Medicine at Midnight came out in February, 2021. It’s Foo Fighters’ tenth studio album, and features the singles “Shame Shame,” “No Son of Mine” and “Waiting on a War.” Foo Fighters were also nominated to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame shortly after releasing the album.

Photo credit: Boston Lynn Schulz