By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
The Decatur Chamber’s annual Summer Concert Series reaches the halfway point of the 2025 season Thursday and this one will be marked by a special tribute.
Back & Forth Foo Fighters tribute band will be making its first appearance on the Madison St. Plaza. Prior to the concert’s start at 7, special recognition will be made of the late Dale Manis.
The former North Adams teacher, administrator and athletic director, who died January 13 at the age of 55, was a major Foo Fighters fan.
Before the concert, Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Craig Coshow will make a special announcement and invoke a moment of silence to remember Dale.
Dale’s wife, Cheryl, says Dale was a huge fan of the Foo Fighters and band founder Dave Grohl.
“He read all the books about him and was very knowledgeable about both the band and Dave,” Cheryl told WZBD.com
A highlight for the popular Manis came a few summers ago when he attended, with his brother-in-law and three nephews, a Foo Fighters concert at Ruoff Music Center in Noblesvile.
Cheryl and daughter Halle are planning to attend Thursday’s concert; son Brady will be out of town.
As with all the Thursday concerts, admission will be free. Food and adult beverages by The Oasis Pub will be available.
BACK & FORTH: Back & Forth Foo Fighters performs all the band’s classic hits and even some Foo-adjacent covers, according to its website.
The band, which is comprised of five musicians, has shared a stages with Slash, Fuel and Incubus.
It has upcoming dates in Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Syracuse and Chicago, among many others.
The band’s name was taken from a film, “Foo Fighters: Back and Forth,” which was released in 2011. The documentary highlights the band’s journey, including Grohl’s early demos, their rise to fame, and their Grammy wins.
Grohl founded the Foo Fighters, of which he is the lead singer, guitarist, principal songwriter, and only consistent member. From 1990 to 1994, he was the drummer of the grunge band Nirvana.
In 2016, Rolling Stone ranked Grohl the 27th-best drummer of all time.
Grohl was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of Nirvana in 2014 and as a member of Foo Fighters in 2021.
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