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

During a Foo Fighters concert in Sydney, the band's frontman Dave Grohl interrupted the performance to pay tribute to Beaconsfield mine collapse survivor Todd Russell. Russell, who was trapped for 14 days during the disaster, passed away at the age of 54 due to illness. The tragedy occurred on Anzac Day 20 years ago, when Russell and his co-worker Brant Webb were trapped a kilometre underground in a mine in Tasmania, along with a third miner, Larry Knight, who died in the accident.

When asked what supplies they needed for their rescue effort, Russell requested an iPod with Foo Fighters music to help him cope with the loud drilling. Grohl had promised the duo tickets and beers for a Foo Fighters concert once they were rescued, which he kept when he met them backstage at the Sydney Opera House show in 2006. Grohl wrote a song, "Ballad of the Beaconsfield Miners," for the pair before the concert, and during the Sydney show, he honored Russell by recalling their meeting 20 years earlier and how they had shared a beer.

Russell's death came a week after he announced his move home to "see out his days" following an illness.