Foo Fighters & Social Distortion Love Ride 2015

The 32nd and Final Love Ride featuring Foo Fighters and Social Distortion to benefit Wounded Warrior Project

The Love Ride’s Grand Finale was the largest Love Ride event ever, with approximately 13,000 motorcycle enthusiasts and music fans gathering on the shores of Castaic Lake for a fitting farewell to a legendary event. This year’s event raised over One Million Dollars to benefit Wounded Warrior Project.

The music started off with American Hitmen, a straight up hard charging rock band who happens to be made up of Marines. As I would expect from Marines, they conquered the stage and the crowd loved them. I have a gallery below of photos from their set and you can check them out online at http://www.americanhitmen.com.

Social Distortion always gets a crowd going and Mike Ness and the guys gave the crowd a great show, sadly I was only able to be out front the first three songs while photographing them so I missed most of their set waiting in line with other photographers to enter the pit for Foo Fighters.

And then, it was time for what most people on the hill came to see . . FOO FIGHTERS!

Joining the motorcycle enthusiasts this year were thousands of Foo Fighter fans who bought so many tickets the event was sold out in advance for the first time. The volunteers who run the event stepped up to the challenge and managed to coordinate parking for everyone (some had to walk a long way but those of us who arrived early had no issues). There was some grumbling about the beer truck running dry a few hours early but honestly, if you can’t enjoy a Foo Fighters concert on a beautiful day without a beer for a couple of hours then maybe you should stay home on your comfy sofa near your fridge. People whining about running out of beer at an event to raise money for wounded warriors, some who are literally missing limbs, is pathetic. If the worst thing that happened to you that day is you got a little thirsty then you had a good day.

With Dave Grohl still recovering from a broken leg, his throne of guitars we’ve grown used to seeing in this year’s tour photos was repurposed into a giant motorcycle throne perfect for the Love Ride. One of the things I love most about Dave Grohl is his infectious enthusiasm. He’s known for running wild onstage, hair flying, voice screaming, guitar blazing and the fact he’s confined to a seat due to his leg injury doesn’t slow him down at all. He can’t run but he’s not sitting back relaxing, that’s for sure!

The Foo Fighters’ set included many of their hits alternating with classic rock favorites with drummer, Taylor Hawkins, taking over vocals on a few tunes. I have seen Foo Fighters many times, but this was a special day. I felt like Dave Grohl invited 13,000 friends over for a barbeque and decided to play a show and that’s a perfect way to end this ride that started 32 years ago with some bikers getting together to do something good with their friends.

Foo Fighters at Love Ride 32 Grand Finale

Social Distortion at Love Ride 32 Grand Finale

American Hitmen at Love Ride 32 Grand Finale