Foo Fighters ‘Rickroll’ anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church-(First Time)

Counter-protest held with a blast of Rick Astley ’80s hit Never Gonna Give You Up

CBC News · Posted: Aug 24, 2015 11:21 AM ET | Last Updated: August 24, 2015

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The Foo Fighters have again openly protested against the views of a U.S. church group whose members are known for showing up at military funerals holding anti-gay placards.

Lead singer Dave Grohl joined other members of the band last Friday before their concert at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo., to stage a “Rickroll” for the Westboro Baptist Church, based in nearby Topeka, Kan.

The band’s drive-through protest, in the back of a truck, passed members of the controversial church who were demonstrating outside the gig, holding signs proclaiming God hates proud sinners, God hates dead soldiers and No special laws 4 fags.

In response, the band waved signs that read Keep it Clean and You Got Rick Roll’d (again).

Rickrolling refers to the 2007 internet meme that tricked people into watching Rick Astley’s video of his 1987 song Never Gonna Give You Up.

The Foo staged a counter-protest against a Westboro demonstration in 2011, when the church denounced a show the band had scheduled in Kansas City.

Back then, bandmates dressed as hillbillies and stood on a flatbed truck while Grohl reminded the crowd in the song Keep it Clean (Hot Buns) that “it takes all kinds.”