One of the world's biggest rock bands performed in Brighton as thousands of fans gathered outside the venue to listen.

American rockers the Foo Fighters hit Concorde 2 this evening as fans came from far and wide to catch the band in a rare intimate performance this evening.

The Foo Fighters posted a cryptic message on their twitter hinting at a Brighton show, before announcing the impromptu gig yesterday. 

As the stars took the crowd through their seven-album discography the gig was not just contained to the venue as crowds gathered, sang and danced on Maderia Drive. 

During the encore Concorde 2's shutters were raised revealing hundreds of hands and faces pressed up against the glass.

Lead singer and guitarist Dave Grohl wiped the perspiration from the window so he could wave to and see the baying crowd - dedicating their final song All My Life to the eager fans.

He said: "There are like 2000 people gathered outside. It is like a disaster movie outside - like Zombies or something." 

The band performed a full two hour set littered with rarely heard classics for the die-hard fans with Grohl promising the audience at the start the show was going to be "very different".

During the set Grohl revealed the UK Foo Fighters, a tribute act performing at Concorde 2on September 27, were in the audience and pulled their lead singer Jay onto the stage.

The Argus:

The tribute artist then got to take the microphone for a performance of hard rock hit White Limo - with Grohl sharing a hug with his bearded mirror image.

Later in the set drummer Taylor Hawkins told the crowd he had once been slapped by Prince Harry before coming on stage.

The gig left the entire band and the crowd bathed in sweat as they came to the end of their sweltering set.

Grohl quipped to the crowd gathered on the beach - they would rather be outside than in as it was so hot. 

The Brighton show is the first of three intimate gigs being performed by the band before their closing ceremony performance at the Invictus Games in Queen Elizabeth Park in London. 

The band tweeted before the announcement of the shows "it would be a shame to just do one show while we're in the UK". 

They then followed this up when the tweeted a picture of some Brighton Rock along with the lyrics of the Queen track of the same name.

Tomorrow night the band will perform at London's new House Of Vans venue.