Foo Fighters announce 'all-star rock and roll shows' honoring Taylor Hawkins
Foo Fighters will perform a pair of tribute shows in honor of drummer Taylor Hawkins, who died unexpectedly on March 25 just hours before the band was set to take the stage at a festival in Colombia.
On Wednesday, the band's remaining members — Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, Pat Smear, and Rami Jaffee — announced the "all-star rock and roll shows" will take place on Sept. 3 at London's Wembley Stadium and on Sept. 27 at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles. Per a note on the Foo Fighters website, the concerts are being staged "together with the Hawkins family" and will feature special guests.
"Millions mourned his untimely passing on March 25, with passionate and sincere tributes coming from fans as well as musicians Taylor idolized," reads the message. "The Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts will unite several of those artists, the Hawkins family and of course his Foo Fighters brothers in celebration of Taylor's memory and his legacy as a global rock icon — his bandmates and his inspirations playing the songs that he fell in love with, and the ones he brought to life."
Related video: John Stamos shares video message from Taylor Hawkins
Hawkins' widow Alison posted a statement on Twitter in concert with the announcement, thanking the Foo Fighters fanbase "for the outpouring of love each and every one of you have shown our beloved Taylor."
"Taylor's enduring spirit and deep love of music will live on forever through the collaborations he so enjoyed having with other musicians and the catalog of songs he contributed to and created," she continued. "In celebration of his life, it is now up to all of us who loved him most to honor Taylor's legacy and the music he gave us."
A Message from The Hawkins Family pic.twitter.com/mOOI9PXtJD
— Taylor Hawkins (@taylorhawkins) June 8, 2022
Stay tuned to the band's website and social media accounts for more information on lineups and ticketing information.
Hawkins joined the Foo Fighters in 1997 after several years backing Alanis Morissette. Grohl told EW in an oral history of the band that he knew the drummer was a perfect fit from the moment he first heard him play.
"I went over to his little house in Topanga Canyon, he sat down and played for three seconds, and the first time he hit a snare drum, I knew it," he said. "I swear to God. I was like, 'That's all I need to f—ing hear. I love you as a person. You've just given me hearing damage for the rest of my life in three seconds. You have to be in the band.'"
Ashley Beliveau/Getty Images Taylor Hawkins at Guitar Center's 27th Annual Drum-Off: The World's Premiere Drum Competition.
Outside of his work with the Foos, Hawkins released three albums with his side project, Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders.
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