Foo Fighters announce ‘The Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts’

Foo Fighters have shared details of two ‘Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts’ that will take place this September.

Hawkins, the band’s drummer since 1997, died in Bogotá, Colombia on March 25. He was 50 years old.

Together with the rock icon’s family, Foo Fighters will celebrate Hawkins’ memory and music at two special gigs in London and Los Angeles. ‘The Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts’ will stop at Wembley Stadium on September 3 before taking over LA’s Kia Forum on September 27.

The shows will see several artists who inspired and were inspired by the legendary drummer join his family and bandmates to play “the songs that he fell in love with and the ones he brought to life”, according to a press release.

Taylor Hawkins
The Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts poster CREDIT: Courtesy of Foo Fighters

The line-up for each show will be announced soon. Fans can sign up to receive information on timings, ticketing links and on-sale dates on Foo Fighters’ official website.

Hawkins’ wife Alison has also shared a statement thanking the band’s fans for their support in the months since his death. “My deepest thanks and admiration go out to the global Foo Fighters community and Taylor’s fans far and wide for the outpouring of love each and every one of you have shown our beloved Taylor,” she wrote. “Your kindness has been an invaluable comfort for my family and me during this time of unimaginable grief.”

She continued: “As Taylor’s wife, and on behalf of our children, I want to share how much you meant to him and how dedicated he was to ‘knocking your socks off’ during every performance. Taylor was honoured to be a part of the Foo Fighters and valued his dream role in the band every minute of his 25 years with them. We consider every band member and the extended Foo Fighters team our family.

“Taylor’s endearing spirit and deep love of music will live on forever through the collaborations he so enjoyed having with other musicians and the catalogue of songs he contributed to and created.”

Alison added that, in “celebration of his life”, “it is now up to all of us who loved him most to honour Taylor’s legacy and the music he gave us”.

Taylor Hawkins Alison Hawkins statement
CREDIT: Courtesy of Alison Hawkins

The two ‘Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts’ will mark Foo Fighters’ first live performances since the drummer’s death.

Since news of Hawkins’ death broke, numerous artists have paid tribute to the star, sharing memories and messages online and in interviews, and dedicating live performances to him.

Paramore’s Hayley Williams spoke recently of Hawkins’ influence on the band and shared that he had gifted their drummer Zac Farro with a drum kit when they first started playing shows. “For our first shows and tours, it’s like we stole a blessing from Taylor Hawkins,” she said. “It’s like we took it as him saying, ‘Yes, go forth and continue’.”

Pearl Jam are among those who have honoured the icon at their gigs, with frontman Eddie Vedder saying at one stop on their ‘Gigaton’ tour: “He was someone who truly, truly loved living life on this planet. So I guess the one thing we can be consoled by is the fact that he never wasted a moment, and he did live his life to the fullest. We just want more of it.”