A special music concert paying tribute to rock and roll legend Taylor Hawkins is to take place this weekend featuring a stellar lineup including Liam Gallagher, Kesha and Brian May.
The show, held on Saturday (September 3) at London’s Wembley Stadium, will see more than 30 artists take to the stage to pay their respects to the late Foo Fighters drummer, who tragically died in March.
The London concert will mark the first of two tribute shows organised by the Foo Fighters alongside Hawkins’ family. The shows aim to raise money for Music Support and MusiCares, two organisations helping those in the music industry who have been affected by mental health and addiction. Limited edition merchandise will also support both charities.
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The concert will mark the first time the Foo Fighters have performed since Hawkins’ sudden passing. The band cancelled the entirety of their scheduled 2022 tour, alongside a date at Emirates Old Trafford in June, following the news.
In a statement released at the time, the band said: “We’re sorry for and share in the disappointment that we won’t be seeing one another as planned. Instead, let’s take this time to grieve, to heal, to pull our loved ones close and to appreciate all the music and memories we’ve made together.”
Alongside the Foo Fighters, London’s show will also feature Nile Rodgers, Chrissie Hynde, Blink-182’s Travis Barker, Justin Hawkins from The Darkness, Supergrass and Mark Ronson. The event also promises a special appearance from comedians Dave Chapelle and Chris Rock.
The gig will be streamed online for fans around the world to tune in for. The gig is scheduled to kick off at around 4.30pm and will be available live through MTV’s YouTube channel. Live coverage is also set to be available via Pluto TV.
For those unable to tune into the concert live, it will be available to watch again via Paramount+ shortly after the show ends. MTV will also air a one-hour special on Sunday (September 4), followed by an extended two-hour special later in the month.
A second show will take place on September 27 at the KIA Forum in Los Angeles. The event, which will also be streamed live via the same channels, will feature the likes of P!nk, Miley Cyrus, Joan Jett, Gene Simmons, Alanis Morissette and Joshua Homme from Queens of the Stone Age.
The Foo Fighters said of the concerts: "As one of the most respected and beloved figures in modern music, Taylor’s monolithic talent and magnetic personality endeared him to millions of fans, peers, friends and fellow musical legends the world over. Millions mourned his untimely passing on March 25, with passionate and sincere tributes coming from fans as well as musicians Taylor idolized.
"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."
A statement from the Hawkins family said: "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 honored 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 catalog of songs he contributed to and created. 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."
The full line-up for London’s show:
- Travis Barker (Blink-182)
- Nandi Bushell
- Martin Chambers (The Pretenders)
- Chris Chaney (Jane's Addiction)
- Chevy Metal
- Stewart Copeland (The Police)
- Josh Freese
- Liam Gallagher
- Violet Grohl
- Omar Hakim
- Justin Hawkins (The Darkness)
- Shane Hawkins
- Joshua Homme (Queens Of The Stone Age)
- Chrissie Hynde
- James Gang
- Alain Johannes
- Brian Johnson (AC/DC)
- John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin)
- Kesha
- Greg Kurstin
- Geddy Lee (Rush)
- Alex Lifeson (Rush)
- Brian May (Queen)
- Krist Novoselic (Nirvana)
- Nile Rodgers
- Mark Ronson
- Luke Spiller (The Struts)
- Supergrass
- Roger Taylor (Queen)
- Rufus Taylor (The Darkness)
- Lars Ulrich (Metallica)
- Wolfgang Van Halen
- With a special guest appearance from Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock
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