The final details have been revealed for the much anticipated Taylor Hawkins tribute concert in Wembley next month. On 17th August, Foo Fighters posted the final lineup along with streaming information and details of the charities involved. Taylor’s son Shane Hawkins has been added to the bill alongside Nile Rogers, Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, AC/DC vocalist Brian Johnson, Kesha and Violet Grohl, Dave Grohl‘s daughter. They join an already packed line-up which includes, Brian May (Queen), Lars Ulrich (Metallica) and Krist Novoselic (Nirvana).
The talented drummer tragically passed in March of this year aged 50; a cause of death is yet to be announced. His band mates were left “devastated” by his passing and all upcoming Foo Fighters shows were cancelled. Three months later, the band, along with the Hawkins Family, announced two tribute concerts to celebrate his life and work. The first of which will take place at Wembley Stadium in London on 3rd September, followed by a show in Los Angeles at the Kia Forum on 27th September.
The show will support two charities selected by the Hawkins Family. The first, Music Support, helps those who work in music and live events affected by mental ill-health and/or addiction. The concert will also provide funding to MusiCares, which provides a “safety net of critical assistance for music people in times of need”
The band also announced that they will be streaming the events live to those in the UK and US. The London show will be streamed on Saturday 3rd September at 4.30pm on MTV YouTube Channels (Globally) and Pluto TV (Internationally) along with Paramount +. Bob Bakish, president and CEO at Paramount said, “Music is a powerful connector, and we are honoured to commemorate Taylor Hawkins’ enduring legacy”. Paramount are set to present the entire concert live. The presentation has bn directed by Joel Gallen and Produced by Emer Patten at EP-PIC Films & Creative. The Wembley Stadium show will be available to stream live and on demand across Paramount’s streaming and digital platforms, including some special editions. CBS Television Network will broadcast an hour-long version of the on Saturday 3rd September and MTV will offer air a one-hour special across its channels around the world, followed by an extended two-hour special that will air globally in September.
Taylor’s success behind the kit leaves a lasting legacy. He recorded nine studio albums with Foo Fighters and was the touring drummer for Sass Jordan and Alanis Morissette. He was voted Best Rock Drummer by drumming magazine Rhythm twice and was inducted, alongside his bandmates, into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His final performance with the Foo Fighters Lollapalooza Argentina festival was on March 20th. The following month, Foo Fighters won three Grammy awards.
He and Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl had a special bond, which Dave wrote about in his 2021 memoir, The Storyteller, he wrote: “Upon first meeting, our bond was immediate, and we grew closer with every day, every song, every note that we ever played together,” “I am not afraid to say that our chance meeting was a kind of love at first sight, igniting a musical ‘twin flame’ that still burns to this day. Together, we have become an unstoppable duo, onstage and off, in pursuit of any and all adventure we can find.”