Liam Gallagher, Mark Ronson, members of Queen and more are all set to play at the tribute gig for the late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins at London’s Wembley Stadium later this summer.
Hawkins, the band’s drummer since 1997, died in Bogotá, Colombia on March 25. He was 50 years old.
Last week, Foo Fighters announced that, together with the drummer’s family, the band will celebrate Hawkins’ memory and music at two special gigs in London and Los Angeles. ‘The Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts’ will take place at Wembley Stadium on September 3 before taking over LA’s Kia Forum on September 27.
Today (June 15), the first wave of acts for the London show have been announced, with Gallagher and Ronson joined by Queens of the Stone Age‘s Josh Homme, Supergrass, Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor, Wolfgang Van Halen, The Pretenders‘ Chrissie Hynde and many more.
The gigs will also feature a special appearance from Dave Chappelle. Tickets for the London gig go on sale on Friday (June 17) at 9am BST.
A statement about the shows on Foo Fighters’ website reads: “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 idolised.
“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.”
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.” (NME)