Foo Fighters and the Hawkins family have announced the first wave of performers for the Taylor Hawkins tribute concert in London this September. Liam Gallagher, Josh Homme, Chrissie Hynde, Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor, Rush’s Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, Supergrass, and Mark Ronson are on the bill, among others. Dave Chappelle is billed as a special guest. The show takes place September 3 at Wembley Stadium, before another tribute concert, with an as-yet-unannounced lineup, at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum on September 27.
Also on the bill are Jane’s Addiction’s Chris Chaney, the Police’s Stewart Copeland, Omar Hakim, Rufus Taylor (a Queen touring member), Wolfgang Van Halen, and the Taylor Hawkins cover band Chevy Metal. The shows will benefit charities to be announced later, according to the band.
Before the concerts, Hawkins’ wife Alison released a statement thanking fans for their support. “Taylor’s endearing spirit and deep love of music will live on forever through the collaborations he so enjoyed,” she added, “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.”
Hawkins died in March at age 50. He was on the road with Foo Fighters at the time in Bogotá, Colombia, for a performance at Festival Estéreo Picnic. An official cause of death is still pending. Hawkins’ friends, including Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith and Pearl Jam’s Matt Cameron, recently spoke about Hawkins’ final days (and later apologized for speaking).
