Foo Fighters Announce Initial Slate of Superstar Guests for Taylor

The initial roster of guests for the London edition of the upcoming Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert will feature a long list of artists who were the north stars in the late Foo Fighters drummer’s musical universe. The band announced the first group of musicians who will perform at Wembley Stadium in London on Sept. 3 on Wednesday morning (June 15), and it includes former Oasis singer Liam Gallagher, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson of Rush, Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor, former Police drummer Stewart Copeland and Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme.

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Among the other acts signed up for the London show are Jane’s Addiction bassist Chris Chaney, the Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde, Supergrass, Wolfgang Van Halen, jazz drummer Omar Hakim and members of Hawkins’ hard rock cover band, Chevy Metal, as well as a “special appearance” from comedian Dave Chappelle and more acts to be announced.

With the approval of Hawkins’ family, the band announced that it will put on two all-star tribute shows in honor of the radiant drummer who died at age 50 on March 25 in a hotel room in Bogota, Colombia while on tour with the Foos.

Editor’s note: Hours after the London list was revealed, the preliminary lineup for a second show, a Sept. 27 gig at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, was rolled out with an equally star-studded roster.

The initial lineup of the Los Angeles show will feature a number of Hawkins’ frequent collaborators and an army of rock’s hardest drummers. Miley Cyrus, Joan Jett, Mark Ronson, Hawkins’ one-time boss Alanis Morissette, KISS’ Gene Simmons, Motley Crue’s Nikki Sixx and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith have signed on. In addition, the show will feature The Struts singer Luke Spiller, Rage Against the Machine drummer Brad Wilk, The Darkness drummer Rufus Taylor, Mars Volta drummer Jon Theodore and Weezer drummer Pat Wilson. Chaney, Copeland, Hakim, Homme, Lee, Lifeson, May, Taylor, Van Halen and Chevy Metal will also be on hand in L.A.; tickets for both are slated to go on sale on Friday (June 17) at 9 a.m. local time.

Proceeds from the shows will benefit charities in the U.S. and UK hand-chosen by the Hawkins family, with the beneficiaries slated to be announced soon. Click here for tickets to the London show and here for the Los Angeles one.

In a statement announcing the concerts last week, Hawkins’ widow, Alison Hawkins, thanked the band’s global fans for their outpouring of support and love in the wake of her husband’s shocking 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,” read the statement from the Hawkins family. “Your kindness has been an invaluable comfort for my family and me during this time of unimaginable grief.”

She continued, “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. Thank you all again for your love and sympathy. Taylor loved all of you & we love you too.”

See the London poster below.

Read The Full Article Here