Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert: A night to remember !

In March the music industry was shaken by the sudden death of Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins. Despite being somewhat under Dave Grohl’s shadow, at times Hawkinsr eally was in a league of his own.

His fun personality and blatant bromance with Grohl made a big impact as theychurned out multiple commercially successful albums. Playing hits in sold out arenas and stadiums worldwide essentially becoming the de facto rock band of the last decade.

Nearly half a year on, the grief of Hawkin’s passing is still very much prominent, and it’s been a strange summer without one of the staple rock bands of live music. On 3rd September Grohl and Co made an emotional return in the first of two tribute shows this month for the proclaimed drummer’s drummer.

Given that this is for one of the nicest guys in a rock n roll they of course didn’t do it alone as a who’s who of legends appeared over a 6 hour marathon at Wembley Stadium.

After  opening words from Dave and the band they backed Oasis icon Liam Gallagher as he launched into a double whammy of Rock N Roll Star and Live Forever to kick of the night at half past four in the afternoon no less.

Over the next few hours came a  unique plethora of Hawkins friends and musical heroes including the surviving members of Rush, Queen and Paul McCartney aswell as those from Taylor’s side projects The Coatail Riders and Chevy Metal.

Already a great show the last two sets provided the emotional crux of the night as Brian May and Roger Taylor played short set of Queen hits ending on a poignant rendition of Love Of My Life done solely by Brian May in practically the same spot he did at the Freddie Mercury tribute concert  in 1991.

This of course paves the way for the main event of the night the Foo Fighters first performance as a band since the passing of Taylor. Dave is clearly drained having also performed with the majority of the acts tonight but this is the moment that it clearly hits him he’s in  tears at opener Times Like These stuttering at the second verse (a part which Taylor would usually sing)  before the full band kicks in it feels like a defiant statement that they may carry on especially for Dave who had also lost his mother in late July.

Their set was filled with the typical hits but they carried more significance given the circumstances there were alternating drummers including Rufus Taylor and Travis Barker. But perhaps the best was Taylor’s son Shane nailing My Hero as Dave looked on  playing as you’d expect with the rage of a 16 year old who just lost his father.

Leading on to a cathartic finale of Everlong performed solo by Grohl after the monumental night that this had been had it humbled the crowd bringing them back to why they were there. We see Grohl looking on at the symbol on screen Taylor’s signature tattoo if you hadn’t been in tears so far  this was the moment that probably got you as Grohl stood playing serving as a one on one goodbye between the friends.

Every artist that played then stood on stage for the final bow bringing to an end a more than fitting tribute that Taylor surely would’ve loved and more than deserved so much so you struggle to think what they could to top this at the second tribute show in Los Angeles  it’s more thank likely will be running even higher given the band will be on home turf at the KIA Fourm as well as the prospect that it may be the band’s final performance.