American rock band Foo Fighters will play two tribute concerts for their late drummer Taylor Hawkins, taking to the stage in London and Los Angeles in September, the group said on Thursday (NZ time).
Hawkins, 50, died unexpectedly on March 25 in his hotel room at Four Seasons Hotel Casa Medina Bogota in Bogotá, Colombia during the group's South American tour, the rest of which was subsequently cancelled.
The concerts, which will take place at London's Wembley Stadium on September 3 and Los Angeles' Kia Forum on September 27, will mark the first live performances by Foo Fighters since Hawkins' death.
Announcing the tribute concerts on their social media, the band said: "For our dear friend, our badass bandmate, our beloved brother… Foo Fighters and The Hawkins family bring you the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts."
The band also shared a statement from Hawkins' wife Alison, who thanked fans for their ongoing support.
At the time of Hawkins' death, Colombia's Attorney General said an initial analysis including toxicological tests had detected 10 types of substances, including THC found in marijuana, tricyclic antidepressants, benzodiazepines and opioids. Investigators did not give a cause of death or say what volume of substances had been found in the analysis, but said the investigation would continue.
In a statement, the band said the tribute concerts would also feature artists who had inspired Hawkins, and together with the group they would perform "the songs that he fell in love with, and the ones he brought to life".
Foo Fighters was founded in 1994 by Dave Grohl, formerly the drummer for grunge band Nirvana, following the death of lead singer Kurt Cobain that April. Hawkins joined the band in 1997 after working as a touring drummer for Sass Jordan and Alanis Morissette.
The group has won 15 Grammy Awards, the last three this year shortly after Hawkins' death.
Reuters / Newshub.
