More than 75,000 fans packed Wembley Stadium on Saturday night to honor the life and legacy of late Foo Fighters drummer Tyler Hawkins at an All-Star Tribute concert. Hawkins, 50, died While on tour in Colombia earlier this year.
DJ, songwriter and producer Mark Ronson, who had asked Hawkins to drum for a song he made for Princess Princess, called the rousing six-hour performance “one of the greatest rock performances of all time”.
The all-star cast at London’s Wembley Stadium includes musicians from Queen, The Police, Rush, AC/DC, as well as comedian Dave Chappelle, actor Jason Sudeikis and more.
Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl opened the tribute concert.
“We love you, Tyler,” Grohl shouted to the crowd.
In March, Hawkins was found dead in his hotel room in Bogota, shortly before his band was scheduled to perform in Bogota. A day later, Colombia’s attorney general said Hawkins had 10 different substances in his system when he died, including marijuana, opioids, tricyclic antidepressants and benzodiazepines.
Nile Rodgers, co-founder of the music group Chic, opened the Foo Fighters in Colombia on the day Hawkins died. On Saturday, Rodgers interrupted his tour to be part of Saturday’s tribute.
Rogers told Mason: “It’s the best way for us to make it up and the best way for us to say ‘goodbye, we love you’ to Tyler and Dave, whom I adore.”
Luke Spiller of Struts, who also opened for Foo Fighters back in 2018, remembers Hawkins as his mentor and friend. He recalled his love for Queen with the late drummer.
Spiller joined Brian May and Queen’s Roger Taylor to pay tribute to Hawkins at Saturday night’s concert.
“I just miss him,” he said. “Whenever I get excited about it, I just think how proud and excited he would be for me to be able to play with our two heroes today, and that’s something no one can take away from me, so I’m doing it for He does it.”
Music legend Geddy Lee of the band Rush said paying tribute to Hawkins at the concert meant “very important”. Guitarist Alex Lifeson agreed, saying “it’s absolutely special”.
“He was ruthless,” Lee said of Hawkins. “He’s a monster drummer, and what I particularly like about Tyler is his affinity for all styles of music.”
Lifeson describes Hawkins as “an absolute musician”.
“He just loves being a musician, acting and playing,” Lifeson said.
Stuart Copeland of The Police said he and Hawkins were “heroes to each other” and said the most emotional moment in the tribute concert was when Hawkins’ 16-year-old son Sean Hawkins sat in his father’s seat. Performed Foo Fighters’ song “My Hero”.
“I started crying,” Copeland said. “He’s got that kind of strength and passion. He’s got his dad’s stance and musical language. It’s really exciting to see a young Sean there.”
Concert benefits charity musicsupport.org and MusicCares.org. you can watch the concert Paramount+which, like CBS News, is part of Paramount Worldwide.
Tory Powell
