Foo Fighters to play Taylor Hawkins tribute shows

Foo Fighters announced Wednesday they will play a pair of tribute concerts in honor of the band's late drummer Taylor Hawkins this fall.

The first show in London will take place September 3, with a second staging slated for September 27 in Los Angeles.

The 50-year-old Hawkins was found dead in a hotel in Bogota shortly before a planned performance on March 25.

Dave Grohl -- the former Nirvana drummer who founded Foo Fighters -- along with Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, Pat Smear and Rami Jaffee will participate in the concerts.

"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," wrote the late artist's wife, Alison Hawkins, in a statement posted on social media.

"Your kindness has been an invaluable comfort for my family and me during this time of unimaginable grief."

Preliminary toxicology tests found that Hawkins had drugs including opioids in his system before he died, but Colombian investigators did not specify whether the mix caused his death.

As part of one of the world's most influential and critically lauded alternative rock bands, Hawkins was known for his on-stage charisma and classic rock-inspired beats, which he once said were influenced by legends like Phil Collins and Queen's Roger Taylor.

The Foo Fighters celebrated their 25th anniversary last year in a pandemic-delayed tour and had most recently produced "Studio 666," a rock-and-roll horror movie.

© 2022 AFP