Foo Fighters confirm US stadium tour for 2024
Foo Fighters have become the latest act to confirm a 2024 stadium tour, announcing a slate of US dates for next summer.
The Everything or Not at All outing will take in New York’s Citi Field (17 & 19 July), Boston Fenway Park (21 July), Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey (23 July), Cincinnati’s Great American Ballpark (25 July) and Target Field, Minneapolis (28 July).
It will then stop at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver (3 August), Petco Park, San Diego (7 August), BMO Stadium in Los Angeles (9 & 11 August), Portland’s Providence Park Soccer Stadium (16 August) and T-Mobile Park, Seattle (18 August). Support acts will include Pretenders, The Hives, Mammoth WVH, Amyl and The Sniffers, Alex G and L7.
The American band will also embark on a stadium tour of Australia and New Zealand from November 2023 to January 2024, with a slate of UK dates lined up in June in Birmingham, Cardiff, London, Glasgow and Manchester.
Other artists to have stadium dates locked in so far for 2024 include Taylor Swift, Coldplay, Morgan Wallen, Pink and Metallica
The Foos, whose 2017/18 Concrete and Gold Tour grossed $114 million from 113 dates, released their 11th studio album But Here We Are – their first since the death of drummer Taylor Hawkins – back in June.
The Dave Grohl-fronted group will play their first concert in the UAE next month with a headline performance at the Yasalam After-Race Concerts at F1’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend at Etihad Park on 26 November. The event, which will also feature Tiësto and Ava Max, is being presented by Middle East-based live entertainment powerhouse Ethara.
Other artists to have stadium dates locked in so far for 2024 include Taylor Swift, Coldplay, Morgan Wallen, Pink and Metallica.
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Foo Fighters announce free global Veeps livestream
Foo Fighters have announced a free global livestream event this weekend, which will include debut performances of songs from the band’s new album But Here We Are.
Beamed from the group’s own 606 studios, Foo Fighters: Preparing Music For Concerts will also feature exclusive behind the scenes footage and other surprises.
The event is being broadcast via Veeps, the Live Nation-owned streaming platform developed by Good Charlotte’s Joel and Benji Madden. It will premiere on Sunday 21 May at 8pm BST exclusively at foofighters.veeps.com, with on-demand repeat viewing enabled through 24 May. Fans can access their free ticket here.
“Having a place to make these moments accessible is why we built Veeps”
“Shows like this don’t happen every day,” says Veeps CEO and founder Joel Madden. “To take this moment to gather fans worldwide, to give people an opportunity to share in the experience no matter where they are, is a gift. Having a place to make these moments accessible is why we built Veeps and we’re honoured to be trusted with delivering this incredible show for Foo Fighters and all of their fans.”
Since launching in 2018, Veeps has livestreamed performances from more than 2,000 artists including Bob Dylan, Brandi Carlile, Louis Tomlinson, Patti Smith, Metallica and an Emmy-nominated Kings of Leon show from London’s The O2.
Notable recent Veeps livestreams have included Louis Tomlinson’s All of Those Voices global film premiere in LA last week and January’s iHeart ALTerEGo, with shows by Trixie & Katya and Def Leppard still to come.
Out 2 June, But Here We Are is the Foo Fighters’ 11th studio album and first since the death of drummer Taylor Hawkins. Hawkins died aged 50 in March 2022 in Bogota, Colombia. The Foos’ upcoming tour kicks off on 24 May at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion in Gilford, NH.
“Ethara is committed to delivering thrilling experiences for our fans and creating memorable moments that matter”
The group have also confirmed their first concert in the UAE, with a headline performance at the Yasalam After-Race Concerts lined up for F1’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend at Etihad Park on 26 November. The event, which will also feature Tiësto and Ava Max, will be presented by new Middle East-based live entertainment powerhouse Ethara.
Ethara was officially launched this week following the merger of Abu Dhabi promoter Flash Entertainment and Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management (ADMM).
“It is a privilege to announce our first artists for this year’s Yasalam After-Race Concerts and we look forward to welcoming rock and roll legends Foo Fighters, international icon Tiësto and pop powerhouse Ava Max at Yas Island in November to celebrate the 15th edition of the Abu Dhabi GP weekend,” says Ethara CEO Saif Rashid Al Noaimi.
“As our new name suggests, Ethara is committed to delivering thrilling experiences for our fans and creating memorable moments that matter.”
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Foo Fighters confirmed for new Sao Paulo festival
Foo Fighters have been confirmed as the first headliner of The Town, a new 105,000-capacity festival in Sāo Paulo organised by the founder of Rock in Rio.
Initially announced in 2021, the inaugural edition of The Town will take place on 2, 3, 7, 9 and 10 September 2023 at the Interlagos race track.
The event will involve “lots of music, lots of stages and lots of entertainment, with national and international attractions during the five days of celebration,” according to The Town, Rock in Rio founder Roberto Medina.
The announcement of the first headliner in the first edition of a new festival is a moment that will live forever”
Foo Fighters will perform on The Town’s mainstage on 9 September while, elsewhere, Brazillian singer Ludmilla has been announced for the Skyline stage.
“The announcement of the first headliner in the first edition of a new festival is a moment that will live forever,” says Medina.
“Only those who lived and made the first Rock in Rio edition, in 1985, know this. In that time we announced Ozzy and Queen as the first headliners and today, in the day after Rock in Rio’s anniversary, we are pleased to announce another memorable moment by announcing such a prestigious band that, I’m sure, will give a breathtaking performance. The Town’s dream is becoming real.”
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Taylor Hawkins tribute gig ‘fitting and humbling’
Organisers of the star-studded Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert have hailed the event as a “fitting and humbling memorial” to the late Foo Fighters drummer.
The first of two charity concerts celebrating Hawkins’ life took place at a sold-out Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday (3 September).
The near six-hour, 50-song show, staged by SJM Concerts and Metropolis, featured the Texan’s Foo Fighters bandmates alongside a host of special guests including Paul McCartney, Brian May and Roger Taylor, Liam Gallagher, Brian Johnson, Nile Rodgers, Josh Homme, Chrissy Hynde, Stewart Copeland, Them Crooked Vultures, Lars Ulrich and Rush.
The concert’s emotional finale saw Grohl joined by Hawkins’ 16-year-old son Oliver Shane on drums for a rendition of My Hero, before the frontman wrapped up proceedings with a solo version of Everlong.
“It will live long in people’s memories and for all the right reasons”
Chris York, director of Foo Fighters’ longtime UK promoter SJM, tells IQ: “It was an incredible privilege for the whole team at SJM Concerts to be able to deliver this amazing tribute to Taylor Hawkins on behalf of the Hawkins Family and Foo Fighters.
“The vision and effort put in by all parties was there for all to see at what was a fitting and humbling memorial event. Working alongside the Foos team and seeing the level of professionalism they bring to every aspect was an honour as always. It will live long in people’s memories and for all the right reasons.”
Hawkins died aged 50 in March in Bogota, Colombia, where the band had been due to headline Festival Estereo Picnic, sparking an outpouring of tributes.
A second tribute show is set to be held on 27 September at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, with ticket and merchandise sales from the concerts to benefit charities chosen by the Hawkins family: London-based Music Support and New York-based MusiCares.
“We were deeply honoured to have been the sole UK charity involved in such a prestigious event”
The brainchild of production manager Andy Franks, Music Support was launched in 2016 to provide specialist care for music industry executives, artists, crew and technicians.
“I’ve known the Foo Fighters’ agent and tour manager for a long time and when they were looking for charities to be involved, they fortunately decided that we were interesting because we work with people across the whole music business – not just artists – so I think they felt that was a good fit,” explains Franks.
“We were deeply honoured to have been the sole UK charity involved in such a prestigious event. It’s just incredible that in the six short years since we started, we get that kind of recognition.”
The 80,000-cap Wembley gig was streamed live and on demand around the world, with Franks tuning in from Denver, Colorado in the US.
“I was fortunate enough to have met Taylor a few times and, as Dave Grohl said, it was more a case of who not to invite [to perform] rather than who to invite, because he was such a well-liked guy,” adds Franks. “To do a tribute like that in a stadium is amazing and a heck of a send-off. It was a very, very moving event for everyone – us included.”
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Taylor Hawkins tribute concert to be livestreamed
An all-star tribute concert celebrating the life of late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins is to be livestreamed around the world.
Directed by Joel Gallen and Produced by Emer Patten at EP-PIC Films & Creative, the full 3 September show from Wembley Stadium in London will be available to stream live and on demand across Paramount’s streaming and digital platforms.
Live coverage will be broadcast across Paramount+ (US), Pluto TV (internationally) and MTV Brand YouTube Channels (globally), with on-demand access available via Paramount+ on 3 September and on Pluto TV and MTV TV VOD from the week of 5 September.
Special editions of the concert will air in prime time across Paramount’s broadcast and cable channels, while CBS Television Network in the US will broadcast an hour-long rendering.
MTV will also air the one-hour special across its channels around the world, followed by an extended two-hour special that will air globally in September.
The Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts ticket and merchandise sales will benefit charities chosen by the Hawkins family: Music Support and MusiCares
Travis Barker, Martin Chambers, Josh Freese, Violet Grohl, Justin Hawkins, Shane Hawkins, James Gang, Brian Johnson, Kesha, Luke Spiller and Lars Ulrich have joined the bill for the Wembley show. They add to the previously announced line-up featuring Nandi Bushell, Chris Chaney, Stewart Copeland, Liam Gallagher, Omar Hakim, Joshua Homme, Chrissie Hynde, Alain Johannes, John Paul Jones, Greg Kurstin, Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Brian May, Krist Novoselic, Nile Rodgers, Mark Ronson, Supergrass, Roger Taylor, Rufus Taylor, Wolfgang Van Halen, Chevy Metal and special appearances by Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock.
Broadcast details are yet to be confirmed for the second tribute show on 27 September at the 17,500-cap Kia Forum in Los Angeles.
Hawkins died aged 50 in March at a hotel in Bogota, Colombia, where the band had been due to headline Festival Estereo Picnic, sparking an outpouring of tributes from the live music world.
Ticket and merchandise sales from the tribute concerts will benefit charities chosen by the Hawkins family: Music Support and MusiCares.
Richard Davies, founder of fan-to-fan resale site Twickets – the benefit show’s official resale partner – told IQ a record 18,500 alerts were set up for the concert. Twickets will be donating its fee from the event to the charities.
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First acts announced for Hawkins tribute concerts
The first wave of acts to perform at the Taylor Hawkins tribute concerts in the UK and US have been confirmed.
Foo Fighters members Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, Pat Smear and Rami Jaffee have come together with the Hawkins family to present the “all-star rock and roll shows” on 3 September at the 90,000-cap Wembley Stadium in London and 27 September at the 17,500-cap Kia Forum in Los Angeles in celebration of the late drummer.
Announced for the London event are Liam Gallagher, Josh Homme, Stewart Copeland, Chrissie Hynde, Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor, Mark Ronson, Supergrass, Chris Chaney, Omar Hakim, Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Rufus Taylor, Wolfgang Van Halen and Chevy Metal, along with a special appearance by comedian Dave Chappelle.
The first round of names for LA show, meanwhile, includes Miley Cyrus, Joan Jett, Alanis Morissette, Gene Simmons, Nikki Sixx, Chad Smith, Luke Spiller, Jon Theodore, Brad Wilk and Pat Wilson. Homme, Copeland, Chaney, May & Roger Taylor, Hakim, Lee, Lifeson, Rufus Taylor, Van Halen and Metal will appear at both concerts.
Proceeds from the concerts will benefit charities in both the UK and the US chosen by the Hawkins family
Tickets go on sale this Friday (17 June), with proceeds to benefit charities in both the UK and the US chosen by the Hawkins family.
Hawkins died aged 50 on 25 March at a hotel in Bogota, Colombia, where the Foos had been due to headline Festival Estereo Picnic. The group cancelled their remaining 2022 tour dates in the wake of the tragedy.
“As one of the most respected and beloved figures in modern music, Taylor’s monolithic talent and magnetic personality endeared him to millions of fans, peers, friends and fellow musical legends the world over,” read a press release. “Millions mourned his untimely passing on March 25, with passionate and sincere tributes coming from fans as well as musicians Taylor idolised.
“The Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts will unite several of those artists, the Hawkins family and of course his Foo Fighters brothers in celebration of Taylor’s memory and his legacy as a global rock icon – his bandmates and his inspirations playing the songs that he fell in love with, and the ones he brought to life.”
Scores of touring execs mourned Hawkins upon his passing including Chris York, director of Foo Fighters’ longtime UK promoter SJM Concerts, who paid tribute to the musician when picking up the Bottle Award for lifetime achievement at the recent Arthur Awards.
“In celebration of his life, it is now up to all of us who loved him most to honour Taylor’s legacy and the music he gave us”
The drummer’s wife Alison Hawkins released a statement about the tribute shows and thanked fans for their support:
“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. Your kindness has been an invaluable comfort for my family and me during this time of unimaginable grief,” she said.
“As Taylor’s wife, and on behalf of our children, I want to share how much you meant to him and how dedicated he was to ‘knocking your socks off’ during every performance. Taylor was honoured to be a part of the Foo Fighters and valued his dream role in the band every minute of his 25 years with them. We consider every band member and the extended Foo Fighters team our family.
“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 honour Taylor’s legacy and the music he gave us.”
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Taylor Hawkins tribute concerts announced
The life of late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins is to be celebrated with two huge tribute concerts in the US and UK.
The Texan died aged 50 on 25 March at a hotel in Bogota, Colombia, where the band had been due to headline Festival Estereo Picnic. The cause of his death is still being investigated.
The Foos cancelled their remaining 2022 tour dates in the wake of the tragedy. However, band members Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, Pat Smear and Rami Jaffee have now come together with the Hawkins family to announce The Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts.
The “all-star rock and roll shows” will take place on 3 September at the 90,000-cap Wembley Stadium in London and 27 September at the 17,500-cap Kia Forum in Los Angeles. Tickets go on sale on 17 June, with the line-ups for each show to be announced shortly.
“Taylor’s monolithic talent and magnetic personality endeared him to millions of fans, peers, friends and fellow musical legends the world over”
“As one of the most respected and beloved figures in modern music, Taylor’s monolithic talent and magnetic personality endeared him to millions of fans, peers, friends and fellow musical legends the world over,” reads a press release. “Millions mourned his untimely passing on March 25, with passionate and sincere tributes coming from fans as well as musicians Taylor idolised.
“The Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts will unite several of those artists, the Hawkins family and of course his Foo Fighters brothers in celebration of Taylor’s memory and his legacy as a global rock icon – his bandmates and his inspirations playing the songs that he fell in love with, and the ones he brought to life.”
Scores of touring execs mourned Hawkins upon his passing including Chris York, director of Foo Fighters’ longtime UK promoter SJM Concerts, who paid tribute to the musician when picking up the Bottle Award for lifetime achievement at the recent Arthur Awards.
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Grammy Awards ’22: Ukraine, Foo Fighters and more
In a Grammy Awards ceremony that featured a video plea from Ukraine’s president, as well as a tribute to Foo Fighters dummer Taylor Hawkins, artists including Olivia Rodrigo, Silk Sonic and Jon Batiste scooped the top prizes.
The 64th event was held last night (3 April) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas after a three-month delay due to the Covid-19 surge in the US.
Jazz musician Batiste won album of the year for We Are, while Rodrigo won best new artist and best pop album.
Silk Sonic, a joint project between Bruno Mars and rapper/drummer Anderson .Paak, took home both the record and song of the year prizes for Leave The Door Open.
This year’s Grammys presented one of the most open fields in years, with the “big four” categories expanded to include 10 nominees each.
The ceremony featured performances from Silk Sonic, Gaga, Rodrigo, Lil Nas X, Billie Eilish, J Balvin, BTS and more
Other winners included Lady Gaga, Doja Cat and Foo Fighters, who picked up three a little more than a week after their drummer Taylor Hawkins was found dead in his Colombia hotel room at the age of 50.
Presenter Jimmy Jam accepted the prizes in the band’s absence, “with prayers to their loved ones”.
Elsewhere, in a pre-taped message, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky urged musicians to “fill the silence” left by Russian bombs “with your music”.
“Tell our story,” he said. “Tell the truth about the war on your social networks and TV. But not silence.”
His speech was followed by a performance by John Legend, accompanied by Ukrainian musicians Siuzanna Iglidan and Mika Newton, and poet Lyuba Yakimchuk.
The ceremony also featured performances from award winners Silk Sonic, Gaga and Rodrigo, as well as Lil Nas X, Billie Eilish, Chris Stapleton, J Balvin and K-pop stars BTS.
A full list of award winners can be found here.
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Live music business remembers Taylor Hawkins
Foo Fighters star Taylor Hawkins has been remembered by the international live music world following his death aged 50.
The Texan drummer died on Friday (25 March) at a hotel in Bogota, Colombia, where the band had been due to headline Festival Estereo Picnic. His cause of death has not yet been established.
The band, whose remaining South American tour date at Lollapalooza Brazil in Sao Paulo was also cancelled, released a statement speaking of their devastation. “His musical spirit and infectious laughter will live on with all of us forever,” they said.
Chris York, director of Foo Fighters’ longtime UK promoter SJM Concerts, is among the many touring execs to pay tribute.
“I share with my colleagues at SJM Concerts the deepest sadness at the tragic death of Taylor,” he tells IQ. “Over the last 25 years we have helped share the Foo Fighters’ global success. Taylor’s extraordinary musicianship, tremendous character and huge warmth was writ large. He was a force of nature.
“Our thoughts are with his family, friends and bandmates at this time of unimaginable loss.”
Live Nation mourned the loss of “one of rock music’s greatest drummers”. “Our hearts go out to his family, the band, and fans around the world as we all mourn this heartbreaking loss,” the company tweeted.
“We are grateful for all the unforgettable concert moments he gave us”
Hawkins, who also performed and recorded with his Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders side project, was a touring drummer for artists such as Alanis Morissette prior to joining the Foos in 1997.
Australia’s Frontier Touring writes: “Vale Taylor Hawkins. Our hearts are breaking for his family and friends,” while FKP Scorpio, whose relationship with the band dates back quarter of a century, says it is “shocked and saddened”.
“We are grateful for all the unforgettable concert moments he gave us: his drum solos and singing instruments, his humour and his laughter,” it says on Facebook. “Thank you for the music, Taylor! Now you can play the beat in the big band of Freddie Mercury, John Bonham and all the other genius musicians who have already gone ahead. The memory remains for us. Our thoughts are with Taylor’s family, his friends, companions and of course the band and crew.”
In a lengthy tribute, concert series Austin City Limits, which has hosted the Foo Fighters on two previous occasions, says Hawkins “radiated enthusiasm and pure rock & roll energy”.
“We were looking forward to seeing him again when the band returned for their next taping,” it says. “But mostly we’re sending our thoughts and love out to his family and his bandmates, and we’re mourning our friend. May he rest in peace.”
Swiss promoter Good News Production posts: “We’re still a little blown away by the news from last Saturday’s tragic and far too early death of Taylor Hawkins. Over the years, we were allowed to accompany the Foo Fighters on several occasions, not least in summer 2018 at their show at the Stade de Suisse in Bern.
“Taylor’s open, vivid and cheerful style was not only on stage incredibly contagious and we will always remember him as the wonderful person and outstanding musician he was.”
The firm acknowledged the “uncertainty” over the group’s remaining 2022 concerts and says it will update fans in “due time”.
Foo Fighters have North American dates scheduled for April/May, with European festival and stadium shows lined up for the summer. The tour is then slated to return to the US before heading to Australia and concluding in New Zealand in December.
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Foos confirm Oz/NZ tour after Always Live launch
Foo Fighters have confirmed a 2022 stadium tour of Australia and New Zealand after kicking off Always Live, an initiative envisioned by the late Michael Gudinski to revitalise Victoria’s live music scene.
Last Friday (4 March), the US band become the first international act to play a stadium show in Australia since the pandemic began, performing a sold-out, one-off concert to 30,000 fans at the GMHBA Stadium in Geelong, Victoria.
They have now announced their first headline tour of the region since 2018. Promoted by Frontier Touring, the rockers will visit Perth’s HBF Park (30 November), Aami Park, Melbourne (4 December), Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (10 December), Accor Stadium, Sydney (12 December) in Australia.
They will then head to New Zealand for shows at Sky Stadium, Wellington (15 December) and Auckland’s Western Springs Stadium (17 December).
More events will be announced shortly for Always Live, a series of shows intended to bring music fans into Melbourne and regional Victoria and help to support local jobs and tourism businesses.
“Always Live was a passion project for my dad to ensure Victoria continued to be recognised as the music capital of Australia”
Gudinski, one of the best-known and most-loved figures in the concert business down under, passed away unexpectedly last year.
“Always Live was a passion project for my dad to ensure Victoria continued to be recognised as the music capital of Australia, and Melbourne as one of the leading music cities in the world,” said Gudinski’s son, Always Live chair Matt Gudinski.
“Dad worked tirelessly over many years to bring his vision and concept to life and to obtain the support of the Victorian government. The initiative has been in the works for a long time and has been impacted by Covid-19 leading to several postponements of its launch and delivery.
“I’m honoured to be part of now making it a reality at a time when the live music scene needs all the support it can get. The focus of this year’s instalment of Always Live is reinvigorating and reconnecting the state through the power of live music.”
Australia recently reopened its international border for the first time in nearly two years. The country imposed some of the world’s strictest travel bans after shutting itself off in March 2020 due to Covid.
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