Taylor Hawkins Fans in Montana Seek Closure with Tribute Concerts

It was wintertime, December 3rd, 2021, to be exact, when tickets first went on sale for a Foo Fighters concert set to happen in Big Sky, Montana, on August 10th, 2022! A few friends and acquaintances were front and center to retrieve tickets for the show. There was no way they were going to miss it! Even though I had been a huge Foo Fighters fan from the get-go, I contemplated and then altogether missed an opportunity to buy tickets that day as I didn't think I would be able to make it due to a tentative summer family commitment. I sulked for a few days over it as tickets sold out quickly, and for a minute, I regretted choosing family over the almighty Foo Fighters. Lol. I mean, right? Their sound, their style, come on; it's Nirvana's drummer Dave Grohl on lead guitar and vocals and an ensemble of incredible musicians to boot. My friends joked that they would bring me a souvenir from the show. Even my teenage daughters got to see them at Lollapalooza in 2021 and my friend and colleague, Jasmine, in Missoula in 2011, but not this pouty girl. Not fair, guys!

Then all joking aside, and just like that, within months, on March 25th, everything tragically changed. The dynamics of what was once the Foo Fighters came to a halt as news of the passing of 50-year-old drummer Taylor Hawkins, stunned and saddened the music world. Foo Fighters were set to perform in Bogota, Columbia, where Hawkins succumbed to a drug-related cardiovascular collapse. From that moment on, the grieving process began for bandmates, family members, friends, and countless fans. Things would never be the same for the band, as Foo Fighters' concerts were instantly canceled across the globe, including their scheduled stop at Big Sky. It was adamantly the scenario. Foo Fighters would not be making a trip to Montana, and even if they did, it wouldn't be the same without Taylor! My friends and I didn't realize it at the time, but closure would be needed at some point to comprehend his passing. It's a real thing, no doubt. Fans become attached to musicians because music speaks to an individual's soul. Music helps to bond relationships on many levels.

Then, it happened! In early June, as illustrated in Variety and Rock Shot Magazine, Foo Fighters announced that two Taylor Hawkins Tribute concerts would take place in September with a star-studded line-up. The first concert in London at Wembley Stadium was on September 3rd with brilliant artists on tap, ranging from Queen, Paul McCartney, Metallica, AC/DC, Nile Rodgers, and Liam Gallagher. Also at the first tribute concert, Foo Fighters performed "My Hero" with Hawkins’ son Shane on drums. Many raved how it was the highlight of the London event. 

TONIGHT (September 27th), the second of the two Taylor Hawkins tribute shows will take place in Los Angeles at the Kia Forum. Such artists as Travis Barker, RUSH's Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, Alanis Morissette, Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones, Mötley Crüe's Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee, Rage Against the Machine's Brad Wilk, Nirvana's Krist Novoselic, Heart's Nancy Wilson, Queens of the Stone Age's Joshua Homme, Joan Jett and more will take the stage. Foo Fighters will also perform with definitely not a dry eye in the room. Luckily and hopefully, many fans will be able to seek closure during tonight's performance as the option to stream the event is on Paramount+ and MTV's YouTube channel at 8 pm MST. As provided on Roku's website, both the Wembley and L.A. performances will be available on the Roku Channel. Taylor Hawkins will never again play to the Montana venues that loved him, but what's somewhat comforting to know is that his memory will continue to live on through his music and with two unforgettable tribute shows to honor him.

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