Foo Fighters have announced details of two tribute concerts in memory of their late drummer, Taylor Hawkins.
The gigs this autumn have been created with the Hawkins family, in honour of the band’s ‘dear friend, badass bandmate and beloved brother’.
A touching statement from Alison Hawkins said that the outpouring of love for her late husband has been ‘an invaluable comfort for my family and me during this time of unimaginable grief’.
The band will soon release the line-ups for The Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts, which will be ‘all-star rock and roll shows’.
Taylor Hawkins and Dave Grohl with the Foo Fighters. Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Taylor Hawkins tragically died at the age of 50 in March this year, leaving music fans across the globe devastated.
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Shortly afterwards, Foo Fighters announced that they were cancelling all upcoming tour dates, including their Emirates Old Trafford gig in Manchester.
But now the group, consisting of Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, Pat Smear and Rami Jaffee, will come together again.
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Alongside Taylor’s family members, they will ‘celebrate the life, music and love of their husband, father, brother and bandmate’ as well as the legacy he has left rock music.
The concert will include ‘the songs he fell in the love with, and the ones he brought to life’, the band has said.
Taylor Hawkins. Credit: Wikimedia Commons
A statement from the Hawkins family 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.
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“Taylor was honored 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 honor Taylor’s legacy and the music he gave us.
“Thank you all again for your love and sympathy. Taylor loved all of you & we love you too. With gratitude, Alison Hawkins.”
A statement from Foo Fighters said: “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.
“Millions mourned his untimely passing on March 25, with passionate and sincere tributes coming from fans as well as musicians Taylor idolized.
“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.”
The UK concert will take place on 3 September at Wembley Stadium, followed by a USA gig at The Kia Forum in LA on 27 September.
You can sign up to hear about timings, ticketing links and on-sale dates here.
Featured image: Facebook, Foo Fighters
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Snoop Dogg says he’s a massive Coronation Street fan and is ‘determined’ to get a role on the show
Emily Sergeant
Yes, it’s true – in what is news that admittedly sounds fake, but somehow actually isn’t, one of the best rappers of all time has revealed himself to be an avid watcher of Britain’s longest-running soap, and is such a fan of it, in fact, that he said he’s “determined” to make an appearance on it sometime in the future.
The iconic ITV soap – which is set in the fictional Manchester suburb of Weatherfield, and celebrated an impressive 60 years of entertaining the masses back in 2020 – currently averages around six million viewers per episode, and has developed a well-deserved legion of loyal fans over the last six decades.
And it turns out, one of those loyal fans is chart-topping rap superstar Snoop Dogg.
In an exclusive interview with The Sun this week, the 51-year-old first spoke about how he’s “down to perform” at King Charles III‘s Coronation in a couple of months time, before he launching into how much he loves another type of coronation.
“Coronation Street, I love it,” the 17-time Grammy Award nominee admitted.
Snoop Dogg says he’s a massive Coronation Street fan / Credit: ITV / The Manc Group
“If they call me I’ll do it. I’ll play whenever they need. I love the cinematography, acting, the storylines and just the reality.
“I’d like to be a part of it because they’ve been a part of my culture.”
As bizarre as it all sounds, this surprisingly isn’t the first time the rapper – whose real name is Calvin Broadus Jr – has publicly revealed he’s a fan of the soap, and even famously admitted all the way back in 2010 that he had his agent get in touch with ITV to see if there was any chance he could make an appearance.
“I had my agent reach out to them to see if they could try to get me on and they said they were interested so hopefully it might happen,” Snoop told the BBC.
“It would be perfect for me to be on the show.”
The chart-topping rapper says he’s ‘determined’ to get a role on it / Credit: ITV
The Drop It Like It’s Hot and The Next Episode rapper isn’t the only famous name who’s revealed himself to be a fan of Coronation Street in recent months.
One of the greatest and most well-respected singer songwriters of all time, Bob Dylan, also admitted in an interview with WSJ back in December 2022 that he loves binge-watching the soap.
Dylan explained that that he’s “no fan of packaged programs or news shows”, and that the ITV soap makes him “feel at home” despite being “old-fashioned”.
Featured Image – ITV / The Manc Group
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Craig David announces huge outdoor gig at Barton Aerodrome in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
Craig David is bringing his legendary TS5 party to Manchester for a massive outdoor summer show.
The legendary singer, songwriter and DJ will be taking over City Airport in Manchester, also known as Barton Aerodrome.
The special show will combine old school anthems with R&B, garage, and bashment, alongside plenty of contemporary hits.
Craig David, who rocketed to fame in the late 1990s, first launched his TS5 parties, where he sings, MCs and DJs, as an exclusive pre-party at his own penthouse in Miami.
Initially, Craig used them as a way to play his favourite music to the people he loved the most – but it proved such a hit that he started to take it on the road.
Craig David presents TS5 at Barton Aerodrome. Credit: Supplied
Guaranteed to be a great night out, Craig David Presents TS5 is now heading to Manchester for a summer show.
The star has sold more than 15 million albums, secured more than 10 top 10 hits, and achieved multi-platinum status in more than 20 countries around the world.
His TS5 shows now sell out at prestigious venues across the globe, and he’s even taken it to the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury.
The unique live concert will take place at City Airport in Manchester on Friday 14 July, just outside the city – the huge space surrounded by lush green fields will be transformed with epic light and sound productions.
You can expect a night of sing-along hits, good time grooves and Craig David classics.
Tickets will go on sale from 9am on Friday 31 March with Skiddle.
Daisy Jackson -
8th June 2022 
