Some of the biggest names in music will come together this weekend for the Taylor Hawkins tribute concert.
The late Foo Fighters drummer, who tragically died in March this year, will be remembered in true rock and roll style – with a night of live music.
The all-star concerts have been organised by Hawkins’ bandmates, including frontman Dave Grohl, as well as his bereaved family.
Two shows are set to take place – one at London’s Wembley Arena, and another in Los Angeles.
Famous faces taking to the stage to honour the rock legend will include Liam Gallagher, Brian May, Mark Ronson and Supergrass, to name a few.
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The Taylor Hawkins tribute concerts will start this week. Credit: Facebook, Taylor Hawkins
The Foo Fighters themselves will also be performing on what’s set to be an emotional night.
The band cancelled all tour dates, including a date in Manchester, in the wake of Hawkins’ death, so this weekend will be a rare chance to see them perform again.
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Here’s how you can watch the show from Manchester.
How to watch the Taylor Hawkins tribute concert
Although the actual gig is taking place down in London, Foo Fighters and the Hawkins family have arranged for it to be live-streamed across the planet.
The gig will begin at 4.30pm on Saturday 3 September.
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You’ll be able to watch it live through the MTV YouTube channel below when the concert starts.
MTV will also air a one-hour special across its channels around the world starting on Sunday 4 September.
Who’s headlining?
As one of the most famous and respected musicians in the industry, Taylor Hawkins and his Foo Fighters bandmates aren’t short of famous friends wanting to pay their respects.
It’s led to a bumper bill of rock royalty, who will perform alongside Foo Fighters at Wembley.
In alphabetical order, this is who you’ll see on stage on Saturday.
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Travis Barker (Blink-182)
Nandi Bushell
Martin Chambers (The Pretenders)
Chris Chaney (Jane’s Addiction)
Chevy Metal
Stewart Copeland (The Police)
Josh Freese
Liam Gallagher
Violet Grohl
Omar Hakim
Justin Hawkins (The Darkness)
Shane Hawkins
Joshua Homme (Queens Of The Stone Age)
Chrissie Hynde
James Gang
Alain Johannes
Brian Johnson (AC/DC)
John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin)
Kesha
Greg Kurstin
Geddy Lee (Rush)
Alex Lifeson (Rush)
Brian May (Queen)
Krist Novoselic (Nirvana)
Nile Rodgers
Mark Ronson
Luke Spiller (The Struts)
Supergrass
Roger Taylor (Queen)
Rufus Taylor (The Darkness)
Lars Ulrich (Metallica)
Wolfgang Van Halen
Plus a special guest appearance from Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock
The gigs have been created to raise money for Music Support and MusiCares, as well as to honour the late Taylor Hawkins.
Music Support is a charity that provides help and support for those who work in music and live events affected by mental ill-health and/or addiction.
MusiCares’ website states that they ‘help the humans behind music because music gives so much to this world’.
The charity provides critical health and welfare services to the music community in three key areas: mental health and addiction recovery services, health services and human services.
All merchandise sold will also benefit the two charities.
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What Taylor Hawkins’ loved ones say
Taylor Hawkins and Dave Grohl with the Foo Fighters. Credit: Wikimedia Commons
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.”
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.
“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.
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“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.”
Featured image: Wikimedia Commons
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The UK’s much-loved ‘day rave’ with Vicky and Jon McClure returns to Manchester for New Year’s Eve
Thomas Melia
One of the UK’s most popular new club events and pioneering ‘day rave’ is returning to Manchester this New Year’s, featuring founders Jon and Vicky McClure, as well as some very special guests.
The Line of Duty star and Reverend and the Makers frontman started the parent-friendly event back in January of this year as an alternative day out for those looking to have a party and still manage an early bedtime. Since then it’s gone on to become a real phenomenon and is only getting bigger.
With Vicky swapping UK dramas and crime thrillers for the discotheque and ‘Big Jon’ switching lanes from his usual rock, indie and alternative roots to favour timeless dance tracks to still get people up on their feet, Day Fever has gone down a storm all over the country.
With their first year coming towards a close, they now look set for arguably their biggest day rave to date as Day Fever will be hosting a special New Year’s Eve for their final hurrah of 2024 right here in Manchester city centre – and no, you don’t need to be able to stay up until midnight.
The two McClures – unrelated, by the way, they just share a name and a fantastic taste in music – and the rest of their crew will be partying between 3-8pm for a much more tame and friendlier night (day) out, commanding the decks alongside some other special guests.
Not only does this alternative way to party promise a more responsible curfew, meaning clubbers don’t have to worry about missing the last train home but it’s also geared towards over 30s whilst still being super inclusive.
This day-time clubbing event is designed to reminisce on the old days and all those dance-filled memories of evenings spent out on the tiles, just minus the late-night finish – and hopefully the hangover but that’s down to you really, isn’t it?
In their words: ‘There’s no dress code, no egos—just pure positivity’; there’s nothing we love to hear more than the sweet relief of not having to get dolled up for a big night when we just can’t be bothered.
With New Century Hall hosting the Day Fever once again for their first-ever NYE party here in Manchester, along with two other events being held simultaneously in Edinburgh and Birmingham, you can get all your partying done way with plenty of time to get cosy in bed before the calendar turns over.
Just in time to watch Jools Holland’s famous Annual Hootenanny, as they put it.
Jon McClure and Vicky’s co-star, Martin CompstonVicky McClure leading the dance routines
This is guaranteed to be an evening to remember for everyone in attendance, especially when you’re joined by stars of stage and screen who will be powering you through with some proper dance bangers as they have done all year long.
The New Year’s Eve party isn’t just the last dance of the year either, it’s also effectively the prequel to next year’s raft of shows as Day Fever has already announced more than a dozen big dates in January and February.
This batch of 2025 dates sees the gang taking on lots of other cities, including North West neighbours Liverpool, Sheffield, Leeds and Hull over in Yorkshire, two Newcastle shows and plenty more.
So, if you’re feeling those clubbing blues, that pesky seasonal affective disorder or just still not booked up for NYE 2024, why not make the most of this day-time opportunity?
Tickets for both the New Year’s Eve and the rest of their 2025 events are available on the official Day Fever website HERE.
Oh yeah, and help get Rev to Christmas number one – it’s for a good cause and they deserve it!
Sean Paul and Ashanti are hosting a massive Manchester show in 2025
Danny Jones
The one and only Sean Paul is coming to Manchester next year and we’re about to be smashing that buy ticket button it’ll be left sticking like glue.
A terrible pun, we know, we’re just very excited.
Better yet, he’s bringing a fantastic co-headliner along with him as fellow noughties and R’n’B throwback Ashanti will be sharing the stage too.
Landing at the AO Arena in spring 2025, they’ll be upping the ‘Temperature’ ahead of the summer and just in time for the festival season to start getting underway.
Having both enjoyed the scene for many years back in its 2000s heyday and each still boasting their own long-serving fan bases no matter how long it’s been, we wouldn’t think of this as a Sean Paul headline gig with a support act but two very special guests doing what they do best.
The Jamaican-born rap, reggae and dancehall artist as well as all-round popstar needs no introduction really but we’ll give him one anyway: you have to pronounce his name funny and he’s best known for countless club classics like ‘Got 2 Luv U’, ‘Get Busy’ and ‘Gimme The Light’, just to name a few.
Coming back to Manchester for basically a celebration of what many still revere as one of the golden eras for the genre will no doubt be an unbelievable night and playing the AO Arena after all this time is no mean feat.
General admission goes live from 10am, Friday 20 December but presale will be available for Three mobile users who want exclusive early access from Wednesday onwards from the same time.
The ‘Bring It’ Tour comes our way on 13 April 2025, with other dates including Leeds, Birmingham, Cardiff and a massive London show with Fat Joe joining too.
You can get ready to grab your tickets for Sean Paul and Ashanti’s AO Arena date HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
1st September 2022 
