Dave Grohl pays emotional tribute to Taylor Hawkins at first Foo Fighters gig since his death

He dedicates 'Cold Day in the Sun' to the late drummer

Dave Grohl on stage with Foo Fighters in New Hampshire
Author: Scott ColothanPublished 25th May 2023
Last updated 25th May 2023

Foo Fighters played their first full headline concert since Taylor Hawkins’ death at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion last night (Wednesday 24th May).

Fresh from revealing Josh Freese as their new touring drummer during their pre-recorded streaming event Foo Fighters: Preparing Music for Concerts on Sunday night (21st May), the band played a triumphant 21-song set with Freese in front of a sold-out 6,000-strong crowd in New Hampshire.

After performing ‘These Days’, the night took an emotional turn when Foo Fighters gave the Taylor Hawkins penned 2005 track ‘Cold Day in the Sun’ its first live outing in more than five years.

A clearly emotional Dave Grohl told the audience, “Now, I have to say that this is…” as he struggled to hold back the tears.

Gaining his composure, he added: “… something that I never thought I’d have to do. I’m gonna try to do it.”

With his voice cracking, Grohl continued: “Taylor wrote this song. We used to sing it together. So I’m going to do it for him tonight.”

Watch Foo Fighters perform ‘Cold Day in the Sun’ in tribute to Taylor Hawkins:

Shortly prior to the Taylor Hawkins tribute, Grohl formerly introduced Josh Freese to Foo Fighters fans, saying “Everybody, would you please welcome… The man behind the drums, Josh Freese, has helped save the day. We would not be here tonight if it weren’t for Josh.”

“So everybody please give a big f---ing round of applause for Josh, please.”

Foo Fighters’ 21-song setlist last night featured the live concert debut of ‘Rescued’, ‘Under You’, new album title track ‘But Here We Are’ and ‘Nothing at All.’ Dave Grohl’s daughter Violet also joined them onstage for a rendition of ‘Shame Shame.’

In a nod to the late-great Taylor Hawkins, the poignant poster for the concert by Jason Malmberg features a hawk flying over the derelict Kimball Castle in Gilford, New Hampshire.

50-year-old Josh Freese is an esteemed session musician and touring drummer who has performed with The Offspring, Sting, Paramore, Lana Del Rey, Rob Zombie, Bruce Springsteen, A Perfect Circle, Guns N’ Roses, Nine Inch Nails, the Vandals and Weezer to name but a few.

At the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert in London last September, Josh Freese played with Foo Fighters on their opening two songs 'Times Like These' and 'All My Life.'

Foo Fighters’ upcoming new album ‘But Here We Are’ is dedicated to Taylor Hawkins, and Dave Grohl’s late mum Virginia Hanlon Grohl.

Foo Fighters’ setlist at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion:

Rescued (live debut)

Walk

No Son Of Mine

Learn To Fly

Times Like These

Under You (live debut)

The Pretender

But Here We Are (live debut)

Breakout

The Sky Is A Neighborhood

My Hero

This Is A Call

All My Life

Nothing At All (live debut)

Shame Shame (with Violet Grohl)

These Days

Cold Day In The Sun

Monkey Wrench

Best Of You

Aurora

Everlong

The real names of famous rockers, including Pat Smear:

Cozy Powell’s real name: Colin Trevor Flooks


Alex Lifeson’s real name: Alexandar Živojinović

'Lifeson' is a semi-literal English translation of the Yugoslavian surname Živojinović, which means 'son of life'

Ginger Baker's real name: Peter Edward Baker


John 5’s real name: John William Lowery


Yngwie Malmsteen’s real name: Lars Johann Yngwie Lannerback


Rudy Sarzo’s real name: Rodolfo Maximiliano Sarzo Lavieille Grande Ruiz Payret y Chaumont


Eric Carr's real name: Paul Charles Caravello


Vinnie Vincent’s real name: Vincent John Cusano


Tina Turner’s real name: Anna Mae Bullock


King Diamond’s real name: Kim Bendix Petersen


Joey Tempest's real name: Rolf Magnus Joakim Larsson


Michael Monroe’s real name: Matti Antero Kristian Fagerholm


Mikkey Dee’s real name: Micael Kiriakos Delaoglou


Jonathan Cain’s real name: Jonathan Leonard Friga


Nikki Sixx's real name: Frank Ferrano


Steven Adler’s real name: Michael Coletti


Axl Rose's real name: William Bruce Rose


Bon Scott's real name: Ronald Belford Scott


Fish’s real name: Derek William Dick


Eddie Vedder's real name: Edward Louis Severson III


Peter Criss’ real name: George Peter John Criscuola


Freddie Mercury's real name: Farrokh Bulsara


Flea's real name: Michael Peter Balzary


Perry Farrell's real name: Perry Bernstein


Geddy Lee’s real name: Gary Lee Weinrib


Mick Mars' real name: Robert Deal


Tré Cool's real name: Frank Edwin Wright III


Courtney Love's real name: Courtney Michelle Harrison


Pat Smear's real name: Georg Albert Ruthenberg


Gene Simmons' real name: Chaim Klein Witz


Spike’s real name: Jonathan Gray


Iggy Pop's real name: James Newell Osterberg, JR.


Alice Cooper's real name: Vincent Damon Furnier


Slash's real name: Saul Hudson


Mike Dirnt's real name: Michael Ryan Pritchard


Ronnie James Dio's real name: Ronald James Padavona


Brody Dalle's real name: Bree Joanna Alice Robinson


Skin's real name: Deborah Anne Dyer


Nicky Wire's real name: Nicholas Jones


Amy Lee's real name: Amy Lynn Hartzler


Bill Wyman's real name: William Perks


Izzy Stradlin's real name: Jeffrey Isbell


Paul Stanley's real name: Stanley Eisen


Vince Neil's real name: Vincent Neil Wharton


Duff McKagan's real name: Michael McKagan


Jack Black’s real name: Thomas Jacob Black


Lemmy's real name: Ian Fraser Kilmister


John Paul Jones' real name: John Baldwin


Joan Jett's real name: Joan Larkin


Eric Clapton's real name: Eric Patrick Clapp


Siouxsie Sioux's real name: Susan Janet Ballion


Rachel Bolan’s real name: James Richard Southworth


David Bowie's real name: David Robert Hayward Stenton Jones


Little Richard's real name: Richard Wayne Penniman


Sid Vicious' real name: John Simon Ritchie


Ace Frehley's real name: Paul Daniel Frehley


Lou Reed's real name: Louis Firbank


Joe Strummer's real name: John Graham Mellor


Marc Bolan's real name: Mark Feld


The Edge's real name: David Howell Evans


Meat Loaf's real name: Marvin Lee Aday


Steven Tyler's real name: Steven Victor Tallarico


Ozzy Osbourne's real name: John Michael Osbourne


Jon Bon Jovi's real name: John Francis Bongiovi


Joey Belladonna’s real name: Joseph Bellardini


Jack White's real name: John Anthony Gillis


Bono's real name: Paul David Hewson


Sting's real name: Gordon Sumner


Billy Idol’s real name: William Michael Albert Broad


Geezer Butler’s real name: Terence Butler


Pat Benatar’s real name: Patricia Mae Giraldo


Bo Diddley’s real name: Ellas McDaniel


Muddy Waters’ real name: McKinley Morganfield


Stevie Nicks’ real name: Stephanie Lynn Nicks


Doro’s real name: Dorothee Pesch


Sebastian Bach’s real name: Sebastian Philip Bierk


Joe Perry’s real name: Joseph Pereira


Jimi Hendrix’s real name: James Marshall Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix)


Zakk Wylde’s real name: Jeffrey Phillip Wielandt


Maynard James Keenan’s real name: James Herbert Keenan


Blaze Bayley’s real name: Bayley Alexander Cooke


Biff Byford's real name: Peter Rodney Byford


M. Shadows' real name: Matthew Charles Sanders


Syd Barrett's real name: Roger Keith Barrett


Chris Jericho's real name: Christopher Keith Irvine


Ginger Wildheart's real name: David Leslie Walls


Paul Di'Anno's real name: Paul Andrews


Phil X’s real name: Theofilos Xenidis


Peter Green’s real name: Peter Allen Greenbaum


Nicko McBrain’s real name: Michael Henry McBrain


Noddy Holder’s real name: Neville John Holder


Steel Panther’s real names

Michael Starr: Ralph Michael Saenz, Satchel: Russell John Parrish, Stix Zadinia: Darren Leader, Spyder: Joe Lester.

Lexxi Foxx’s real name: Travis Haley


Jet Black’s real name: Brian John Duffy


Buddy Holly’s real name: Charles Hardin Holley


Elvis Costello’s real name: Declan Patrick McManus


Rikki Rockett’s real name: Richard Allan Ream


Blackie Lawless' real name: Steven Edward Duren


Maxim's real name: Keith Andrew Palmer


Rat Scabies' real name: Christopher John Millar


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