Dave Grohl cries dedicating song to Taylor Hawkins at Foo Fighters' return gig
The Taylor-penned 'Cold Day in the Sun'
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.