Prije osam godina, Dave Grohl je za medije pričao o širenju dobre volje i bratstva među muzičarima. Obilazio je često garderobe drugih umjetnika s bocom viskija u ruci. “Baš me briga,” rekao je, “mogla bi biti Demi Lovato ili jebeni bubnjar iz Pantere, nije me briga – idemo da popijemo.”
Naravno, ovo je stav koji je Grohl dijelio sa pokojnim, prijateljem i kolegom bubnjarem Foo Fightersa, Taylorom Hawkinsom. Kako drugačije objasniti izvođače na prvom od dva tribute koncerta organizovana u čast Hawkinsove smrti, nego ovakvom vrstom prijateljstava.
Na istoj bini mainstream pop se ušunjao uz gomilu prog i alter rocka, a bilo je tu i metala pored britpopa, zvukova pustinje i čega sve ne. Mark Ronson izvodi prekrasno sanjivu akustičnu verziju „Valerie“ s Grohlovom kćerkom Violet na vokalu. Zatim dolazi videoporuka Billie Eilish, a onda Brian Johnson iz AC/DC-a pjeva „Back in Black“ i „Let There Be Rock“ sa Larsom Ulrichom iz Metallice na bubnjevima. Preživjeli članovi Rusha izvode uvrnuti instrumental „YYZ“ na pozornici na kojoj je ranije Nile Rodgers pjevao „Let’s Dance“ Davida Bowieja s Joshom Hommeom iz Queens of the Stone Age. Ponovo su se okupili Them Crooked Vultures, a Kesha izvodi obradu T Rexove pjesme „Children of the Revolution“. Tu je i Supergrass sa „Alright“.
Veza svih njih sa Hawkinsom je previše jaka i emotivna. Bilo je ovo veoma neobično zabavno bombardovanje dijametralno suprotnim talasima muzike sa Taylorom kao rijetkom poveznicom. Naravno, i njegov kolega Dave Grohl je uvijek tu, u više uloga i na više instrumenata – na basu sa Pretendersima, te s Wolfgangom Van Halenom i Justinom Hawkinsom iz Darknessa koji izvode „Hot for Teacher“; pjeva za verziju Police „Next to You“ sa Stewartom Copelandom za bubnjevima
Bili su tu i članovi Queena, prvog benda koji je Hawkins vidio uživo, i drugi poput Elton Johna, Josh Freesea, Travis Barkera iz Blink-182, 12-godišnja internetska senzacija Nandi Bushell i Hawkinsovog 16-godišnjeg sina Shanea. Paul McCartney je u duetu s Chrissie Hynde izveo verziju numere „Oh! Darling!“, a bila je tu i „Helter Skelter“.
Naravno, tu su i suze uz „Times Like These“, a potom se noć završila uz izvođenje numere „Everlong“. Izuzetno lijep ispraćaj jednog od dobrih duhova rokenrola. Do sljedeće prilike pogledajte kompletnu set listu.
Liam Gallagher with Foo Fighters – ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Star’
Liam Gallagher with Foo Fighters – ‘Live Forever’
Josh Homme, Chris Chaney, Omar Hakim and Nile Rodgers – ‘Let’s Dance’ (David Bowie cover)
Gaz Coombes, Chris Chaney, Omar Hakim and Nile Rodgers – ‘Modern Love’ (David Bowie cover)
Chevy Metal and The Coattail Riders – ‘Psycho Killer’ (Talking Heads cover)
Kesha, Chevy Metal and The Coattail Riders – ‘Children Of The Revolution’ (T-Rex cover)
The Coattail Riders with Justin Hawkins – ‘Louise’
The Coattail Riders with Justin Hawkins – ‘Range Rover Bitch’
The Coattail Riders with Justin Hawkins – ‘It’s Over’
Dave Grohl, Wolfgang Van Halen, Justin Hawkins and Josh Freese – ‘On Fire’ (Van Halen cover)
Dave Grohl, Wolfgang Van Halen, Justin Hawkins and Josh Freese – ‘Hot For Teacher’ (Van Halen cover)
Violet Grohl, Greg Kurstin, Alain Johannes, Chris Chaney, Jason Falkner and Dave Grohl – ‘Last Goodbye’ (Jeff Buckley cover)
Violet Grohl, Greg Kurstin, Alain Johannes, Chris Chaney, Jason Falkner and Dave Grohl – ‘Grace’ (Jeff Buckley cover)
Supergrass – ‘Going Out’
Supergrass – ‘Alright’
Supergrass – ‘Caught By The Fuzz’
Them Crooked Vultures – ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ (Elton John cover)
Them Crooked Vultures – ‘Gunman’
Them Crooked Vultures – ‘Long Slow Goodbye’ (Queens of the Stone Age cover)
The Pretenders with Dave Grohl – ‘Precious’
The Pretenders with Dave Grohl – ‘Tattooed Love Boys’
The Pretenders with Dave Grohl – ‘Brass In Pocket’
James Gang – ‘Walk Away’
James Gang – ‘The Bomber: Closet Queen / Bolero / Cast Your Fate To The Wind’
James Gang with Dave Grohl – ‘Funk #49’
Violet Grohl, Mark Ronson, Chris Chaney and Jason Falkner – ‘Valerie’ (Amy Winehouse cover)
Brian Johnson, Lars Ulrich and Foo Fighters – ‘Back In Black’ (AC/DC cover)
Brian Johnson, Lars Ulrich and Foo Fighters – ‘Let There Be Rock’ (AC/DC cover)
Stewart Copeland with Foo Fighters – ‘Next To You’ (The Police cover)
Stewart Copeland, Gaz Coombes, and Foo Fighters – ‘Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic’ (The Police cover)
Rush and Dave Grohl – ‘2112 Part I: Overture’
Rush and Dave Grohl – ‘Working Man’
Rush and Omar Hakim – ‘YYZ’
Queen, Foo Fighters, Rufus Taylor and Luke Spiller – ‘We Will Rock You’
Queen, Foo Fighters, and Rufus Taylor – ‘I’m In Love With My Car’
Queen, Foo Fighters, Sam Ryder, and Rufus Taylor – ‘Somebody To Love’
Brian May – ‘Love Of My Life’
Foo Fighters with Josh Freese – ‘Times Like These’
Foo Fighters with Josh Freese – ‘All My Life’
Foo Fighters with Travis Barker – ‘The Pretender’
Foo Fighters with Travis Barker – ‘Monkey Wrench’
Foo Fighters with Nandi Bushell – ‘Learn To Fly’
Foo Fighters with Rufus Taylor – ‘These Days’
Foo Fighters with Rufus Taylor – ‘Best Of You’
Paul McCartney, Chrissie Hynde, Foo Fighters and Omar Hakim – ‘Oh! Darling’ (The Beatles cover)
Paul McCartney, Foo Fighters and Omar Hakim – ‘Helter Skelter’ (The Beatles cover)
Foo Fighters with Omar Hakim – ‘Aurora’
Foo Fighters with Shane Hawkins – ‘My Hero’
Dave Grohl – ‘Everlong’