Foo Fighters reveal major update after tragic death of drummer Taylor Hawkins
THEY will play gigs across the US and Canada this summer for the first time since the death of their bandmate Taylor Hawkins.
And now the Foo Fighters are preparing to reveal which drummers will play in Taylor’s place.
Insiders tell me Pearl Jam rocker Matt Cameron, a close friend of Taylor’s, is lined up for the gigs, as is Angels & Airwaves drummer Atom Willard.
A source said: “The Foos have been working with a number of musicians close to Taylor and the band over the past few months.
“Matt and Atom are front runners to drum at the gigs, the first of which is in May.
“Primarily it will be Matt but Atom will be on rotation with him. They have both been rehearsing at Studio 606, the Foos’ studio.
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“Matt was a great friend of Taylor’s and is very close with the Foos’ frontman Dave Grohl.
“The final arrangements are being put in place but it’s looking very likely that Matt will be playing those gigs across the US in summer.”
After Taylor died last March from a “cardiovascular collapse” while the band were in Colombia, the group put on two major charity gigs.
At the London event at Wembley Stadium last September, the Foos played with such stars as Sir Paul McCartney, Roger Taylor and Brian May.
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Dave told the crowd: “Taylor loved to jam with anybody and everybody, so this collection of friends and family and musicians is brought together by him and we’re all connected here today by that one guy.”
The gig also saw a reunion of supergroup Them Crooked Vultures, made up of Dave, Josh Homme and John Paul Jones.
As a big fan of the Foos I am so pleased to see them preparing to return to live music.
SNOW PATROL guitarist Nathan Connolly has announced his debut solo album, The Strange Order Of Things, out on April 21.
CAUGHT LIVE
LIZZO @ O2 Arena, London
★★★★★
By Howell Davies
BENDING over to twerk on stage, Lizzo shouts in a faux-Cockney accent: “Someone’s been eating their crumpets and scones!”
She is an absolute bundle of joy, bringing the ultimate feel-good performance, which was deservedly met with lengthy standing ovations.
The Special Tour is Lizzo’s first time playing arenas as a headliner, but she looked perfectly comfortable backed by a troupe of ten curvy dancers.
And she genuinely seemed to be having the time of her life, unlike a lot of her contemporaries who have struggled with playing live.
There was plenty of twerking, costume changes, incredible vocals and hit singles to get the crowd beaming.
She darted from empowering monologues to compliments about the audience’s outfits, then brought it back to the music with fan faves including Cuz I Love You and Good As Hell.
This show proves she is the 21st Century’s most fabulous pop diva – and there is far more to come.
Good as Gould in Ibiza
SHE prefers shots of wheat-grass to vodka, but that won’t stop health-conscious Ellie Goulding letting loose this summer.
I can reveal she is planning to jet out to party island Ibiza to perform Miracle, her collaboration with Calvin Harris, live for the first time.
Calvin has a massive summer residency there every Friday.
Ellie, who will release delayed fifth album Higher Than Heaven next month, told me: “I’ve decided I’m going to force myself on to the stage to sing live with him.”
Miracle is expected to enter the Top Ten today so everyone will know the words by the time she pops up on that stage.
LOOKING SWELL, RIHANNA
RIHANNA kept her pregnancy secret for months but now she’s not letting anyone forget she is expecting.
The mum-of-one wore this striped crop top to show off her growing belly while on a stroll with rapper partner A$AP Rocky in Hollywood.
After pulling off a spectacular Super Bowl half-time show comeback and performing her single Lift Me Up at Sunday’s Oscars, RiRi is expected to keep a low profile for the rest of the year as the couple expand their brood.
I previously told how she has quietly lined up a massive tour for next year, rumoured to include a headline slot at Glastonbury.
Glasto organiser Emily Eavis confirmed two of the festival’s 2024 headliners will likely be women amid a backlash over this year’s all-male line-up of top stars.
Elton John, Arctic Monkeys and Guns N’ Roses will all take to the Pyramid Stage in June.
I’ll keep my fingers crossed she will be there next time.
ROB SLAMS FEES GREED
THE Cure star Robert Smith hit the roof after putting “affordable” tickets on sale for their shows – only for Ticketmaster to charge fans more money in fees than the cost of the tickets themselves.
Seats for their US tour were priced as low as £16 but one fan was then faced with a £9.70 service fee, a facility charge of £8.30 and a processing fee of £4.60.
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In an angry tweet, Robert wrote: “I am as sickened as you all are by today’s Ticketmaster ‘fees’ debacle.
“To be very clear, the artist has no way to limit them. I have been asking how they are justified.”