Foo Fighters have announced the cancellation of all tour dates in the aftermath of the death of drummer Taylor Hawkins last week.
The band, whose North American tour was to include a stop at the Pavilion at Star Lake in the Burgettstown venue’s first show of the season, released this statement:
“It is with great sadness that Foo Fighters confirm the cancellation of all upcoming tour dates in light of the staggering loss of our brother Taylor Hawkins. We’re sorry for and share in the disappointment that we won’t be seeing one another as planned. Instead, let’s take this time to grieve, to heal, to pull our loved ones close, and to appreciate all the music and memories we’ve made together.
“With Love,
“Foo Fighters”
Hawkins, the band’s beloved drummer, died Friday at 50 while the band was on tour in Bogota, Colombia, at the Festival Estéreo Picnic. An ambulance was sent to the hotel where he was staying. The found him being treated by a medical professional, but efforts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.
"The Foo Fighters family is devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of our beloved Taylor Hawkins. His musical spirit and infectious laughter will live on with all of us forever," the band said on Twitter. "Our hearts go out to his wife, children and family, and we ask that their privacy be treated with the utmost respect in this unimaginably difficult time."
— Foo Fighters (@foofighters) March 29, 2022
Hawkins, for 25 years the drummer for Foo Fighters and best friend of frontman Dave Grohl, died during a South American tour with the band. He was 50.
The Bogota municipal government issued a statement Saturday that the city's emergency center had received a report of a patient with “chest pain” and sent an ambulance, though a private ambulance had already arrived at the hotel in northern Bogota.
Health workers tried to revive him, but were unable to do so.
Colombia’s Prosecutor’s Office released a statement Saturday saying toxicological tests on urine from Mr. Hawkins’ body preliminarily found 10 psychoactive substances and medicines, including marijuana, opioids, tricyclic antidepressants and benzodiazepines. It did not provide a cause of death and investigations are continuing.
After Grohl, Hawkins was the most recognizable member of the group, appearing alongside the lead singer in interviews and playing prominent, usually comic, roles in the band's memorable videos and their recent horror-comedy film, “Studio 666.”
Digging back into rock history, Led Zeppelin and The Who took very different approaches to the loss of their beloved drummers.
Led Zeppelin canceled its tour, which was scheduled for Pittsburgh’s Civic Arena, and disbanded soon after drummer Jon Bonham’s death in 1980.
After the passing of Keith Moon in September 1978, The Who hired Kenney Jones of Faces two months later and began to tour in early 1979. Said Pete Townshend, "We are more determined than ever to carry on, and we want the spirit of the group to which Keith contributed so much to go on, although no human being can ever take his place."
The Rolling Stones launched their stadium tour immediately after the death of Charlie Watts last year, but he had not planned to be a part of it.
The Associated Press contributed.
First Published: March 29, 2022, 6:56 p.m.
Updated: March 30, 2022, 1:59 p.m.