Faith & Gratitude (pt 1)
Faith & Gratitude (pt 2)
Closer To The Heart
The show wasn’t overtly broken into segments, but after the high octane ‘80s heavy metal bangers, I noticed a shift toward musicians who’d recorded with Taylor. Kicking things off was Elliot Easton (The Cars), who got everyone dancing by launching into Shake It Up and Just What I Needed.
Like Mike Tyson, the hits kept comin’ when Pink and Nancy Wilson played Barracuda along with Jon Theodore on drums (QOSTA).
Another highlight for me, was when Dave introduced the symphonic drummer of The Police, Stewart Copeland. As a kid, I spent years practicing his songs on the drums. He always had a rhythmic magic I could never manifest. All these years later, Copeland still has that magic and invokes it with a smile. No wonder he and Taylor were buds. They’re not only drum brothers, but both captains of charisma.
Copeland finished as Chad Smith (RHC) jumped on Taylor’s kit. Swirling guitar strings meshed with a snare drum march. No introductions, no idea what was coming until an unmistakable voice sang, “I want you to know that I'm happy for you, I wish nothing but the best for you both.” Pacing like a lioness, Alanis Morissette tore into, You Oughta Know. Taylor had spent his early years touring with her before joining Foo Fighters. This moment was a beautiful full circle. When the song finished, the only time she stood still, was to be wrapped in a bearhug of solidarity with Dave.
The monstrous Tama drum kit of Lars Ulrich appeared, joined by Geezer Butler & Sebastian Bach, who whipped through Black Sabbath classics Supernaut and Paranoid.
Before the show, the Utah guys and I wondered if there’d be any special guests. I had three guesses: Ringo, Perry Farrell, or Jack Black. Sure ’nuff, the Forum shook as JB took the stage, announcing, “Ladies and Gentlemen… RUSH!” Besides Foo Fighters, Rush is the band I’ve most in concert. Having Geddy and Alex, back in the Forum, where I saw their last concert ever, was triumphant. Playing 3 songs, each with a different drummer, allowed “Rush-heads” like me to go absolutely ballistic… and I did.
Those three drummers, plus RUSH, plus the last FOUR HOURS of music!?! - Stick a fork in me; I’m done. Then Dave says, “Please welcome some friends from Seattle.” My f**king god, the stage nearly buckled when the heavy sounds from Kim Thayil (Soundgarden), Matt Cameron (Soundgarden/Pearl Jam), Krist Novoselic (Nirvana), Pat Smear, and Dave filled the air. Lead vocals were by Taylor Momsen, the one name on the bill I didn’t recognize, but will now never forget. Holy shit, can that woman sing.
Lights came up as the Foo Fighters filled the stage. Greg Kurstin, backup singers, and two drummers climbed behind their kits. Then, the angelic halo of Brian May walked on stage to the anthem beat of We Will Rock You hammering out by both Roger Taylor and his son Rufus. Justin Hawkins taking vocals, the song switched from football (soccer) chant to a slamming rock version of the song.
Roger stood from his kit to sing I’m in Love With My Car, while Rufus kept the beat. After, Justin returned to duet Under Pressure with Roger. This whole show, I’d been dancing my ass off and screaming my balls off, until now. This song, a staple duet between Dave and Taylor at Foo shows, cracked my ecstatic buzz. Everyone singing…
Keep coming up with love, but it's so slashed and torn
Why, why, why!?
Love, love, love, love, love
Insanity laughs under pressure - We're breaking!
And I broke.
I couldn’t stop my tears from falling. Can't we give ourselves one more chance?
Why can't we give love that one more chance? Life gives us no second chances. Embrace everything you have in the present. All the times I laughed with Dave and Taylor’s interplay during this song are now lost to time (and YouTube).
The song rang out, and I grabbed Roxy’s t-shirt to wipe away my tears. She gave me a gentle smile of understanding. I said, “Thanks for keeping your promise.”
Then, alone, Brian took center stage with his acoustic guitar. “I wasn’t going to play this song tonight, but then I got a message from Allison Hawkins (Taylor’s wife). She said, I want you to play this song for me and Taylor. It was our wedding song, please ask everyone to sing it as my gift to the love of my life.”
The room sparkled with every light the audience had to offer, as Brian invited Allison to the stage. Standing with her two daughters the roar of love and compassion from the audience was earthshaking. She gave us a wave, blew a kiss to the sky, and said, “I love you, Taylor.”
Foo Fighters
Almost five hours had passed. It was time for the Foo to do their thing. In the dark, organ tones droned, and Dave’s guitar began to feedback. I prepared myself for the gospel version of Times Like These that they opened their Wembley set with. This rendition of the song begs introspection, so much so that it moved Grohl to tears singing it at Wembley. Dave stood feet away from me, head down, quietly twirling a guitar pick between his fingers. I had no doubt he was fortifying his constitution one last time to perform this song in Taylor’s honor.
Then, instead of singing, Dave’s guitar began crunching the rhythmic intro to All My Life. And that’s when the whole night suddenly made sense. The eagle, or should I say, the Hawk had landed. The Wembley tribute was a release of heartbreak. Los Angeles is to celebrate Taylor’s love of Rock n’ Roll. I howled at the top of my lungs and didn’t stop till the show ended. Twenty years of playing the drums had almost made me deaf. Tonight I was going home mute. LET’S ROCK!
With Patrick Wilson from Weezer on drums, the Foo’s played The Sky is a Neighborhood, and then this happened…
A Final Bow
While writing about this show, one last spiritual piece of life’s puzzle slipped into place. As a kid, I struggled with death and grieving. My sister was killed when I was twelve, and then my mom died three years later from cancer. I had a lot of reasons to lose faith of every kind. But over the years, I’ve forged a relationship with my own higher power, and music plays a big part.
A few weeks before the show, a friend asked what I thought happened when we die. Here’s my take: I think that bright light at the end of “the tunnel” leads to a stage. A literal concert stage at the center of The Universe, Heaven, Shangri-la, Valhalla, Nirvana, Zion, whatever you choose to call it. Arriving side-stage, we are greeted by our closest family, embraced, and filled with joy. Every ounce of negativity we ever felt is stripped away. The feeling is so good you could almost puke. Then, a stage manager, maybe St. Peter, maybe Stanley Kubrick, pulls you aside and says, “You’re up.” Pointing to the band, you see all your favorite musicians and artists, jamming some cosmic tune we all already know. You’re handed a guitar, mic, drumsticks, paintbrush, poem, typewriter, dance shoes, whatever medium your heart connects with, and then… You take the stage.
After that? I dunno. Maybe we’re born again, or we transition into the audience and bliss out on watching every new person take the stage. What I know for sure is that we are one, connected, by blood, bone, stardust and music.
Why am I talking about this? Because for six hours, it felt like heaven on earth. There I was, watching my favorite musicians, play my favorite songs, and I was there to sing along. Collectively celebrating a musician who rejoined the best band in the cosmos. Thanks to his music, Taylor will never be too far away, just far enough that we can’t shake hands, chat, or jam together. That is, until I walk down that bright tunnel, put my eyes on that stage, and see him, next to Peart and Bonham, rocking with Eddie, Hendrix, Jerry, Cliff, Jaco, Morrison, Kurt, Chris, and whoever else is able to welcome me when I’m gone. Until then, may the music never stop.
The Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts ticket and merchandise sales benefit charities chosen by the Hawkins family: Music Support and MusiCares. For further information or to make a donation, visit Music Support and MusiCares.
Just read all three parts and you really made me feel like I was there. Sounds like it was a beautiful scene and your closing section was very inspiring
Thank you for putting into words what it felt like to be there. Beautifully written and photographed by you and Andi Taylor. Now that my legs are working—Can we do it again? xo Mikell