Foo Fighters have announced their return to the stage and it’s happening a lot sooner than one might suspect. Today the band has been announced as a headlining act at three different U.S. festivals slated for this summer. Having missed their previously announced slot at last year’s Danny Wimmer Presents festival circuit (due to Taylor Hawkins’ passing), Foo Fighters have returned to headline 2023’s DWP’s Sonic Temple festival alongside Tool, KISS, and Avenged Sevenfold. Additionally Foo Fighters are also slated to headline at 2023’s Boston Calling and Tennesee’s Bonaroo festival. Apart from the band’s 2022 tribute shows honoring drummer Taylor Hawkins, these upcoming performances will mark the band’s first shows since Hawkins’ passing.
While the Taylor Hawkins Tribute concerts featured a litany of different acts and musicians, many of whom played alongside Foo Fighters, it’s unclear what these 2023 Foo Fighters shows will look like by comparison. It’s very possible the band will cycle through a number of drummers at these upcoming festival shows similar to how they did at the Hawkins Tribute concerts, or Foo Fighters could very well have a new permanent drummer they’re considering. Whatever the case may be, Foo Fighters are going to be a very different band without Taylor Hawkins, and that’s something both fans and the band are well in tuned with. In fact, prior to these festival announcements Foo Fighters’ posted a statement reflecting on the very difficult past year and what the path moving forward looks like for the band:
“Foo Fighters were formed 27 years ago to represent the healing power of music and a continuation of life,” the band wrote in the statement. “And for the past 27 years our fans have built a worldwide community, a devoted support system that has helped us all get through the darkest of times together. A place to share our joy and our pain, our hopes and fears, and to join in a chorus of life together through music. Without Taylor, we never would have become the band that we were – and without Taylor, we know that we’re going to be a different band going forward.”
There’s sure to be more news coming regarding Foo Fighters larger plans for 2023 and these specific shows, but you can bet that these performances will be a celebration of Taylor Hawkins as much as they’ll be a celebration of Foo Fighters’ triumphant return to the stage.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/quentinsinger/2023/01/10/foo-fighters-are-officially-coming-back-in-2023/