Foo Fighters highlighted the gravity of family during their emotional first festival performance of 2023 Friday (May 26). With Taylor Hawkins at the top of everyone’s mind, Foo Fighters brought out the late drummer’s son Shane for their headlining set at Boston Calling.
“We’ve been in this band so long, we really are a family,” Dave Grohl said before playing a solo rendition of “Cold Day in the Sun” —a song he used to sing with Taylor. “And our families are with us tonight, because we need to do this together.”
Grohl previously performed the track for the first time in five years during the band’s warm up show in Gilford, New Hampshire, earlier this week. “I tried to do it the other night, and I’m gonna try to do it again,” Grohl said Friday. “And I’m gonna do it for Taylor’s family, and I’m gonna do it for Taylor.”
Immediately following, Grohl welcomed “one of my favorite drummers in the world” onstage: Shane. He joined Foo Fighters for “I’ll Stick Around,” one of the songs Shane played during his father’s tribute in Los Angeles.
As Shane spent some time adjusting new Foo Fighters drummer Josh Freese’s kit, Grohl joked, “Oh my god, there is a curfew, Shane!” He then promptly cut off Grohl’s introduction of the song, slamming into the performance with all of the passion and skill of a pro. Check out a video of the moment below.
Grohl’s own child, Violet, also made an appearance during the set. She was was introduced prior to “Cold Day in the Sun” to perform “Shame Shame” with her father, and then sat on the drum riser for “Rope.”
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