“Check this out, he’s serious!” exclaimed Dave Grohl as Shane Hawkins joined Foo Fighters on drums for two consecutive shows in London.
It’s been almost two years since Shane Hawkins made a memorable appearance at Wembley, honoring his late father Taylor Hawkins by performing “My Hero” with Foo Fighters at the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert. This past weekend, the 17-year-old, known for his regular gigs with his father’s band Chevy Metal, joined Foo Fighters at London Stadium for back-to-back performances.
At Thursday’s concert, Shane took over Josh Freese’s impressive DW double-bass drum kit for a spirited rendition of “I’ll Stick Around,” a track from Foo Fighters’ debut album, where Dave Grohl famously played most of the instruments himself. “Hi Shane, thanks for patiently waiting three hours to jam with us,” Grohl acknowledged before the performance, setting the stage for Shane’s explosive drumming. His style and energy mirrored his father’s, with touches of Grohl’s own distinctive drumming style adding to the mix.
Despite a few minor hiccups, possibly caused by Grohl’s spontaneous alteration of a verse, Shane’s performance impressed fans, many of whom suggested he could step into his father’s role full-time.
Returning on Saturday, Shane reprised the song that has become a personal tribute to his father. Foo Fighters have been performing a more subdued version of the track since their 2023 tour, but Shane brought back its iconic drum intro, prompting Grohl to tease the crowd, “Watch this, he’s not messing around!” The band opted for a classic rendition, extending the live jam section with tempo shifts and an electrifying drum solo from Shane.
Throughout, Grohl visibly proud, cheered Shane on, culminating in a heartfelt hug onstage, Grohl quipping to the audience with a laugh, “Who let this kid in!”
