Pearl Jam paid tribute to Taylor Hawkins by covering the track Foo Fighters cold day in the sun during their May 7 show at the Forum in Los Angeles.
The performance, captured in the fan footage above, is led by drummer Matt Cameron, who is temporarily switching over to guitar and vocals, and whom Vedder describes as having been “very close with Taylor”.
“It’s never easy when you lose someone,” says Eddie Vedder, in his introduction. “As you get older, you’ll notice that it starts to happen more and more. It’s just where you are on the timeline and where your friends are on the timeline. But sometimes, like that, it’s just so unexpected. But makes also made things more difficult because he was someone who really, really loved living life on this planet. So I guess the only thing that consoles us is the fact that he never wasted a moment and that lived his life to the fullest. We just want more.
Cameron’s position on the drum stool is taken over by Mark Guiliana, the famed jazz player who played in David Bowie’s finale. Black Star album. Meanwhile, Vedder is joined on stage back left by Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith (who sticks to a tambourine) and Pearl Jam touring guitarist (and former RHCP man) Josh Klinghofer.
Cameron puts in a solid performance of a track that was written and sung by Hawkins for the 2005 Foo Fighters album, In your honor. The drummer previously worked with Hawkins on their 2020 Nighttime Boogie Association project and expressed his grief at Hawkin’s death in March, writing on Instagram:
“I love Taylor Hawkins. He brought so much joy and happiness into my life. I can’t believe he’s gone. I fucking miss him already. My deepest love and condolences to everyone. Foo Fighters organization and the beautiful Hawkins family.
The shock of the 50-year-old Hawkins’ death continues to resonate in musical circles, with performances and tributes from Paul McCartney to Sammy Hagar, Scott Ian and Mammoth WVH, among many others.