It’s moments like these that show what made the Foo Fighters’ live shows particularly memorable events: When Dave Grohl struggled with vocal problems at Rock am Ring in 2018, his friend and bandmate Taylor Hawkins immediately stood by his side .
Grohl explained at the time that he had contracted a flu from his children. He had already struggled through the two-hour set at Rock im Park, but now the Rock am Ring gig was on the brink. His voice sounded cracked, he was completely snotty and hoarse. And yet the man, who plays with a broken leg himself, somehow wanted to get the performance over with. While the screaming still managed to some extent, the band’s particularly melodic tracks caused problems. This was evident, for example, in “Times Like These”. Hawkins, who on drums sympathized with how much singing was a strain on his friend, eventually sang along unasked – and eventually took over the song entirely.
Here’s the moment:
“Times Like These” at the Taylor Hawkins Tribute
With that history, “Times Like These” takes on even more weight at the September 3 tribute concert for Taylor Hawkins in London. It is possible that this small but touching tour anecdote went through Grohl’s head during the preparations for the big show in honor of his deceased friend.
The song was arguably one of the most moving moments of the evening as the intro had the Foo Fighters singer fighting back tears – as did thousands who followed the band live at Wembley Stadium or via livestream at home.