Image via Red Hot Chili Peppers Instagram

Yesterday, the Red Hot Chili Peppers performed their headling slot at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. The space was originally slated for Foo Fighters who recently pull out of all their upcoming tour dates due to the tragic and untimely death of their drummer and friend Taylor Hawkins.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers dedicated the set to Hawkins, whose widow, Alison, and best friend Dave Grohl watched from the wings. Additionally, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith played with a kit that had a bass drum with a hawk silhouette that Hawkins’ had tattooed on his arm with “Taylor” written within the image.

At the end of the 90-minute set, after playing their 2022 release “Black Summer,” Smith stood up and walk to the front of his stage. He said, “Foo fighters were supposed to play here tonight, we love the Foo Fighters and we love our brother Taylor Hawkins, so this means a lot to us to play for them, the guys in the band are here.” After looking toward Alison he continued, “The beautiful thing… We love them. We love them. So, on three I wanna hear everybody we love Taylor.” The crowd responded on three, with a deafening “WE LOVE TAYLOR!”

Before Jazz Fest began news broke that Alison planned to see their performance and that she wanted to celebrate his life, the music and his friends. She said, “This is what he would want and he would be very happy that you guys are playing and he would want it to be nothing but a positive experience.”

Watch fan footage of the tribute below: