Quick Answer
It is currently unclear if Foo Fighters will tour again in Australia. The band was scheduled to perform shows in Australia in late 2022 as part of their worldwide tour, but those shows were canceled after the sudden death of drummer Taylor Hawkins in March 2022. The band has not made any official announcements about future touring plans since Hawkins’ passing. However, given Foo Fighters’ popularity in Australia and their history of touring there frequently, it seems likely they will return to Australia when they are ready to tour again. But any future touring plans are probably on hold indefinitely as the band continues to grieve the loss of Hawkins.
When and where did Foo Fighters last perform in Australia?
Foo Fighters most recently toured Australia in early 2018 as part of their Concrete and Gold world tour. On that tour, they played six shows in the following cities:
City | Venue | Date |
---|---|---|
Perth | Perth Arena | January 24, 2018 |
Brisbane | Suncorp Stadium | January 27, 2018 |
Melbourne | Etihad Stadium | January 30, 2018 |
Adelaide | Coopers Stadium | February 2, 2018 |
Sydney | ANZ Stadium | February 5, 2018 |
Sydney | Qoos Bank Arena | February 8, 2018 |
Prior to that, Foo Fighters headlined the 2015 Big Day Out festival in Australia, performing in Melbourne, the Gold Coast, Adelaide, Perth, and Sydney. Their last full scale tour in Australia before 2018 was in 2011 in support of their Wasting Light album.
Foo Fighters’ touring history in Australia
Foo Fighters have regularly toured Australia since their first visit in 1995. Some highlights of their performance history in Australia include:
- 1995 – First Australian show at the Metro nightclub in Sydney
- 1998 – Tours Australia for the first time as a headliner
- 2000 – Plays sold out arena shows on The One by One tour
- 2002 – Headlines the Sydney Superdome
- 2005 – Plays set at the historic Live 8 concert in Melbourne
- 2011 – Wasting Light Australian tour with Weezer supporting
- 2015 – Headlines the Big Day Out festival nationally
- 2018 – Concrete and Gold tour includes stadium shows
Clearly the band has a strong connection with Australian fans developed over decades of touring there.
What plans did Foo Fighters have for Australia in 2022 before Taylor Hawkins’ death?
Foo Fighters planned a major tour of Australia and New Zealand in late 2022, their first time returning to the region since 2018.
The tour was scheduled to take place in November and December 2022 and included headlining stadium and arena shows:
City | Venue | Date |
---|---|---|
Wellington, NZ | Sky Stadium | November 25, 2022 |
Auckland, NZ | Mt Smart Stadium | November 27, 2022 |
Brisbane | Suncorp Stadium | December 3, 2022 |
Melbourne | Marvel Stadium | December 7, 2022 |
Sydney | Accor Stadium | December 10, 2022 |
They planned to play full shows rather than festival appearances. It would have been the band’s first time performing in New Zealand since 1998. Unfortunately, all of these shows were canceled following the death of drummer Taylor Hawkins on March 25, 2022.
Tickets sold quickly for Foo Fighters’ planned Australia/NZ tour
When the Australia/New Zealand tour was announced in October 2021, tickets went on sale a month later and sold rapidly due to high fan demand. The stadium shows in particular were expected to have 80,000+ attendance capacity. Music industry experts remarked that it reflected Foo Fighters’ unusually huge popularity in the region.
After cancelling the tour, the band issued refunds to all ticketholders. But the swift sellouts indicate that Australians are eager for Foo Fighters’ return.
What have Foo Fighters said about touring since Taylor Hawkins’ death?
Foo Fighters ceased all upcoming tour dates and promotional appearances after Taylor Hawkins died in Bogota, Colombia on March 25, 2022. The band entered an indefinite hiatus as they mourned the loss of their drummer and brother.
In early September 2022, the surviving Foo Fighters members – Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, Pat Smear, and Rami Jaffee – released a statement that collectively said:
“Without Taylor, we never would have become the band that we were – and without Taylor, we know that we’re going to be a different band going forward.”
This indicates that the band members plan to continue Foo Fighters eventually, but are still processing how to move forward. They have not made any official statements about touring plans, or specifically addressed the Australia/NZ tour cancellation.
For now it appears the band is focused on taking the necessary time to grieve and heal before making big decisions about reforming without Taylor Hawkins. Fans continue to show patience and support the band during this difficult transitional period.
Foo Fighters play emotional tribute shows for Taylor Hawkins
In September 2022, Foo Fighters held two massive tribute concerts for Taylor Hawkins at London’s Wembley Stadium and Los Angeles’ Kia Forum.
The shows featured an all-star lineup of musicians who collaborated with Foo Fighters to honor Hawkins’ memory and play Foo Fighters hits. Singers included Josh Homme, Liam Gallagher, Brian Johnson, Stewart Copeland, and Hawkins’ 16-year-old son Shane Hawkins, who took the drums on “My Hero.”
The concerts provided Foo Fighters and fans communal mourning. But it remains to be seen when and how Foo Fighters will return to standard touring without Hawkins. For now, they are still grieving.
What factors may influence Foo Fighters’ decision to tour Australia again?
Several key factors are likely to impact Foo Fighters’ decision and timing to return to Australia for a future tour:
- Grieving process – They will resume touring on their own emotional timeframe
- Filling drummer role – Will need time to decide if/how to replace Hawkins
- Fan demand – Their popularity in Australia means fans will eagerly await their return
- Promoting a new album – May want to tour Australia when they release a new post-Hawkins album
- Logistics and COVID – Ease of international touring routing and restrictions
Foo Fighters will balance their own readiness with the strong desire from Australian fans to have them back. But the band has not set any timeline.
Possible replacement drummers for Foo Fighters
As Foo Fighters consider reforming without Taylor Hawkins, one big question is who would take over as drummer. Shane Hawkins participated in the tribute shows, but at 16 years old is not likely to join permanently.
Some possibilities that have been speculated for potential Foo Fighters drummers include:
- Josh Freese – Session drummer who has toured with Foo Fighters before
- Travis Barker – Blink-182 drummer and friend of the band
- Omar Hakim – Veteran drummer who drummed on some Concrete and Gold tracks
- Rufus Taylor – Son of Queen drummer Roger Taylor who has drummed with Foo Fighters before
- A new permanent drummer that has not drummed with them previously
Replacing Hawkins will be difficult both musically and emotionally. His drumming style was a core part of the Foo Fighters sound. Whoever takes over drums would have huge shoes to fill.
Conclusion
Taylor Hawkins’ shocking death has put Foo Fighters’ future on hold. It remains unclear when and if Foo Fighters will tour Australia again, but their popularity in the region and long history of shows there indicates it is very likely once they are emotionally ready to return to the road.
The strong ticket sales for their cancelled 2022 Australia/New Zealand tour shows that demand from fans remains high. But Foo Fighters will first need to work through the healing process and decide whether to continue as a band and with what new drummer configuration. While nothing is confirmed yet regarding their Australia return, most signs point to Foo Fighters coming back down under when they have sufficiently honored Hawkins’ legacy and are ready to rock stages again.