Dave Grohl chokes back tears in emotional return to stage

Rocker Dave Grohl was overcome with emotions during the tribute concert for his late bandmate and dear friend Taylor Hawkins in London.

The 53-year-old was joined by some of the music industry’s biggest names, such as Sir Paul McCartney, Liam Gallagher, and members of Queen for the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert.

The performance marks Grohl and his band’s first time returning to the stage following Hawkins’ death.

Ahead of the concert, the remaining band members took to the stage to address the massive crowd at Wembley Stadium.

“For those of you who knew him personally, you know that no one else could make you smile, or laugh, or dance, or sing, like he could. For those of you who admired him from afar, I’m sure you felt the same thing,” Grohl told the crowd.

“Tonight, we’ve gathered with family, and his closest friends, his musical heroes, and greatest inspirations, to bring you a gigantic f..king night, for a gigantic f..king person.”

While performing Times Like These, Grohl sobbed on stage as he continued to grieve his dear friend who passed away suddenly in March.

But the showman proved the rocker he is, as he continued their hit to the delight of fans.

Grohl was also joined on stage by Hawkins’ 16-year-old son who took to the drums for a powerful performance of the band’s song My Hero.

With pictures of the father and son shown on the projector, there wasn’t a dry eye in the crowd.

The teenager showed elements of his dad with a proud Grohl smiling from ear to ear as he watched on.

Also performing at the show-stopping concert was AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson, who performed Back in Black, Wolfgang Van Halen, and Queen’s Roger Taylor and Brian May.

May dedicated Love of My Life to Freddy Mercury and Hawkins.

“I know that Freddy would be very happy to use this song and to honour Taylor Hawkins,” he told the crowd.

Gallagher opened the show with a fitting rendition of Oasis’s Rock And Roll Star with Grohl on the drums.

Sir Paul’s appearance was a surprise, causing the crowd to go wild as Foo Fighters singer Dave Grohl introduced him, along with The Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde.

They played The Beatles’ songs Oh! Darling and Helter Skelter.

Hawkins died suddenly in a Colombian hotel room on March 25.

No cause of death was announced, although a toxicology report showed traces of 10 substances in his body, including opioids, marijuana and anti-depressants.

Investigators did not say whether the mix of drugs was a factor.

Following his death, the band announced they were cancelling their world tour which included a pitstop in Perth scheduled for November.

A second tribute concert will be held in Los Angeles later this month, with acts such as Alanis Morissette and Chad Smith from Red Hot Chili Peppers on the bill.