A packed line-up including Paul McCartney and Liam Gallagher joined the Foo Fighters for an emotional tribute to the band’s drummer Taylor Hawkins at a concert in London on Saturday night.   

  Hawkins, 50, died in March in Bogota, Colombia, hours before the Foo Fighters took the stage at the Festival Estereo Picnic.  The band immediately canceled their remaining tour dates.   

  Saturday’s concert was the first time the band performed together since Hawkins’ death.   

  According to British news agency PA Media, a tearful Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl told the crowd at London’s Wembley Stadium: “Taylor loved to jam and record with anyone and everyone.  He loved playing music every day.  And there aren’t too many people he’s never stuck with.  So this collection of friends, family and musicians, all of that was brought together by him and we’re all connected here today by this one guy.”   

  The theme of family was always present throughout the show.  Sixteen-year-old Oliver Shane Hawkins joined his father’s band for a powerful rendition of Foo Fighters’ “My Hero.”   

  “Ladies and gentlemen, we have one more drummer coming and playing with us,” Grohl said as he welcomed his son Hawkins to the stage.  “And let me tell you, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone beat the drums as hard as this person, but beyond that, he’s part of our family.  And he should be here tonight with all of us, and I think it only makes sense that he should come and play with us tonight.”   

  Some of the biggest names in music turned out to honor Hawkins, including Queen’s Roger Taylor and Brian May, Rush, AC/DC singer Brian Johnson and Nile Rodgers.  The Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde, pop star Kesha, Eurovision star Sam Ryder and The Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins were also in attendance.   

  In a pre-recorded message, Elton John called Hawkins “an incredible drummer” and remembered him “playing on my last album, which I was excited about and honored.”   

  “Tonight is about remembering him, honoring him and never forgetting him,” John added, according to the PA.   

  Comedians Dave Chappelle and Jason Sudeikis also took the stage to tell jokes about their relationship with Hawkins’ music.   

  Concertgoers described the “incredible” atmosphere at the concert, telling CNN that everyone was there to honor Hawkins and “it couldn’t have been better.”   

  “As it was the first concert since he passed, it was very emotional, very raw,” said Carolina Madeira.  “Dave [Grohl] he almost broke down, and the atmosphere was just incredible, people were cheering him, trying to help him continue singing.  I was crying like a baby…everyone burst into tears.”   

  The 35-year-old said she didn’t know where Hawkins’ son found the strength to play, adding: ‘He was so good on the drums and you could see the connection with the band was real, you could see the energy from him.  It’s a difficult thing, especially at 16, he was incredible.”   

  Saturday’s concert was the first of two festivities honoring Hawkins.  A second tribute concert will be held on September 27 in Los Angeles.  Proceeds from the events will go to the charities Music Support and MusiCares, both chosen by the Hawkins family.   

  Hawkins joined the Foo Fighters in 1997, first appearing with the band on the tour supporting their second album, “The Color and the Shape”.