CHEVY METAL — the long-running cover band co-founded by the late FOO FIGHTERS drummer Taylor Hawkins — has announced four new headlining tour dates across the United States, along with ticketing details for select previously revealed shows.
The band’s summer itinerary begins Saturday, July 12 in Menlo Park, California at The Guild Theatre, followed by stops in Denver, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and elsewhere before wrapping up on Friday, September 5 at The Copa at The Bootlegger in Las Vegas.
CHEVY METAL will be leaving an especially big mark on Southern California in August, starting on Friday, August 8, at the Venice West in Venice Beach, then Saturday, August 9 at Alex’s Bar in Long Beach. They’ll close out that month with their annual charity gig on Saturday, August 31 at The Canyon Club in Agoura Hills, supporting the Eastwood Ranch Foundation, an animal welfare and rescue organization. The foundation is currently running its Double The Love – Double The Impact campaign: from May through September, every dollar donated will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $500,000, thanks to a generous donor — including proceeds from this show. Local openers will perform at each tour date, as listed below. Tickets are available now here.
CHEVY METAL got their start around 2002, when Taylor Hawkins began playing small gigs with bassist Wiley Hodgden — his longtime drum tech from the FOO FIGHTERS. Over the years, the lineup evolved, especially on guitar, and so did the scale of their shows. What began as a low-key side project grew into a full-throttle rock outfit, playing everything from intimate venues to major corporate events.
These days, guitar duties are handled by Brent Woods, who learned his craft from the legendary Randy Rhoads. And since Hawkins‘s death in 2022, the man keeping the beat for CHEVY METAL is none other than his 17-year-old son, Shane Hawkins.
To make things truly official in more ways than one, CHEVY METAL have released their first promo photo featuring all three band members (see above). The shoot took place a few weeks ago at their rehearsal studio in the Valley, captured by photographer Jeff Coggins (@jeffcogginsphoto).
“It’s been so awesome playing with Wiley and Brent in CHEVY METAL and keeping my dad’s legacy alive,” Shane Hawkins says. “It’s also super cool to cover songs from these legendary bands whose songs we perform. I can’t wait for our first tour — I’m really excited to bring my own vibe to the music.”
“The shows will be loud,” says co-founder Hodgden. “It’s old-school rock and roll: lots of drum solos. There will be cussing — sorry, we try not to, but it happens.”
CHEVY METAL‘s specialty as a ’70s dirt-rock cover band is turning deep album cuts into their own. “We don’t just play covers like the original,” says Woods. “We make them our own, as if we wrote them. We fuck them up a bit, speed the tempos, add jams, etc. We just have fun with it.”
Fans can expect a high-energy night of music sourced from such legends as BLACK SABBATH, VAN HALEN, THE POLICE, QUEEN, THIN LIZZY and THE ROLLING STONES, just to name a few.
Past surprise guests have included rock royalty such as Mick Jagger (THE ROLLING STONES),Alice Cooper, Joan Jett, Gene Simmons (KISS),Roger Taylor (QUEEN),Chad Smith and Flea (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS),Robby Krieger (THE DOORS),Sebastian Bach (SKID ROW),Nikki Sixx (MÖTLEY CRÜE),and, naturally, the FOO FIGHTERS.
CHEVY METAL‘s summer tour promises the same wild spirit, with a rotating set list and occasional musical guests. No two nights are ever the same.
CHEVY METAL 2025 summer tour dates:
Jul. 12 – Menlo Park, CA – The Guild Theatre
Jul. 19 – Denver, CO – Marquis Theater
Jul. 20 – Aspen, CO – Belly Up Aspen
Jul. 23 – Allston, MA – Brighton Music Hall
Jul. 24 – New York, NY – Gramercy Theatre
Jul. 25 – Philadelphia, PA – The Foundry
Jul. 26 – Washington, DC – The Atlantis
Aug. 8 – Venice Beach, CA – The Venice West
Aug. 9 – Long Beach, CA – Alex’s Bar
Aug. 31 – Agoura Hills, CA – The Canyon*
Sep. 5 – Las Vegas, NV – The Copa at The Bootlegger
* THE ALIVE opening
CHEVY METAL were ignited in 2002 by the rhythmic prowess of Taylor Hawkins and his longtime friend and musician Wiley Hodgden. Taylor, recognized worldwide as the iconic drummer for the FOO FIGHTERS, brought a relentless energy to the stage fueled by his infectious passion for classic rock. Wiley, a singer and bass player, was the drum tech for Hawkins at this time. Together, they envisioned CHEVY METAL as a side hustle cover band that focused on quintessential rock classics mixed with deep cuts.
As the band evolved, Taylor and Wiley welcomed into the fold the extraordinary talents of guitarist Brent Woods, a seasoned touring and session guitarist and a student of the late legend Randy Rhoads.
CHEVY METAL spent the first 10 years as a band playing dive bars and small clubs, then progressed to the grandeur of arenas, festivals and even stadiums, sharing the stage with Rock And Roll Hall Of Famers Dave Grohl, Joan Jett and Mick Jagger, among other greats.
After Taylor‘s untimely passing in 2022, CHEVY METAL‘s members paid tribute to him later that year at star-studded memorial shows in London and California. These were thought to be CHEVY METAL‘s final performances, but Taylor‘s son, Shane Hawkins, decided that the band must endure, thus taking his father’s place as its drummer.
Wiley, Brent and Shane continue to channel the spirit of old-school rock and roll, delving into the rich soundscape of the ’70s and ’80s as they continue their dedication to preserving and celebrating the timeless magic of classic rock.
Photo by Jeff Coggins (@jeffcogginsphoto)
