Red Hot Chili Peppers - City Of Manchester Stadium - 18/6/04
4/5
By: Matt Tomiak
It can't be bad being a Red Hot Chili Pepper these days. Not only are you one of the finest purveyors of your musical craft on the planet, you're also in just about the biggest band on it too.
And one of the very coolest. The Chili Peppers' appeal is near-universal these days. There's rock kids here younger than the Chili Pepper's career itself, groups of twenty-something lads and middle-aged couples. Seemingly, there's something about the laid-back, reflective funk-pop punctuated with riotous freak-out rock of the LA survivor's last two LPs that really touches a common nerve; around 40,000 rapt followers fill the City of Manchester stadium this evening; truly, a sight to behold when the break-down bit kicks in during 'Don't Stop'.
Like The Rolling Stones, Primal Scream and Jane's Addiction - from whom they borrowed guitarist Dave Navarro back in the mid 90s - the Chilis have more energy, allure, and sheer joie de vivre than many bands half their age. True to his name, Flea bounces around the stage like a hyperactive toddler; drummer Chad Smith pounds his kit with exuberant force; John Frusciante stalks the stage, every inch the re-born guitar colossus; whilst Anthony Kiedis, the leader of the gang, exudes a truly effortless prowess. Even the rapturous greeting provided to the Godfather of Soul himself, Mr James Brown, who supports today, can't touch the eagerness and affection with which The Chilis are provided.
Not that it's reciprocated entirely. Frontman Anthony Kiedis castigates the crowd for the almost comically hostile reception (boos and bottles galore, and a massive cheer when their backdrop is taken down after the set ends) afforded to today's opening act, Chicks on Speed, telling us to 'open our minds.'*
Bassist Flea, meanwhile, in a Beastie Boys-esque burst of mature conscience, gives a brief sermon instructing the young male members of the audience not to treat girls 'like assholes.' Admirable sentiments, of course, but it should be remembered that 1987 album 'Uplift Mofo Party Plan' contained some less-than-PC sentiments (check the lyrics to 'Special Secret Song Inside', for the dirt). But hey, they were young back then.
And, besides, it's on the basis of the band's last two records that RHCP are now playing enormo-shows like this one. 1999's 'Californication' provided the Chili's an incredible phoenix-like resurrection after the latter half of the decade spent in the frazzled, party-weary doldrums and 2002's mega-follow up, 'By The Way' capitalised on this.
As such, there's a definite air of predictability to it all in that we're guaranteed a run of those old chestnuts - 'Scar Tissue', 'parallel universe' et al - but these tunes are only ubiquitous due to their undeniable class.
Then there's a lengthy drum-solo from Chad and an extensive trumpet solo from Flea. We all go mental to 'Give It Away', and all join arms and sway slowly to 'Under The Bridge'. It all may be fairly predictable, but tonight in Manchester, the Red Hot Chili Peppers demonstrate ideally how stadium-rock can and should be done.
* Is it the right of the paying customer to respond to the support-act in a matter he or she feels fit? Discuss this, and many other pertinent issues, on the all-new rockfeedback.com message-boards, coming soon (if you can be arsed).
Artists in this article: Red Hot Chili Peppers
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