As said by bassist Flea at the end of the concert, they’ve
been coming here for three decades now and have always been met with a warm,
generous reception. I don’t think that
Irelands current economic turn down had any effect on the welcome we all had
for the Red Hot Chili Peppers this June.
With giant red chilli peppers floating about, it added a little irony to
the weather of that Dublin evening: Red hot.
Although the 80,000+ stadium was empty in places, the
atmosphere reflected something of a sold out Wembley show. The Vaccines played before my arrival, which
was incredibly odd due to the fact not many had arrived either. But Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds set
the mood for the rest of the evening, creating a summer-feeling ambience in the
20 degree heat-wave. Before playing
Oasis classic ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger,’ Noel announced his future return to Dublin
with Kasabian in Marlay Park in the coming month of August. The band played five Oasis tracks including ‘Little
by Little’ and ‘Half the World Away’ which everyone in the audience belted out
the lyrics.
Red Hot Chili Peppers arrive with Chad Smith looking like he’s
about to play a game of basketball, Flea looking like he’s a biker, Anthony
Kiedis with his usual ‘OFF!’ hat and Josh Klinghoffer like regular old
Josh. Each member so completely diverse
yet come together as a solid family unit. That family unit was exchanged
between fans and band members, making the concert feel as intimate if it were a
100 person venue.
It was their second appearance in Dublin on their I’m With
You Tour, and with newcomer Josh. By
nature, Josh is an extremely shy person, and had displayed his introvert ways
in interviews. But on stage; well, he surprised us all. He was more explosive on stage than any of
the other members, and than ex-member John Frusciante. In simpler terms, he went crazy. For the first time, people were not wanting
Frusciante back in the band: Klinghoffer owned the stage. Unfortunately, his guitar wasn’t loud enough
for ‘Californication,’ and we all had to witness a failed attempt of copying
Flea and Frusciante’s jam before the song in Slane Castle. But, you could really see that he really does
belong in the band, showing that he really is a true performer.
Flea on the other hand, did not disappoint at any stage
during the concert. Before ‘Around the
World,’ Flea played a solo on his bass, and at one stage, sent a rippling effect
through the stadium with one strum. Flea
was in fact the most warming person out of the four, by talking to the
spectators regularly and telling us about his favourite ever performance in
Belfast 1991. He described his love for
Ireland, and the warm reception the band always received. This personal touch from Flea made Anthony
seem a little cold. Kiedis did not stop
to talk to the crowd at any point during the concert, disappointing many fans
as he is the frontman.
The three classics of ‘Under the Bridge,’ ‘Californication’
and ‘By the Way’ at the end pumped up the audience making them beg for
more. They didn’t have to wait too long
before the appearance of drummer Chad Smith where he played a solo along to the
crowds chants and U2’s ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday.’
This is where Flea reappears walking on stage on his hands, and
proceeded to stay upside down for a further three minutes. The four all collide together again to play ‘Suck
My Kiss’ and ‘Give it Away’ before another jam and Flea saying his thank you
and goodbye. The final two tracks are
what really kicked the audience into gear, with a fantastic light show during
both performances.
The production of the entire show was phenomenal, with
lights and screens making it an enjoyable and memorable experience. The
whole performance was recorded on audio and will be available on the Red Hot
Chili Peppers website to download along with other performances of the tour. The entire concert was electrifying, and you
could understand why they were inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame. For
me, the concert is something I will never forget or replace. Leaving with tears streaming from my face, I didn’t
want it to end. I’ve been listening to
these boys since I was the tender age of six, and they’ve become heroes to me,
so getting to experience them in all their glory was far too overwhelming. Rumours swell around Ireland that the Red Hot
Chili Peppers are due to return in a few weeks.
If said rumours are true, you will see me there.
Set list:
Monarchy of Roses
Around the World
Dani California
Otherside
Factory of Faith
Can't Stop
The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie
Universally Speaking
Hard to Concentrate
She's Only 18
Look Around
Higher Ground
Under the Bridge
Californication
By the Way
Encore:
Chad & Mauro & Josh Jam
Suck My Kiss
Give It Away
Final Jam
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