RED HOT CHILLI PEPPERS // HAMPDEN PARK, GLASGOW
Red hot rarities ran through Hamden as the Chili Peppers get weird.
★★★★☆ (4/5)
The musical smorgasbord of the late 80s and early 90s saw rock music fans as becoming the most powerful opinion group of the time. With endless experimental styles bubbling up into explosion, Red Hot Chili Peppers stood out as a one of the most popular and most attention grabbing. Despite the inevitable opposition, Chili Peppers steam rolled to success and made it through their many trials. With a raw and, at times, brutal history; the band are doing more than surviving. Their thirteenth album released last year and a sell-out tour, it’s no doubt that Red Hot Chili Peppers became one of the biggest bands in the world and have gone on to retain their popularity.
A beautiful day saw a large crowd attend the night’s first support, King Princess. This slick pop rock singer looked comfortable on stage. With an indie festival flare, the set was something that would suit a hot day on a drunken campsite. There was an Alex Turner like edge as King Princess kept it cool and brought a cold vibe but expressed her warm gratitude at the magnificent experience of the tour. The set was dampened by the Scottish heavens opening in buckets which left a flatness in the air as fans were fumbling around and distracted.
With a quick turnaround, pressure was on the next guests, The Roots, to bring something big. Most notoriously known as the house band on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Roots bring the brass band to the mainstage and they do it with a particular flare. Mashing together more funk than Dimitri from Paris, The Roots drop continuous references to classic and modern grooves while they tear the house down with their phenomenal stage presence. Lead MC Black Thought erupts with every song and commands attention while his old friend and drummer/MC Questlove hits back with deep beats. Damon "Tuba Gooding Jr." Bryson danced his way through the set, as did the whole brass section. Hamden was transform into soul club and the crowd rejoiced and got down.
With the earlier rain forgotten and blue skies now setting the scene, Red Hot Chili Pepper took to the stage. Flea summersaulted in his kilt and black Y-fronts and apologised for last year’s infamous last minute postponed show. Anthony Kiedis quickly followed this up by informing everyone that they were here “to bring some sunshine to Scotland’s arse crack” and then the charged fourth with a wall of sound.
Their set was filled with many of the group’s biggest songs, including The Zephyr Song, Dani California, Californication and ending the night with an incredible performance of Give It Away. A few expected tracks, like Snow (Hey Oh), Under the Bridge and Can’t Stop, were absent from the night. They did, however, treat the crowd to multiple lesser highlighted numbers and select fan favourites including Soul to Squeeze, Throw Away Your Television, I Like Dirt and I Could Have Lied.
With two releases in 2022, the band were discerning with their inclusion of these albums in the set list as to keep the historic fans happy. The best of these was Black Summer where the group shows off their coming of age journey as long lasting musicians.
The stage set up for the night was fairly simple. Behind the group is a large screen that shows a trippy visual display for each song. Flea guitar is stickered ‘SUPPORT YOU’RE LOCAL FREAK’ and he gyrated across the stage with speed and merriment; his slapstick bass spat out effortlessly. Kiedis goes through a couple of outfit changes though the night including a pair of Playboy joggers and at points picks up his T-shirt and hooks it on his head – blinding himself – and dancing around the stage. John Frusciante and Chad Smith share the goal of moving the night forward through the antics.
All member of Red Hot Chili Peppers are synonymous with being the best in their fields but some of the most memorable moments of the evening are when Frusciante and Flea step away from their typical roles in the band and both perform their own solo numbers. Frusciante’s beautiful and tender cover of Loggins & Messina’s Danny’s Song hold the stadium in an awe-filled silence. Flea performed the bizarre sea shanty of Captain Beefheart’s Orange Claw Hammer and holds the crowd captive in its strangeness.
Red Hot Chili Peppers threw themselves into a prompt performance which treated attendees to view the weird and the wonderful. With select moments of utter uniqueness alongside masterful display of their funk rock greatest hits, the night will be a treasured memory that will be mentioned with delight and excitement. As the group continue to surprise, they set themselves apart as creating every live show an individual and unique experience of pure chaos and pure brilliance.