Red Hot Chili Peppers @ MSG

[MBH]

Just saw the Peppers for the 1st time at the Garden in NYC last night (May, 20th). A brief review.......

Mars Voulta opened up at which point I was "pre-gaming" aka, drinking. Suprisingly, I was able to purchase a ticket at the box office just minutes before the show. I guess this happens at most shows due to cancellations........man, did they miss out!!!

Queens of the Stone Age put on a rather loud and energetic set so loud that I think the sound system had to be adjusted for the Peppers.

Speaking of which, the RHCP were excellent!!! I was a little surprised by the fact that they virtually stuck with their latest 2 albums and generally ignoring most of their vast catalogue. I also thought that a band that has been around nearly 20 years would play longer than an hour-and-forty minutes. Oh well. They sounded excellent---inspiring guitar solos from Frusciante, hilarity from Flea, bangin' drums from Smith and sharp vocals from Keidis. In fact, I went with someone who has seen the Peppers several times and he said that this is the sharpest he has ever heard Keidis.

4 Vertically hanging screens behind the Peppers added some creativity to what was a fast-paced and hits-laden show....

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

they are on my list of must see bands. too bad they didn't include their older music. but it sounds like it was great show.

 

[joyfulgirl]

Yay! I'm seeing them in Denver in June--it will be my first Peppers show as well.

From what I've read, it seems that they have grown and changed so much that they really don't relate to their earlier stuff much anymore and are really in love with their more recent material. Flea said something to the effect that if fans miss the earlier stuff they should listen to the records. I pulled out "Mother's Milk" and "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" over the weekend to start getting revved up for the show and I couldn't even listen to them. It's like they were a different band then and I like who they are today better.

Too bad they don't play a little longer, but I bet they cram 2 1/2 hours worth of energy into that hour and 40 mins!

 

[Hallelujah Here She Comes]

I saw them a couple weeks ago they were indeed awesome. They played a only a few songs from Blood Sugar Sex Magik and nothing older, but it was wonderful to hear all the songs I loved from Californication and By the Way. I never thought I'd hear Venice Queen live, so that was quite a treat. The highlights of the show: Can't Stop and Give it Away. SUCH amazing energy. Also, the first encore began with Under the Bridge with a single spotlight on John, playing the guitar with his feet dangling off the stage. That was a nice moment.

Also a brief side note and word of warning to those who have GA tickets. Not to give their fans a bad rap because most of the ones I met were great, but it only takes a few assholes to make GA a total nightmare. People started getting rowdy during Mars Volta, and when Queens of the Stone Age (whose set I would have like to have enjoyed) came on, it became unbearable. After a couple good shoves, I was overwhelmed and momentarily couldn't breathe. I had to get pulled out by a security guard, who I think I gave a huge hug afterwords. lol. My friend and I got separated, but luckily we found each other just before the show started and watched it from a place where we could move (and breathe) freely. Honestly, we were a bit naive to think that the floor *wouldn't* be like that, and it was quite a rude awakening. Maybe everyone else already knows better than this, but my only GA experiences were U2 and Coldplay, which were *slightly* different. So there you go.

In any case, it ultimately didn't detract from an incredible show.

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

Also a brief side note and word of warning to those who have GA tickets. Not to give their fans a bad rap because most of the ones I met were great, but it only takes a few assholes to make GA a total nightmare. People started getting rowdy during Mars Volta, and when Queens of the Stone Age (whose set I would have like to have enjoyed) came on, it became unbearable. After a couple good shoves, I was overwhelmed and momentarily couldn't breathe. I had to get pulled out by a security guard, who I think I gave a huge hug afterwords. lol. My friend and I got separated, but luckily we found each other just before the show started and watched it from a place where we could move (and breathe) freely. Honestly, we were a bit naive to think that the floor *wouldn't* be like that, and it was quite a rude awakening. Maybe everyone else already knows better than this, but my only GA experiences were U2 and Coldplay, which were *slightly* different. So there you go.

In any case, it ultimately didn't detract from an incredible show.

Sounds like our experience in the Detroit floor for Garbage. We had more along the lines of 60 assholes.


We have GA's for the Foos next week, but we're thinking of switching up to a safer place.

 

[joyfulgirl]

I'm glad I stuck with my gut instinct and got reserved seats! I knew their fans could get rowdy and would not be the laidback U2 heart folks who were like "Can you see? Do you want to get in front of me?" I'm also seeing them at a smaller venue than MSG--it's an outdoor ampitheatre and the only GA tickets are actually referred to as 'the pit' so it's a tiny floor section before the numbered rows start. I'm in the 10th row center which seems pretty damn good!

 

[Johnny Swallow]

Setlist???

 

[Hallelujah Here She Comes]

I'm glad I stuck with my gut instinct and got reserved seats! I knew their fans could get rowdy and would not be the laidback U2 heart folks who were like "Can you see? Do you want to get in front of me?"

Yeah, it's funny. Most people at the front were incredibly nice. Like "I'm sorry I'm crushing you! I can't help it! Was that your foot? I'm sorry..." And then whenever someone wanted to get out, everyone would point and be like "her! she wants out!" It was the people, like, 10 rows back that thought it would be fun to rush the stage and break some ribs.

 

[joyfulgirl]

My RHCP show is coming up next weekend. I've just learned that instead of Mars Volta and Queens of the Stone Age, we get Mars Volta and Snoop Dogg! I like Snoop Dogg but I'm not so sure about the blending of those two audiences

Still, I can't wait. We're going camping in Colorado afterwards.

 

[DiGi]

i saw them at Slane 1 and I thought they were freakin awesome