John Frusciante, Flea, Chad Smith, and Anthony Kiedis still bring the funk!
Photo courtesy Bridenthal & Associates
The Red Hot Chili Peppers staged sold-out shows at the Oakland Arena Thursday and Friday in support of their new album Stadium Arcadium. Following The Mars Volta, the RHCP demonstrated their brand of funk rock that continues to appeal to the energized youth rock market. Both bands delivered spectacular, though dissimilar performances.
The RHCP kept the crowd dancing and cheering wildly with every solo, mostly for John Frusciante’s increasingly effective guitar work, though Flea’s infamous bass lines and Chad Smiths’ legendary drumming also received plenty of appreciation.
Their set revolved around songs from the new album, like "Dani California", "Charlie", "Snow (Hey Oh)", "Tell Me Baby" and "Readymade", and included past hits such as "Can’t Stop", "Scar Tissue", "Around the World", "Throw Away Your Television" and "Give it Away".
While most of their show reflected the sound that gave them mainstream popularity following the release of their 1991 album Blood Sugar Sex Magic, there were a few surprises in store for older fans, like the 1989 classic "Nobody Weird Like Me", and covers of the Clash’s "London Calling" and Simon and Garfunkel’s "For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her", which showcased John Frusciante’s talent while the rest of the band took a break offstage.
John’s contribution to the band extends far beyond guitar wizardry, as he also provides backup vocals in harmony with Anthony Kiedis’s rap-singing. While the group is continuing to evolve musically, they are beginning to show the inevitable side-effects of their maturity.
Frontman Anthony Kiedis still supplied the raw energy fans have come to expect from a RHCP show, bouncing and stomping all over the stage, but Flea and John remained mostly immobile, favoring poses for the cameras which fed large video screens behind the stage, giving the presentation the feel of a music video. Gone are the days when the RHCP’s rocked out in their underwear, sporting flame throwers on their heads.
The Mars Volta opener was an altogether different kind of show. Featuring eight musicians in a nearly nonstop jam, they produced a heavily textured live performance beyond comparison. Many have tried, and invariably resort to pointing out the similarities to Led Zeppelin or Santana.
Sure, Cedric Bixler-Zavalas’s vocals sound like Robert Plant, and Omar Rodriguez, with his genius compositions and guitar playing, could be considered a modern version of Jimmy Page. And yes, they do incorporate a spicy hot Latin influenced rhythm section, but comparing The Mars Volta to Santana or Zeppelin is like comparing the best sex ever to a first date.
Watching their hour long set was akin to receiving multiple ten minute orgasms. Their rhythms build to a hard groovy jam in constant crescendo, leaving one to wonder how the music could keep on peaking.
Most of the material they played was from their new album Amputechture, which hits the shelves on Sept. 12, though "Viscera Eyes" can currently be heard online. They also played a few favorites from their past, including "The Widow" and "Roulette Dares".
Regrettably, the Arena was less than half full throughout their act. The Mars Volta represents the future of rock music, and they will soon be packing stadiums on their own.
Originally published in the Express, September 1, 2006.
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