After a nine-month delay, Red Hot Chili Peppers took the 3Arena stage by storm for two sold-out concerts. Their original dates last December were postponed when frontman Anthony Kiedis was struck down by a flu, but the crowd appeared undeterred and the rock band delivered a set that was definitely worth the wait.
Although the audience were left underwhelmed by support act Lady Leshurr’s lacklustre performance, the mood was certainly lifted by the arrival of the band, minus Kiedis, as they performed an exuberant instrumental opening. The excitement came to a crescendo as Kiedis stormed the stage to join them for an energetic rendition of Around The World. They followed with the crowd-pleasers Snow (Hey Oh) and The Zephyr Song, both from the glory days of their early 2000s catalogue.
The crowd became more subdued as the band moved on to songs from their 2016 album, The Getaway, which are a departure from their earlier fusion of funk and rock. As a result, Dark Necessities and Go Robot failed to attract the same rapturous applause that met their older songs. Despite performing hits from their stellar repertoire, including By The Way, Californication and Tell Me Baby, fans would have been disappointed by the glaring omissions of Can’t Stop, Scar Tissue and Under the Bridge during the Wednesday night set.
The varied age profile of the crowd was testament to the band’s longevity and they delivered a set that would appeal to both newer fans and die-hard followers from the early years of their career. While Kiedis gave a solid performance with his signature dance moves, drummer Chad Smith often stole the show with his mastery of drumming.
As the interaction with the audience was minimal, it often felt like the audience were gaining an insight into the jam session of a band that cares more about the music than trying to play up to the crowd. Songs led themselves to lively performances and truth be told, Red Hot Chili Peppers are seasoned performers who don’t disappoint live.
Bridget Fitzhenry