Red Hot Chili Peppers take over Levi Stadium
The Red Hot Chili Peppers, synonymous with the Southern California music scene for over fifty years, electrified Levi’s Stadium, the Northern California home of the 49ers, over the weekend. Their sold-out performance on Friday night drew a diverse crowd, showcasing their timeless appeal across generations.
As fans streamed into the stadium, funk bassist Thundercat and alternative rocker Beck set the stage with their dynamic opening sets, warming up the eclectic audience. Despite the band's senior status, the crowd was a vibrant mix of ages, highlighting the Chili Peppers' universal appeal.
A poignant moment captured the band's broad reach: a mother and her young adult daughter shared a joint as the Chili Peppers took the stage. This scene perfectly illustrated how the band's music transcends age barriers, resonating with partygoers of all generations.
As the lights dimmed for the main event, the venue reached maximum capacity, brimming with anticipation to witness the legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Famers in action. Flea, the band's dynamic bassist, burst onto the stage with palpable energy, establishing himself as the focal point of the show. With a frenzy of leaping and head-banging, he ignited a 10-minute jam before unleashing the iconic riff to “Can’t Stop,” eliciting a thunderous roar from the crowd.
Following the explosive opener, the Chili Peppers delved into a repertoire of classics including “Dani California,” “Universally Speaking,” and “Snow,” before seamlessly transitioning into tracks from their latest album, "Unlimited Love." While die-hard fans eagerly awaited new songs like "Whatchu Thinkin'" and “Aquatic Mouth Dance,” the energy noticeably fluctuated between the beloved hits.
Lead singer Anthony Kiedis, though more restrained than Flea (which isn’t saying much), was anything but stoic. Clad in all black with a striking pink lightning bolt adorning his crotch, Kiedis commanded the stage with boundless energy, darting around, prancing, and even executing karate kicks without missing a beat.
Kiedis' role is demanding, requiring him to seamlessly transition between belting out powerful vocals, delivering melodic lines, and rapping at Busta Rhymes-level speed, depending on the track. Throughout the nearly 2-hour set, Kiedis effortlessly navigated these diverse vocal styles, displaying remarkable stamina. And, true to tradition, Kiedis shed his shirt around three-quarters through the set, igniting a frenzy among fans during “Tell Me Baby.”
On guitar, John Frusciante provided the laid-back counterpart to Flea and Keidis’ frenetic energy. Frusciante first joined the Chili Peppers in 1989 but has had an intermittent relationship with the band since then, last touring with RHCP in 2007. Despite the hiatus, Frusciante displayed no signs of rust, effortlessly matching his bandmates in technical prowess, if not in sheer energy. The guitarist appeared most content when engaging in extended jams during the interludes between songs.
Throughout the set, the band maintained focus on the music, with occasional humorous interjections from Kiedis, who joked about the pervasive scent of marijuana wafting from the crowd, and sporadic unintelligible outbursts from Flea.
After delivering a middle section predominantly composed of newer material, the band cranked up the intensity with fan favorites like “Californication” and “Give It Away” — the latter eliciting perhaps the most enthusiastic response from the crowd all night — before fading to black. During the prolonged interlude preceding the encore, concert-goers spontaneously created a dazzling light show using their cell phones and lighters as they eagerly awaited the band's return to the stage.
The only boos of the night emerged during the final song. Flea, as a cheeky parting gesture, unveiled his Los Angeles Lakers-themed bass guitar for the occasion, much to the dismay of the Warriors-loving Bay Area crowd. However, any lingering resentment was swiftly dispelled as the Chili Peppers delivered an electrifying rendition of “By The Way” to conclude the evening.
In a surprising twist, the band opted not to perform their biggest hit, the multi-platinum ballad “Under the Bridge.” Was this an oversight from the seasoned band members, caught up in the moment? Or, perhaps after sifting through four decades of hits, they simply ran out of time to include it in the setlist. Either way, the Chili Peppers gave an amazing show in Santa Clara and we can’t wait until they return to Northern California.