Red Hot Chili Peppers kicked off a stadium tour in Vancouver on Wednesday night (March 29) and also launched a year of big concerts at BC Place Stadium.
The American band鈥檚 18-song set was played for a jam-packed stadium where people lined up for everything, including entry, toilets, tour T-shirts and, of course, the venue鈥檚 new $5 food items at two Dawson鈥檚 Hot Dogs stands.
Hitting the stage, the Chili Peppers launched into an extended, slightly delirious and entirely enjoyable opening jam without singer Anthony Kiedis. Truth is, I鈥檇 be OK with bassist Flea, guitarist John Frusciante and drummer Chad Smith touring as an instrumental act, such is the trio鈥檚 power.
Flea is a monster from another planet, a bass badass who really is the star of the RHCP show. Walking out with a wave to the crowd, he set the tone with a cartwheel before strapping on a four-stringed Fender graced with a 鈥淪upport Your Local Freak鈥� sticker. I very much support that freak, who gyrated and grooved all night long.
The stage featured vertical video screens on either side, and a cool display that curved up behind and above the band. The sound? As good as it gets at BC Place. Trust me, back in the 1980s concerts sounded like crap in that dome, but sound technology has since come a long way.
MY CONCERT REVIEW: Flea shines as Red Hot Chili Peppers kick off stadium tour in Vancouver and a year of big concerts at :
鈥� Tom Zillich (@TomZillich)
Here's a quick clip of "Otherside" Wednesday night.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers concert was unreal last night. These guys can still put on an unforgettable performance after all these years
鈥� Hazey (@hazeykthx)
Until Wednesday I hadn鈥檛 seen the Chili Peppers since their groundbreaking blast of 鈥淏lood Sugar Sex Magic鈥� three decades ago, first at the PNE Forum in 1992, then at the Lollapalooza festival date at UBC鈥檚 Thunderbird Stadium a few months later. They were good then, probably better now, with a more diverse mix of songs, many with strong melodies.
Somehow I didn鈥檛 expect this band to make it this far, to play to this many people this many years later. Back then I figured they鈥檇 implode by the end of the 1990s, but here we are. The Chili Peppers are more popular than ever.
During Wednesday鈥檚 concert I caught Kiedis reading lyrics from a monitor a few times too many, but we鈥檒l forgive him for that. But that 鈥淏runo鈥� look of his these days? Unforgivable.
, the set list didn鈥檛 include many of the band鈥檚 biggest hits, including 鈥淒ani California,鈥� 鈥淯nder the Bridge,鈥� 鈥淪uck My Kiss鈥� and even the raging Stevie Wonder cover, 鈥淗igher Ground.鈥� More of those would have been welcomed, but Red Hot Chili Peppers still delivered a hot show at BC Place on a relatively warm spring night.
The night鈥檚 highlights were the opening 鈥淐an鈥檛 Stop,鈥� 鈥淥therside,鈥� 鈥淏y the Way,鈥� 鈥淐alifornication,鈥� and the encore-ending 鈥淕ive It Away,鈥� which got everyone up dancing.
My vote: Dallas Green has the best voice in Can-Rock, maybe ever.
鈥� Tom Zillich (@TomZillich)
Wednesday鈥檚 openers were King Princess followed by City and Colour. The latter won with Dallas Green鈥檚 amazing voice. Seriously, I鈥檇 kill to have that guy鈥檚 vocal range. Green, the only Ontarian in an otherwise all-B.C. band, is grooving a Tom Petty vibe these days, especially with a sunburst Rickenbacker guitar over his shoulder. Look for a new City and Colour album out this week.
As for BC Place, the stadium has several other concerts booked for 2023 including Luke Combs (May 27), Ed Sheeran (Sept. 2), Beyonc茅 (Sept. 11), Coldplay (Sept. 22-23) and the return there of Guns 鈥楴鈥� Roses (Oct. 16).
tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
Like us on Follow us on and follow Tom on
