Chili Peppers

From their booming hits to their slow melodic tunes, the Red Hot Chili Peppers represent community and love from their unique personalities on stage to their funk rock style in all of their albums. 

They continue to have their own expression while still making the experience about the fans. Members of the band frequently give out a forward message of positivity, for example, always thanking the audience for supporting live music. The members share their enthusiasm and love for their passion by dancing on stage along with the audience.

Days before the show at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, the Red Hot Chili Peppers performed at the  MTV Video Music Awards (VMA). Spreading their good-nature further, the band, when given a chance to speak at the VMAs, humbly spoke about how grateful they were to play live for so many years. In addition, they took the time to commemorate the recent loss of Foo Fighters’ Taylor Hawkins, a close friend of the band. “Fly on brother”, Chad Smith stated.

Musical Genius

 On the other side of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, there’s the band’s musical genius. All four band members bring an extraordinary and irreplaceable part to the music and performance. Bassist, Flea, with his funk slap bass technique, brings in many genre-bending grooves with influences from his early jazz and punk rock obsession as a child. Drummer, Chad Smith, with his amazing rhythm and influence behind his drumsticks. Lead guitarist, John Frusciante, writes his intricate and thoughtful guitar licks and improvised live solos. And finally, singer and songwriter, Anthony Kiedis, with his diverse vocal styles and deeply poetic lyrics and songwriting, these four make up what the world knows as the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

The band’s musical genius doesn’t stop at simply the music. They care about the mental health of all band members. The band cares deeply about the well-being of the individuals. For example, John Frusciante has left and rejoined the band twice due to his personal mental health issues while receiving the love and support of his band mates.

Concert Experience 

The night of the concert at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC, it was a dim blue sky, the sun had begun to fall, and the temperature was just right. Fans filled every square inch of the floor and stadium available, all shuffling in place with commotion for the night to come. A large high resolution screen draped the back of the stage which displayed fractal shapes and assorted colored visuals tailored to each song. A burst came from the front pit, there was a glimpse of Chad Smith in his classic sleeveless white jumper and backwards hat making his way to the iconic silver drum set followed by Flea stomping on stage in a skirt, and John Frusciante slinking behind in his LA skate park shirt.

 There’s a moment where all were quiet until John Frusciante played the opening notes to “Can’t Stop” and suddenly, Anthony Kiedes exploded on stage singing with the excitement of the band, leaving the entire stadium singing and dancing for the rest of the show. The crowd electrified the air along with the music. 

At one point Flea and Frusciante engaged in a synchronized act between their two instruments. Both feeling the music and reading each other’s moves closely, finally breaking into “Californiacation” for one of their final hits of the night. 

As the band began to exit off stage after their set, a roar reeled the members back to their instruments for a final two songs, “I Could Have Lied” and “By The Way”, to close out an amazing evening.

By the end of the show, the once strangers that surrounded the stage in a mass, were now friends, as a shared experience as such had brought them together so deeply.