I went to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers at The Stadium of Light last night and they were superb. I last saw them at the Leeds Festival in 1999 and, like them, Flea really knows how to get the audience going but, unlike then, he kept his clothes on!
They had a great set list with most of the songs coming from Blood Sugar Sex Magik, Californication, By the Way and I'm with You, with a couple from Stadium Arcadium and their excellent cover of Stevie Wonder's Higher Ground.
If you didn't know John Frusciante wasn't on lead guitar, you wouldn't know otherwise as his replacement in the band fit in seamlessly and his little jam sessions with Flea (projected on the big screens) were examples of great guitar and bass playing.
The energy they have for guys who are nearly 50 is quite astounding, with Anthony Kiedis and Flee bounding around like men half their age, with the irrepressible bassist coming on for the encore by walking across the stage on his hands!
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