Red Hot Chili Peppers Edinburgh Murrayfield Stadium 13th June 2004
Support from N.E.R.D and Ash
I quite fancied seeing what the Red Hot Chili Peppers were like in concert, so when they toured the UK in 2004, David and I went along to see their concert at the massive Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh. By this point in their career the Chili Peppers were mega-big; their UK tour included massive (and sold-out) open-air shows in Hyde Park, Manchester Stadium and Cardiff Millennium Stadium. The Hyde Park gig was recorded for a live album. I was late buying tickets, and all I could manage to get was a couple of single seats a row apart, right up the back of the stadium. We drove up to Edinburgh on a nice warm Sunday afternoon, arriving just as the first support act Ash were finishing their set. The second support were N.E.R.D. featuring the (now very famous of course) front man Pharrell Williams, who got the crowd up and chearing, and were pretty good. The Chili Peppers came on stage quite early perhaps 8pm; it was certainly still light throughout their set. They played a set which drew from throughout their career and got a pretty good reaction from the crowd, but the sound was very murky where we sitting. Their friend, Johnny Ramone, hadn’t been well (and sadly passed shorty after this tour), so guitarist John Frusciante phoned Johnny at home from the stage.
We were all asked to shout “Johnny, we love you!” as loudly as possible, which of course we did. A nice moment and for me the best bit of the show, and one of the only points where the band really engaged with the crowd. It was the same day as England were playing France in Euro 2004, and towards the end of their set, Flea announced the result from the stage: “We have some news for you…France have just kicked the shit out of England.” Cue a big cheer from the Scottish crowd. We managed to make our way down to the pitch area during the encores, and the sound was much clearer. A good show, but by no means amazing, and I would suspect not one of the Chili Peppers better gigs. Setlist: Can’t Stop; Around the World; I Feel Love (Donna Summer cover); Scar Tissue; By the Way; Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl); Otherside; Easily; The Zephyr Song; Get on Top; Fortune Faded; Throw Away Your Television; I Like Dirt; Leverage of Space; Californication; Right on Time; Parallel Universe. Encore: Drum & Trumpet Jam; Under the Bridge; Black Cross; Give It Away
29 Mar
Vintagerock's Weblog. 
Posted by dawn on April 6, 2014 at 10:24 am
Seen RHCP leeds or sheffield it was when they first started to do there encores almost naked, great band full of energy which came out in their music however not seen them recently. see ash when they first started out never got to see NERD i bought their first album thought it was great.
Posted by vintagerock on April 6, 2014 at 2:03 pm
Hi Dawn, many thanks I would have loved to see them in their earlier days Cheers Peter
Posted by Sean McCafferty on June 13, 2024 at 1:25 pm
20 years ago today. Always remember Flea telling us the score, came across your blog looking for the setlist.
I’d been thinking about this gig recently because I’d been hearing people talking about paying literally thousands to go see Taylor Swift at Murrayfield.
We were in the seats for the chillis gig and the sound didn’t travel at all well. Could barely hear anything. Think there have been quite a few advances in sound technology since then thankfully, but it has to go down as one of the most disappointing gigs I’ve ever been to. I was a massive fan of the Chillis before then, but not really since
Posted by Tanya Hutchison on April 27, 2024 at 10:34 pm
brilliant !! My memories of this gig are a little fuzzy… and it’s been fab having the little snippets to help My boyfriend now (we met 2019) and I remember parts. We realised we were both at this gig in 2004 when we got together and start talking about who we had seen live, I remember the Johnny part and the fact they weren’t really interacting with the crowd ! He was in the stands and I was right up at the front bars having queued from 10am to get in around 4 on such a hot day !! It was squishy !!! So glad the security were giving out cups of water to the front ones !! Was a blessing! Had to sit on a wall outside the stadium for a while to get the weird feeling out of our legs from being “held up” by the crowd against the railings .. that was a weird sensation 😂 !! Anyways great memories x
Posted by vintagerock on April 28, 2024 at 11:42 am
Hi Tanya Thanks for sharing your memories of the day. It can be spooky to realise that you were at the same concert. However it is perhaps not too uncommon. My late wife and I met in 1975 and later realised that we were at the same T Rex concert in 1973 and the same Led Zeppelin concert in 1971. Happy days and shared memories are wonderful Peter
Posted by Sean McCafferty on June 13, 2024 at 1:26 pm
20 years ago today. Always remember Flea telling us the score, came across your blog looking for the setlist.
I’d been thinking about this gig recently because I’d been hearing people talking about paying literally thousands to go see Taylor Swift at Murrayfield.
We were in the seats for the chillis gig and the sound didn’t travel at all well. Could barely hear anything. Think there have been quite a few advances in sound technology since then thankfully, but it has to go down as one of the most disappointing gigs I’ve ever been to. I was a massive fan of the Chillis before then, but not really since
Posted by vintagerock on June 13, 2024 at 2:26 pm
Hi Sean yes I remember the sound being poor. Only time I went to see them. I am going to see Taylor Swift at Wembley in August 🙂 Peter