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
Archive for the ‘Pharrell Williams’ Category
29 Mar
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