Red Hot Chili Peppers at Fenway Park – September 10, 2022
California rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers brought their world tour to Boston, closing the summer series at Fenway Park. Joining them for the night were Thundercat and St. Vincent, to guarantee a very funky evening.
Thundercat
Fans showed up to the ballpark early on to catch L.A. bassist Thundercat, who blew the audience away within seconds of starting his set with the frantic “Lost in Space / Great Scott / 22-26”. The bass player drew all the attention with his fast but melodic sound, which often felt like part of a video game. The prog jazz vibe mixed in with the soulful hit “Them Changes” made for a surprisingly intense set.
St. Vincent
St. Vincent would take the stage shortly after, making a very sultry entrance. The sounds got even groovier when the singer picked up her guitar for “Down”, off her recent release Daddy’s Home. The performance was full of seductive energy from start to finish amongst everyone on stage, and fans were loving it. The artist gushed about being a part of the tour and what a dream it was to play in the legendary stadium. St. Vincent dominated the crowd with fan favorites “Los Ageless” and the closer “Fear The Future”.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
The anticipation kept growing as it was time for the Red Hot Chili Peppers to take the stage. The lights went down and the band slowly took their spots for an impressive jam session to start the show. Fans were especially excited to see guitarist John Frusciante dive into a solo right away, as many people were awaiting his return to the band. Singer Anthony Kiedis erupted onto the stage with “Around The World”, and the stage would light up in psychedelic colors for the rest of the night.
The band would focus on their latest release, Unlimited Love, as well as the popular Stadium Arcadium, while also mixing in deep tracks like “Throw Away Your Television”. The most outstanding part of the performance was the vibrant energy between the band members; everyone in the audience could feel the sense of brotherhood coming from the stage. The return of John Frusciante was undoubtedly one of the highlights of the night. The guitarist performed a touching rendition of “Danny’s Song”, an emotional moment for the fans who sorely missed his presence.
Another highlight of the evening was Flea’s wild bass playing, in contrast with his tender tales about hanging out in the city. The bassist would do most of the talking during the show, and the band would transition from one song to the next with similar jamming to the one that started the concert. The electrifying performance came to a close with the classics “Under the Bridge” and “By The Way”, leaving a smile on the face of everyone in attendance. The band’s energy feel fresh and renewed, and fans would agree: the Red Hot Chili Peppers are back.
