Hitting the stage at 9:15 p.m., the Red Hot Chili
Peppers were greeted by 8,500 screaming fans, enough to deafen even the hardest rock fan.
"By the Way," "Scar Tissue" and "All Around the World" spun
the up into a tornado of music frenzy. If anyone had doubts about these guys still being
able to rock, they were extinguished with Red Hot guitar solos and drum beats.
They went back to basics with a standard rock lighting rig
and metal grill like backdrop masking the 3 giant video screens. Unlike the over-elaborate
stages you see now with Brittney Spears and the Rolling Stones the stage was not the main
focus, the music was. With the energy of teenagers, the band ran and jumped all over, Flea
even went back to his roots and broke out his trumpet. Playing a solo while Anthony took a
rest.
Sounding better live than on any CD, they took their
audience on a wild ride of music past, present and future. Guitarist John Frusciante was
on top of his game and keep the crowd in a trance. He even busted out a few vocals,
showing his diversity as a musician.
With an eclectic choice of opening acts, from Mars Volta
and Queens of the Stone Age to Snoop even The Flaming Lips, The Red Hot Chili Peppers'
U.S. Tour was a must see in 2003.
