Chewps Concert Review (56k no)

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   So as many of you know, I went to the Red Hot Chili Peppers  (and The Mars Volta) concert.  Here's what I thought:

So we got there early and lined up, there was only a couple guys in front of us.  Security came out around 6:30 to start patting people down before we could go in, and somehow missed me...  He walked right past and patted everyone else down, even the guy I was there with.  It made me wish I had brought something I wasnt supposed to, just cause I could have got it in.  So we got in, went over to the merch booth cause our friend wanted some pins, but they were $17 for 4 small ones, so we said screw that and went to find food.  We found a Triple O's and got some food... a $10 combo that didnt come with a drink....ouch.  I checked drink prices there, and $8 a beer at the Triple O's...wow....

Anyways, we go in and sit down and eat our food, my first bite and I ketchup myself 

After a while, TMV takes the stage in a huge blast of incomprehensable noise.  My friend and I crack up laughing at the pure jumble of every instrument playing a game of "who can be loudest."

Their intro song went on forever, and for the life of me I couldnt tell you what it was....I couldnt make anything of it, at all.  I was really disapointed, I was looking forward to a couple TMV songs live, since I had grown fond of some of their recorded songs.  After that mash of sound there was the obligitory 10 minute outro of experimentalism that just made me wonder if they played their entire set without breaks between songs, and how tired the drummer must get.  Nope, they stopped between songs, and started a crappy version of Televators, which I was stoked to hear, until it too turned to crap.  They started out decent, I was nodding along, happy there was some actual music now...then BAM all the instruments fight for the spotlight again.

Basically, thats how the entire TMV set went.  The highlight of their performance was when the guitarist almost fell over through the drums, but caught himself at the last second 

after their set was done, I went for a pee and then returned to my seat to see all the setup for RHCP.  A guy and a girl walk out on stage with a microphone and explain to us that all the lighting stuff we see on the stage (and roof) was the first time that it had been seen in north america.  No other concert had used this equipment yet, and it was way more awesome than I could have predicted.  

And in true Vancouver style, the guy on stage made an official PSA:

"If anyone in the crowd is smoking marijuana cigarettes.....please...share with your neighbour, not everyone brought some" 

*crowd cheers, gets high*

So after some more waiting, Chad, John and Flea come out and start jamming for a bit.  The jam ends with HUGE applause, and they start right in to "Can't Stop"  and Anthony comes out.  The lighting, was...insane.

The back of the stage was all panel light things, which extended out on the roof above the crowd, had more lights that could lower from above the stage, and 4 giant "floating" screens that could move around the back of the stage.

I was awestruck when all the lights kicked in, it was just crazy how sweet it was.  The screens were cool, they had cameramen on/ around the stage, so you could see the guys up close on the screens.  On occasion all the screens would line up side by side and it would be like a super widescreen thing, so could see the entire guitar stretched acrosss all the screens, while the huge lights in the background pumped out cool visualizations...then they switched.  I didnt know they could even do that with those lights, but yep, the screens start showing the random lights, and then the HUGE display which filled the whole back of the stage starts showing the camera view.  Cool effects, etc overall, and amazing music.  Anthony sounded really good, and they were clear/ understandable.  The crowd was pumped and could see them getting into it/ singing along for the whole thing.  Surprisingly they played Blood Sugar Sex Magic, and it was awesome to hear Give It Away and Californication live.

After they were done, there was the craziest, hugest roar ever, that just didnt die down.  After several minutes, they came back for their encore, which ended in a 20 minute long jam, which Omar(?) from TMV joined them on.  It was mindblowing to hear them play off each other so well.  Not a note was missed, everything came together perfectly.

After it was all over we slowly filed out of the stadium where the massive crowd outside would spontaniously start cheering, which would just get louder and louder as more and more people joined in.  

Overall, amazing show, fully worth it.  Great music, great energy, great show.

PICS:

TMV

Crazy Lights

Using the back as a screen too

Rocking out

Guitars on the screen

John on the screens

Flea

Multi-Flea

More Flea

Californication

Edited by choopie911 - 15 September 2006 at 2:57pm