I've only seen Red Hot Chili Peppers on stage once and it was at the height of their skills, the By The Way Tour. Their album just prior was the major Californication. So from 1999 – 2002 they were, indeed, the great rock and roll band in the world. And yet the one time I did see them, just after the release of a flat out masterpiece, I thought they were boring.
That didn't stop from getting a tix to check em out in May on the I'm with You tour. Nobody consides their latest album a masterpiece. It isn't one. I mean, I didn't like Stadium Arcadium, another double that would've made a better single, and missed that tour.
So, I took a look at the setlists they've been playing and the first thing I notice is, along with "Under The bridge" and "Scar Tissue" is… NO "This Is The Place"!!! Hey, no "Brendan's Death Song" either. Actually, not that much from the newbie. Anyway, take a look:
Monarchy Of Roses
Can't Stop
Scar Tissue
Dani Califormia
Look Around
Throw Away Your Television
Hard To Concentrate
The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie
Right On Time
Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Factory Of Faith
Under The Bridge
Californication
By The way
Chad And Marco Jam
Meet Me At The Corner
I’ve seen them a few times, and the last time I saw them was a benefit show in a 3,000 capacity club a week or so before I’m With You came out, they played all B-sides, and the new stuff no one has heard. As a big Chili Peppers fan it was kind of cool but after about half an hour I was saying to myself ‘enough already, play Soul to Squeeze, or Californication or something that has been on the radio’. I’m still looking forward to this tour though.