Photo of Flea by Colin Williams
The Red Hot Chili Peppers have been extremely busy in recent years. Kicking off the Global Stadium Tour across the pond in the summer of 2022, The Red Hot Chili Peppers enjoyed immediate success as tickets and merchandise sold quickly. After releasing two impressive full studio albums in 2022—Unlimited Love on April 1st and Return of the Dream Canteen on October 14th—the California-based psychedelic / funk rock band spent a month in Europe before returning to the states to put their most lucrative tour to date under their belts. For two years, the Red Hot Chili Peppers rode a monumental wave of groovy and funky alternative rock melodies across the globe and back again, bringing their music to fans around the world. Alas, even for a band with a notorious hit song titled “Can’t Stop,” all things must come to an end. The Los Angeles icons wrapped up their epic two-year journey right here in St. Louis, MO, at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre on July 30th to one final sold-out show.
Despite controversy and numerous line-up adjustments, the Red Hot Chili Peppers have been trailblazers in the rock music industry for over forty years. The band ranks consistently among the highest decorated rock artists for several decades, winning so many awards there is an entire Wikipedia page dedicated to their accolades alone. Anthony Kiedis’ unique vocals remain to this day a fresh representation of the Los Angeles rock music scene in the ’90s. During this great era of alternative rock, many teens dreamt of riding Pacific coast waves or longboarding the sidewalks of Venice Beach whilst listening to their earliest hit songs like “Under the Bridge,” “Scar Tissue,” or “Californication.” Against all odds (and opiates), the Red Hot Chili Peppers endured and flourished through the turn of the 21st century.
As always, alongside Kiedis is iconic bassist Flea, renowned amongst rock music fans for his punchy bass riffs and stage energy and antics. These two icons, for better or worse, have left their mark on the industry through the music they create and their lewd behaviors. Longtime drummer Chad Smith joined the band in 1988 as a final irreplaceable percussive talent with funky/high-tempo drum grooves. Smith has also in recent years embraced his status as doppelganger of actor Will Ferrell—the two once appeared on Jimmy Fallon live for a surprisingly epic and hilarious drum battle. The Chili Peppers have cycled through various noteworthy guitarists over the years. However, in 2019 the quartet reunited with John Frusciante who has intermittently exited and returned to the band since 1988, his return culminating with the two impressive 2022 studio albums that paved the way for this lengthy world tour.
With over four decades and thirteen studio albums, it would be unreasonable for fans in attendance to expect the Red Hot Chili Peppers to perform all of their best work in a single evening in St. Louis. However, for their final show of the years-long tour, the four-piece band played an impressive nineteen-song set list (with two additional encore songs). The band’s three instrumental members took the stage and their stations first, hyping the crowd with raised hands and a handstand by Flea. Red Hot Chili Peppers warmed up the audience (and themselves) with an instrumental piece showcasing their decades of jamming and percussive grooves that eventually melds into the familiar and iconic opening riff of “Can’t Stop.” As Kiedis emerged from backstage skipping quickly to the microphone just before the first verse, it was apparent that these rock stars in their early sixties (exception John Frusciante, 54) still have plenty of energy for the crowd. St. Louis Chili Peppers fans received a set list including all of the band’s hit songs including “Scar Tissue,” “Dani California,” “Otherside,” “Suck My Kiss,” and “Californication,” as well as some of their latest work from their 2022 twin albums like “Eddie” and “Whatchu Thinkin’.” The Red Hot Chili Peppers also did their own rendition of “Danny’s Song” by Gator Creek and finished the long tour with a two song encore performing “Under the Bridge” and “Give It Away” to the sold-out crowd.
After their most successful tour yet, the Red Hot Chili Peppers are rumored to be returning to the studio in 2025 hoping to continue creating new funky alternative rock music, and perhaps returning to the St. Louis stadiums or amphitheaters where they were so well received on Tuesday night. | Colin Williams
