Sunday, April 7, 1996
Sold-out show’s playlist focuses on material from band’s latest
albumBy Sona Stepanian
Daily Bruin Contributor
The Forum rocked and grooved to the rhythms of the Red Hot Chili
Peppers last Thursday night as the band played a sold out show for
thousands of enthusiastic fans.
The Chili Peppers, along with Dave Navarro, their most recent
guitarist, returned to Los Angeles to promote "One Hot Minute,"
their latest musical venture. And after a nearly two-year absence
from the touring circuit, the band’s excitement about playing the
Forum swept across an already eager crowd.
A generally plain set served as the backdrop for the band’s
"twisting-and-turning" melodies. A disco ball, which received a
large response from the audience, was perhaps the most elaborate
decoration. But the simplicity of the stage seemed to compliment
the diversity of the Chili Peppers’ tunes, which mixed elements of
funk with rock.
The shirtless Peppers used every inch of the stage and somehow
managed to keep all articles of clothing on for the entirety of the
show. And the mellower demeanor of Navarro was counterbalanced with
Kiedis’ trademark hair flinging and Flea’s always popular
acrobatics.
It quickly became obvious that the show revolved strictly around
the band’s new material. Old school Chili Peppers fans got little
if anything from previous albums as it seemed that the band was
reluctant to play older tunes. "Higher Ground" and "Under the
Bridge," which were popular in their own time, were about as far
back as the Peppers went. Generally, songs such as "Fight Like a
Brave," were ignored. However, the crowd did not seem to be too
bothered with the lack of older songs as tunes off "One Hot Minute"
followed one after another.
Navarro and Flea also got a chance to display their vocal
talents as each of them sang a song. A loud surge of screams and
whistles accompanied Flea as he sang "Pea." And a fast-paced,
unexpected ending rounded off his performance.
The night ended with an encore typical of the Chili Peppers
style. Starting off mellow but quickly livening things up, they
soon had a crowd swaying to their funky rhythm as their short set,
which lasted for a little over an hour, ended.
The two opening bands, The Toadies and Weapon of Choice, added
even more musical diversity to the evening. The Toadies played a
loud, rocking set to an audience which was very responsive and
accepting. And Weapon of Choice promisingly opened the show with a
strong, eclectic set, combining psychedelic and alternative musical
styles.