I just saw the Chili Peppers live in concert, and it was a sweet, and a sour affair. Why do I say this? Well, the band is super cool, of course, and they are great musicians, obviously. In this regard, then, it really didn’t bother me that it took them 3-4 songs to get into the groove, that they botched Dani California, or that Flea forgot the words to Pea. On the whole, it was a very good performance. I also expected the three-figures ticket price, as well as the $15 can of beer, so this did not particularly bother me either.
However, there is something to be said about the production. The year is 2022 and the sound system sounded like that of a college concert, except louder. I should have expected some cutting-edge surround system by now, the available technology and the admission price demand it. The Chili Peppers are one of the biggest acts in the world, so this deficiency is unforgivable.
Furthermore, there is something to be said about the utter predictability of the night. Everyone knew what was going to happen. The exact start time of the show, the number of songs that were to be played, that there was going to be an encore (Chad Smith had to ask for a louder cheer!), the number of songs in the encore—in fact, people started to leave before the end of By the Way (the last song of the night) to (I guess) avoid the crowds. This does not seem like what a rock show is supposed to be. I miss the unpredictability, a sense of danger, the magic.
Signs of the times (more than of the band), I guess.
But do not get me wrong, I’ll still be there next time.
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