"Oi mate! Do you know where I can get a ticket?" says the guy holding a ragged cardboard sign. Huddled tight against the spring air it's obvious he's been sitting there asking that question for a while now. Despite this being a secret gig, the Chili Peppers faithful (ticket or no ticket) have tracked their way to the Kings Cross Goods Depot in London.
And why wouldn't you? Red Hot Chili Peppers live at Canvas is the hottest ticket in town this weekend... Maybe even this year?
The venue is a medium sized hall, dark on the inside with a bar at one end and speaker stacks the size of small bungalows flanking the stage at the other. Five hundred people pack themselves in, staring past the drum kit, craning their necks all trying to work out what's going on. The hardcore continue to cling to the front barrier as they have been for the last two hours.
Lights out. Here we go. From the darkness Flea bounds on stage, bass in hand. Frusciante's guitar cranks in to life whilst Chad's kick-drum thunder rattles our ribcages. Cheers, whoops and screams fill the air along with a hundred mobile phone screens all hoping to preserve this moment.
The opening riff to Can't Stop rings out, the lights go up and there, not five metres away, they are. This is the kind of night that's so implausible that you have to see it to believe it.
"I make it up as I go along, cos that way I'm never wrong," confesses Anthony after fluffing the lyrics to the opening number. He's a much better rapper than he is singer yet his boundless energy seems to carry off any slip in delivery.
Tonight's performance is an accomplished one with a set list that takes in family favourites Scar Tissue, By The Way, new single Dani California, Me And My Friends (from 1986), Simon and Garfunkel's For Emily Whenever I May Find Her and closes with the mighty Give It Away.
By the time they reach their finale, Anthony is stripped to the waist (and still looking built!), the audience is pogo-ing in unison with the band and even the bar staff are going crazy. The audience are unequivocal in their praise using words like fantabulous, rockin, awesome, fantastik, and 'erm' (thanks Moyles).
There's something very alluring about seeing the high polish of Hollywood get down and dirty in a London warehouse. For a small show like this one you might expect they'd take it easy but no, the Peppers played it like they are still hungry for their place at the top. For a bunch of guys that have been in the business for over 20 years, they still know how to strap it on. Big time.
Review: Andy P
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Review Radio 1 sent its reporter to the distinctly unglamorous King's Cross to see if Anthony and the boys could still rock it in a grimey club. Tell us what you thought of the gig: | Recommended LinksOn the web redhotchilipeppers.com en.wikipedia.org On bbc.co.uk bbc.co.uk/Music: Biog 'By The Way': Review Radio 1 RHCP at Hyde Park 2004 |
I never went i wanted too, but i saw them last year @ Hyde Park & all i can say is BEST EVER
Gillian
this gig was amazin just listening to it, i would really like to go see the chili's live they are awsum Jonny jones
Jonny - Crossflatts
Awesome awesome gig...... I will be in mourning when it is no longer available on the BBC website but see you guys at Pride Park on the 5th July!!! Can't wait and Anthony you are a hero!!
David Benford - Derbyshire
Didn't actually go but i've got all of their albums-they're great and my favourite song is By the Way!!!
Max Billson Wellingborough
Im 14 and it was my first ever gig, and it was amazing!! its definatley made a impact on me and will remember that night forever :D:D
mindy leeds
OH MY GOD!!!! Thst concert gives me goosebumps just thinking about it! It was flippin amazing and I can't believe I got to go! Thank you soo much BBC and I don't think I will ever go to a better concert. It was just so close and real. Absoulutely loving it!
Louise - Aberdeen
I wasn't one of the lucky ones who was at the gig, but listened to it and it was brill!!! Seen the Chili's at Hyde Park before and they just get better & better and never disappoint me. ANTHONY, JOHN, CHAD AND FLEA LOVE YA ALL.
Anji Rai - Birmingham
What can i say except they're awsome, best band in the world! THEY ROCK wish i was there! cant wait for the new album
Samantha Pulfer-Thurston,Bury St Edmunds
I wasn't there but I heard it and it was soooooo amazing. These guys know how to get a crowd going and even after all this time they are still absolute LEGENDS!!!! It sounded incredible! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!
Liv Perkins- Leicester
Amazing each album takes the chilis to a new exciting place, i cannot wait for the new album i preordered it 4 months ago! but why oh why did you take the new songs of the internet version!
Jon- West Midlands
Goin to earls court gig, cannot wait soooooooooooo good
Jack
Heard it on the radio Monday night and, for me, words cannot describe how good it was. Cheers for the audio feast Radio 1! Anthony's boundless rapping/singing energy, Frusciante's guitaring genius, Flea's manic bass playing and Smith's awesome drumming and status as a TOP BLOKE made absolutely sure that I've fallen in love with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, or at least their music.
Andy - Surrey - UK
truly amazing night. Anthony is well sexy!!! thanks radio 1 for giving me tickets!!
Helen B - London
i was lucky enough to be there with my 3 other chosen lucky folk. it was without doubt the best gig i have ever been to in my life, i can only liken it to a controlled riot !!! fantastic
karl, wirral
I heard the gig on the radio and was blown away by the band's awesome and unique energy. It provided the bridge I needed between now and the release of Stadium Arcadium. Thanks Radio 1 for an amazing aural experiance!
David, London
keep it up guys, one day youll be big
mark, liverpool
Absolutely out of this world!!!! ME & MY FRIENDS!!!!!!!!! SOUL TO SQUEEZE!!!!!! I hope they play these on their new SA tour in July. The new songs were awesome too. Charlie! 21st Century! Tell Me Baby! Hard To Concentrate! Snow! Dani California! All AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! Can't wait till July!!!!
Luke, Whoresham
Ah, anything they do is amazing!Wish I could have been there!Chili's-PLEASE PLEASE come tour in South Africa-it would be so awesome-there's millions of South Africans dying to hear you guys live!!!!!Damn, these guys really rock the world!This album is gonna sell millions!I love Dani California, not to mention the awesome video!
Dean Barrett-South Africa
Thank you radio 1 that was great! Been listening to the peppers for 20 years and they are the greatest band of my life & will always sound incredible!!, what a set, wish I could have heard the new material everone is saying they played
Craig O Wilkinson Albuq. N.M.
Great listen thanks bbc... can anyone give any specifics on the new material formed... as far as the sound and energy.
jake tx
I didn't get to go since it's well...so far away!!! But I've listened to it and it's awesome! Though the Chili Peppers have been around for what seems like forever there is still to this day never a dull moment! Rock On!!!
Jennifer De Ranieri-USA
We managed to see the Gig at the front of the gates - to the left of the stage ..it was as if we were inside - Brilliant - Annoying that Evening Standard advertised it as a "free Gig" - but upon getting there we were told that we should quit queueing (after an hour) cos we would not be getting in !!! (so said Security)...only the record company Staff , BBC staff and RHCP members who all had tickets distributed would gain access - anyway our vantage point was great at the gates having waited for 3 hours well - worth it - wonderful gig thanks....but why the secret with the venue?? the "canvas"???? its BBC Wood Lane Car Park!! ..thats where this gig was played ....beautiful roll on Reading footy stadium in July - cant wait
Anthony Eves - Welling
sounding good im seein them at earls court on 17 july and cnt wait
craig-aldershot
Wasn't actually there but heard in on monday night- new songs sound awesome but was little pissed off they somehow cut them out on the internet replay :(
Ben, London
there is no better band live than the chilis,they rock so hard. having seen them three times before they just get better and better. roll on Stadium Arcadium
cjt scotland
HAPPY DAYS
brett mitchell-ABERCARN-SOUTH WALES
The chilis are AMAZING!! and i so wish i was there :( Who won the competition? lucky..person! cant wait til they play in manchester coz im there!!
ammi, manchester
Two words: PODCAST PLEASE!!!!! :) :) :)
Adam, UK
it was freaking amazing! i heard it on the radio and man those guys rock
Rosie, UK
i wish to god i had been there, i saw them at hyde park. they are always at there best live. thanks for sharing that with us radio 1.. rock on!!!!
rick bognor regis
WOW. no really, just plain wow. ive bin to a couple of chili gigs b4 but this one felt more personal cos u could get up close. it was better than christmas and sex. infact better than them put together. im still really excited and i cant stop shaking everytime i think of it. WOW u guys ROCK. THANKU
Holly Humphrey-Maidstone, Kent
I was lucky enough to be there and the Chilis rocked, quite possibly the best night of my life! Thank you Radio 1! Roll on the Chilis gig in July!
Sarah, London
didnt actually go but have all the albums and hearing it live on radio one was so so much better than the albums please please put it on to podcast for my ipod!!!!
alex charing - liverpool
Awesome! I just love these guys. The band is just fantastic as allways!
Tim Peterson, Rauma Finland
Absolutely fantastic as ever! Can't wait to see them at Don Valley Stadium in the summer - the new album will be amazing too! Without a shadow of a doubt they are the biggest band in the world right now!
Nick - Sheffield
Wasn't there, but they played great and the setlist was fantastic (Soul to Squeeze, Me and My Friends, OMG!!!1), much better than when I saw them in Manchester two years back which seemed to be more of a 'Greatist Hits' setlist If the show is anything like that when I see them again (twice!) later this year then i'll be happy =) Of the new material I heard for the first time from this gig I thought Charlie was fantastic, I hate you for removing it from the online version though =/
Miranda - Manchester
~*~*~ Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU Radio 1!~*~*~ That was THE best night EVER!!! The Chilis were amazing totally out of this world, the gig was great, the atmosphere was rocking and they certainly haven't lost it - if anything they just keep GETTING BETTER!!!!
Emily Williams - Hampshire
The gig was absolutely phenomenal, I been to loads of gig's and festivals but that was without doubt the best and most special. A complete privilege I went to see the Arctic Monkeys yesterday and dare I say it was rather boring in comparison, I'm slightly worried that I'll be forever compareing future gigs to this one now Give it away now was amazing, bring on the Earl Court gig's!
Paul, LONDON
The gig was absolutely phenomenal, I been to loads of gig's and festivals but that was without doubt the best and most special. A complete privilege I went to see the Arctic Monkeys yesterday and dare I say it was rather boring in comparison, I'm slightly worried that I'll be forever compareing future gigs to this one now Give it away now was amazing, bring on the Earl Court gig's!
Paul, LONDON
They cease to amaze me...they are the best band in the world, seen them at Hyde Park & V Festival and hearing them last night gave me goose bumps...they are awesome.
Jordan Byrnes, Stourbridge
HOLY MOLY!!!!!! AWESOME GIG Can't believe i didnt get a ticket!!!:(
Dunx Newton Abbot
It's intelligible that I couldn't be there last night, personally of course :), cause I was there mentally. RHCP is now the most rocking, awesome and original band in the world, I do admire them! Anthony, Flea, John, Chad - keep it up!
Kamil - Cracow, Poland
Amazing show
Douglas Larsson, Halmstad Sweden
Great,just great I think they were playing as good as ever and sounding really healthy. John played great though he said he had some problems. Last but not least thanks to you, bbc 1,for making it possible to listen to the gig around the world. It was great!!!
Julia,Germany
What didn't i think about it.... It was awesome and the band looked in there prime after all these years. Thanks chaps, wicked as always
Donna, Wimbledon
having seen them at hyde park it was hard to believe it was the real peppers on stage. At hyde park they had been small dots on the horizon belting out the hits, wheras on friday night they were very close up and personal. I had to keep reminding myself that this was the real deal on stage and not some tribute band which would be more plausable at this sized venue. The sound was incredible and Anthony's voice was spot on along with the music itself, they are so good live ! Im still buzzin from friday and get the feeling that i will be all week.
ROSS JARRETT - SWANLEY KENT
I wish I was there guys! Why don't you help us see RHCP in Bulgaria? Cheers!
Nikolay - Bulgaria
Awesome gig, Chilli's at their best, long may it continue. Dani California was superb!!
David, Colchester
cant wait until the tour starts. hope they come to tx. sounds like all the members or the rhcp are at their prime. cant wait till the cd comes out
aaron sa tx
i think the part included in the Radio 1 player is incredible, but it sucks that you guys didnt include the new material
John, Los Angeles
the little flea threw a tanty!
Peter Chen, Corvallis, OR
RHCP does not play poor shows.
DJack, Corvallis, OR
AMAZING!!!!! Wish I could have been there. Thanks for putting it online!!!
Jon Stotler - USA
The gig was incredible the best night of my life and it was all possible thanks to a radio 1 photographer who I can't thank enough! I'm the guy holding the cardboard sign in the pics page! Thankyou radio 1 you are awesome!
Max Danieli Bromley
amazing improvision
ffs london
The new tracks were immense!
Mark Allen - Rotherham
i wasn't actually there but when i heard it on the radio, it was incredible. I liked one of their new songs called Charlie
jimbob jones