Red Hot Chili Peppers

[Drunk Monk]

Red Hot Chili Peppers @ Oakland Colesium 8/24/6

The Peps still got it. They're a little slower than in days gone by, but Flea is still a funky bass clown, still very entertaining, and the band still have their chops. It was a sold out show, a night of drunk chicks. The first one that came groaned 'reggae on the river' then barfed copiously. The other Rock Med survivors of RotR there all found that amusing.

Mars Volta opened. They suck. I remember seeing them open for some one else and that they sucked then, but I couldn't place exactly when or where. Anyway, they still suck. Avoid them.

The Peps had an awesome stage with these flourescent tube-like lights that could turn any color suspended in a huge wall behind them and above the audience in four reaching flairing extensions that spanned over half the auditorium. It turned half the house into two giant TV screens which could mutate into all sorts of effects. It reminded me of what U2 did with their 70's style curtain. There were also these UFO like cylidircal hat-box-like light fixtures that raised and lowered. Quite spectacular.

I heard the two songs I really wanted to hear - that California Rest in Peace one, which was mediocre live and played early in the evening. Then Give it Away, which I've always enjoyed - that was the final encore and it rocked. Kiedis then left the stage, and the other three went into this extended powerhouse jam, which was the best part of the show, IMHO. Still humming Give it Away...

Bob Marley poet and a prophet
Bob Marley taught how to off it
Bob Marley walkin like he talk it
Goodness me cant you see Im gonna cough it

Give it away give it away give it away now
Give it away give it away give it away now
Give it away give it away give it away now

[Greg_phpbb3_import1]

It's called Dani Kalifornia.

[Drunk Monk]

Dreamforce was a massive event that closed off Civic Center and Moscone Center and could be felt all the way to Chinatown with attendee tourists and their silly blue lanyards. It was outta control with the catering - free booze (tables of cups of beer and wine, you just walked past and grabbed one) free food (pizza, cookies, dinners, kettle corn, NACHOS!) Most caterers I've ever seen at any event.

The Red Hot Chili Peps played their greatest hits, so much so that with almost every song, dm thought 'didn't they play that already?' They sounded flat, dull, mushy, like listening to them on an AM station or an iPod with earbuds gummed up with wax. It was a hard crowd to navigate through as not many were dancing. They weren't even rocking to the downbeat. There was an astounding shuttle service - lines of buses from MOscone to Civic Center. The best part was the projected images on city hall - giant floating nekkid ladies, the band, color fields, it was awesome.

It was Dm's 1st RM uniformed show, and rm was only supposed to man the two sobering stations, which were nice 10x10 tents, complete with stage lighting and exit signs (like how hard is it to find an exit from a 10x10 with only 3 walls?) Dm was left alone in one of the sobering stations w/no radio or crew, so when a call did arise, dm baffled them with bs until it solved itself. At one point, dm got chat up by this crazy bleach blonde dreamforce attendee with a cat-emblazoned leather jacket and huge red daisy-sequined patches on her jean. dm quickly cast a dispelling mudra and hoped she would leave. Dm escaped early with another accomplice, both using each other as cover for the exodus. Then, on bart, dm hit the exiting Giant game, which damned him to listening to yelling obnoxious drunks. At least, they were happy.