RHCP @ V2001 Live Review
by Christopher Cox

It was typical English weather for this event but it certainly didn't have
any adverse effect on the atmosphere of this festival. I'd already seen a
few good sets earlier in the day, Placebo and the Foo fighters being the
best of these, and I was desperate to see the Peppers by the time they came
on (as was just about everyone else).
They kept the crowd waiting a little while before they took the stage which
was cool because it got people wound up and everybody dying for them to take
the stage.

Finally John came running out, it was amazing, he was grinning from ear to
ear and waving. He was wearing a wooly hat and the same top he wore at the
MTV20 show. He started playing his guitar on stage alone at first, you could
tell he was absolutly loving every second of it. I've never seen him do
anything like it before really, he was flying around the stage and dancing
like crazy! He lifted his guitar above his head and started playing loads of
runs and cool grunts/chops (he wasn't really playing anything in particular
at this point). He was rocking so much his hat just flew straight off his
head almost straight away!

After about fifteen seconds of this the rest off the band came running out,
they went straight into a song that I didn't recognise, I think it must have
been a new song (I have since discovered that it was an old Public Enemy
song). It sounded really cool and i was expecting them to play a full song
but they cut it off about a minute into it and went straight into Give it
Away. GIA was as rocking as ever, you can't expect anything less really can
you?

Next they played scar tissue, John's solo's throughout the song were just so
good, he did one (I think it was his second to last one) which I thought was
perfect and then, for the last one he really pulled out all the stops.

After Scar Tissue they went into Higher Ground, this was a real surprise - I
didn't expect to here anything from Mothers Milk. It was fantastic for me
because I've never seen them play this live before so I really enjoyed it,
especially John and Fleas backing vocals!

Next was a new song that I was enjoying listening to for the first time when
the unthinkable happened John's amp's all cut out! I couldn't believe it, I
think they must have fused or something - it took him by surprise as well,
it was a little bit like the Around the World performance at Woodstock where
his guitar cuts out. Anyway he just started laughing while all the roadies
were running around trying to solve the problem! Then Flea stared playing a
bass line which Chad joined in on and then Anthony started doing some crazy
rapping. While the others were doing this John turned his guitar round so it
was hanging down his back, and then he just started dancing like crazy
again! The crowd were going mad and John was just bouncing around like he
going to take off the stage or something!!! This lasted in total for about a
minute whilst they fixed John's amp's, when he realised they were working
again he joined in on the jam for a while! Then, the communication was
incredible, a nod from Flea and they were straight back into they song they
were playing before the amps fused!! It was unbelievable.

Next was otherside, out came John's White Falcon and the crowd got pretty
excited (which is expected really because it was such a big single).

If you have to ask was as funky as usual and i was dying to hear Flea and
John's jam at the end! When they were playing the jam Anthony climbed on top
of Flea's cabs and watched.

They played a cover song next and i don't now what it was, it sounded as if
it was some kind of punk/new wave song but i don't know which, it was good
anyway.

At this point my memory of what order the songs came in is a bit dodgey but
I do know what songs they played, just don't quote me on the order!!

Next, I think, was another new one which Anthony said was a love song. I
wasn't very keen on this to be honest, it didn't really seem to go anywhere
and it sounded a bit to much like plain rock song.

John then played Untitled#3, the one that goes a "A dove is glove that I
wear on my arm......" It was so good to hear John playing this it was so
special to see him playing it in front of me, awesome.

John's solo song cut straight into Parallel Universe. This was nice to hear
and was obviously another crowd favorite. John's solo at the end of this was
so good as well, just one note with vibrato for about a 30
seconds....wicked!

A really, really cool version of I could have lied came next. They started
to play this and stopped after about 15 seconds, i'm not sure why but they
started again straight away.

Californication was next to everyone's delight, again this was another big
single. I wasn't as delighted as everyone else, I think i've seen so many
live versions that it didn't give me any surprises.

Next was another new song. I think this must be one of the songs that had
working titles of Modest zep and Techno Zep. It was so cool, mainly based
around a big, fat riff with a very cool vibe. The solo in the song was
brilliant as well, I know John doesn't like solo's too much but he obviously
enjoyed this one!! The crowd went crazee when he was playing!

Everyone, except John, left the stage at this point. John then started
playing a punk song, i dont know if it was one of his or a cover but it was
cool. I could kinda tell that a lot of people in the crowd were a bit
puzzled when he played this, for the people who don't know anything about
him I suppose it was quite strange and unexpected to hear this in the middle
of the set, I loved it though, it was wicked!!

The solo song stoppped and John went into under the bridge, the whole song
was played without a pick and it was just so good to hear it on a rainy
night in England!

By this time Flea, Anthony and John all had their shirts off and were
obviously having a good time. Flea told everyone how he'd been to London
with Clara earlier that day to see the changing of the guards at Buckingham
Palace. He also said people in England always chant, at football matches,
concerts etc. He said that he loved it but could never understand what
people were saying. He then got everyone to sing mary had a little lamb!

They played Right on Time next with the London Calling intro which went down
very well.

The final song of the set was Me and My Friends. The whole band went nuts
here with feedback leaping around galore!

After a load of clapping, chanting and cheering the band finally came back
on stage and stared playing Soul to Squeeze. This was such a good version
that sounded so crisp!! John went mad again and started his crazy dancing,
I've really never seen him do anything like it before!! Every time Chad hit
the snare John looked as though he was going to have a fit!!

Power of equality came next and it was really good to hear it! I dont think
I've heard it live before. Fleas bass playing was amazing in this song, it
was just so cool, funky and fat!

They went off stage again, and returned for another encore John had probably
got a bit cold because he came out this time wearing a hooded top. This time
they obviously didn't know what to play and all stood in the middle of the
stage talking for a while. They finally launced into a rocking version of
Search and Destroy this was fantastic and everyone in the place went nuts,
including the band!! When the song had finished Anthony left the stage and
Chad, Flea and John jammed for a while, then Chad left and for a further
5mins or so John and flea jammed!!

It was such a perfect end to the night! Finally john came to mic and spoke
for the first time, he waved and said "We love you, good night"

I've got to say that although i've seen them play a lot of these songs
before, on video and stuff, John just seemed a bit different. He was just
going crazy, he was obviously having the time of his life, it was so special
to see him like that!!

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