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Anthony Kiedis, the lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, performs at the Pavilion at Star Lake on Tuesday, July 2, 2024.
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Review: Red Hot Chili Peppers deliver unlimited love, hits and epic jams at a sold-out Star Lake

Benjamin B. Braun/Post-Gazette

Review: Red Hot Chili Peppers deliver unlimited love, hits and epic jams at a sold-out Star Lake

There’s something that feels so right about the Red Hot Chili Peppers playing an outdoor summer show.

On Tuesday night, the California-based Rock and Roll Hall of Famers played their hits, new songs, and epic jams to a sold-out crowd at The Pavilion at Star Lake.

It’s crazy to think the band released their debut album 40 years ago, but you’d never know after seeing them live. The four-piece band is currently on their Unlimited Love tour. They released two albums in 2022: “Unlimited Love” and “Return of the Dream Canteen.” How would the recent material work with the classics? How would the fans react?

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This was also the first time they’ve played in Pittsburgh since 2017 and their first stop at Star Lake since 1992. You could tell the fans were pumped before the show, as the parking lot was lined with tailgating.

At this point, the iconic rock band has generations of fans, from grandparents to kids. Some of these fans were experiencing their first concert, complete with headphones that kids wear at shows.

Domi and JD Beck were the opening act. The instrumental duo showed their chops on keys and drums, making for a very interesting set. “That is virtuoso s---,” Flea would later tell the crowd when giving them a shout out.

At 8:45 p.m. the stage lights went dark. Legendary bassist and a virtuoso himself, Flea, walked onstage and went straight into a walking handstand, with the crowd cheering loudly. He wore yellow shorts, and in typical RHCP fashion, didn’t wear a shirt. The brilliant guitarist John Frusciante and very talented drummer Chad Smith joined Flea for a high-energy jam session. Then Anthony Kiedis walked onto the stage. It was a huge ovation for the lead singer. He wore white shorts and a brown t-shirt. And yes, he still has the mustache going strong.

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The band opened with “Around the World.” Kiedis ran around the stage, amping up the crowd. The opening track of their “Californication” album was a solid song to kick off the night.

“Thank you, Pittsburgh,” Flea said, addressing the crowd. “Always great to be here.”

From there, they went into “The Zephyr Song.” The big screen behind the band featured swirling colors, with the band appearing in trippy psychedelic sequences.

Then came the familiar opening drums and bass to “Dani California.” This took the show into another gear. Fans danced along, shouting out the lyrics. The party was just getting started. The song ended with Frusciante holding out a guitar note which sent a wave a distortion across Burgettstown.

As I looked back at the crowd, a gorgeous sunset flanked by golden clouds had appeared over the sea of fans in the lawn. Some fans turned around to take pictures of the scene.

“It’s the golden hour,” Flea said, looking out into the sunset.

The band played some of their recent material, including “Aquatic Mouth Dance,” which features a cool bass groove courtesy of Flea. It flowed well and people in the crowd were moving along to the jam. The band then got back to their big hits. “Otherside” had Frusciante playing an insane guitar solo and Kiedis belted out the chorus. A fan next to me yelled, “I’m going to cry!” Kiedis took off his t-shirt, because we all knew that was inevitable. At 61, he is still just as ripped and in shape as he was in the days of “Californication.”

Another standout performance from the new material was “Eddie.” Frusciante blew everyone away yet again with a fantastic guitar solo at the end of the song that was insane to hear live.

An interesting moment happened between songs. The band huddled together next to the drum set. It was almost like they were calling an audible. They decided on “Tippa My Tongue,” another new track off of “Return of the Dream Canteen.” Smith played a funky beat while Kiedis kicked into his signature vocal delivery of rapping the lyrics with a melody only he could pull off.

“Thank you,” Kiedis told the crowd in a rare address on a night he didn’t talk much to the crowd, instead focusing on the music and performances. That said, he’s still one of the best showmen in rock ‘n’ roll, playing to the crowd and getting everyone hyped.

The band kept up the momentum with “Tell Me Baby.” Fans sang along, moving to the beat. This was followed by Flea playing bass near the front of the stage and Frusciante breaking into the classic opening notes of “Soul to Squeeze,” drawing a huge response from the crowd. Everyone held up their phones to either take a picture or record a video, capturing the moment. One fan next to me started crying. The songs brought back so many memories to fans: from “Blood Sugar Sex Magik” to “Californication” and “Stadium Arcadium.”

Throughout the night, it was mesmerizing to see the chemistry between the band members. Flea and Frusciante would play close to each other, trading grooves and riffs. Amid Flea engaged in his classic head bobbing, Frusciante shot him a smile that the bassist returned. After all these years, they still have fun like they’re teenagers.

Another big moment of the show was “Californication.” The crowd went wild to the opening riff. This led to an all-out rock scorcher. Kiedis held both hands on the mic, leaning back, singing the memorable chorus. Fans sang along passionately, hands in the air. I remember listening to this song on repeat back in high school. Some younger fans near me were singing every word. So great to see. “Black Summer” was rocked out and built up for a memorable outro, Kiedis getting into the chorus, while Frusciante’s guitar rang out for an epic finish.

There was a jam session with all four of them before breaking into “By the Way” as the energy reached new levels. After the song, the band walked off stage, fans shouting for more.

During the encore, the screen showed shots of the crowd, everyone yelling for the band to return. After a few minutes of nonstop applause, Kiedis came out wearing a white cowboy hat.

The band went into “I Could Have Lied.” The show closed with “Give it Away,” the classic in-your-face signature RHCP song off of 1991’s “Blood Sugar Sex Magik.” Flea stood on top of the amps and rocked out. Smith pounded the drums while Frusciante crushed it on guitar. Kiedis ran around the stage, giving it his all. It was loud and awesome, proving how the Red Hot Chili Peppers are rocking harder than ever.

Kiedis addressed the crowd one last time.

“Until we meet again,” Kiedis said. “Be well, be good to each other, much love. Thanks again for coming to the show.”

Set list

“Intro Jam”

“Around the World”

“The Zephyr Song”

“Dani California”

“Aquatic Mouth Dance”

“Kooks” (David Bowie cover)

“Otherside”

“Eddie”

“London Calling“ (The Clash cover) + Right on Time”

“Hard to Concentrate”

“Throw Away Your Television”

“Tippa My Tongue”

“Tell Me Baby”

“Soul to Squeeze”

“Carry Me Home”

“Californication”

“Black Summer”

“By The Way”

“Encore”

“I Could Have Lied”

“Give It Away”

First Published: July 3, 2024, 11:55 a.m.
Updated: July 3, 2024, 7:33 p.m.

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Anthony Kiedis, the lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, performs at the Pavilion at Star Lake on Tuesday, July 2, 2024.  (Benjamin B. Braun/Post-Gazette)
Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers performs at the Pavilion at Star Lake on Tuesday, July 2, 2024.  (Benjamin B. Braun/Post-Gazette)
Flea, left, and John Frusciante from the Red Hot Chili Peppers perform at the Pavilion at Star Lake on Tuesday, July 2, 2024.  (Benjamin B. Braun/Post-Gazette)
Anthony Kiedis, the lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, skips across the stage while performing at the Pavilion at Star Lake on Tuesday, July 2, 2024.  (Benjamin B. Braun/Post-Gazette)
Fans watch and listen to the Red Hot Chili Peppers perform at the Pavilion at Star Lake on Tuesday, July 2, 2024.  (Benjamin B. Braun/Post-Gazette)
Fans watch and listen to the Red Hot Chili Peppers perform at the Pavilion at Star Lake on Tuesday, July 2, 2024.  (Benjamin B. Braun/Post-Gazette)
Fans watch and listen to the Red Hot Chili Peppers perform at the Pavilion at Star Lake on Tuesday, July 2, 2024.  (Benjamin B. Braun/Post-Gazette)
Benjamin B. Braun/Post-Gazette
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