Text by Ana Clara Martins
In a packed Maracanã stadium, thousands of hearts vibrated with excitement during the Libertadores final. Even in the northern part of Rio de Janeiro, you didn't have to go far to see countless other hearts beating, but to the sound of Red Hot Chili Peppers.
The Californian group performed at the Nilton Santos Olympic Stadium last Saturday, the 4th, and, despite having been present at the penultimate Rock In Rio (2019), this show had been awaited for over a decade. This is because the Unlimited Love signals the return of John Frusciante , who hadn't played with the band in Brazil for 21 years. It's a unique moment for any fan: those who grew up watching the guitarist's memorable solos in Red Hot Chili Peppers' music videos on MTV and were too young to attend the 2002 show, those who have followed the group since the 80s and carried a huge longing to see John's improvisations on stage, and the new generation, who have the chance to witness his return in real time.
With only a 3-minute delay, the band takes the stage, launching into a great jam session. Chad Smith (drums) showcases his rhythm and speed, Flea (bass) his groove and signature slaps , and John Frusciante (guitar), on his relic Fender, displays his delicate yet visceral melodies. After the improvisation, Anthony Kiedis joins the band and launches into a trio of classics: “Can't Stop”, “The Zephyr Song”, and “Snow ((Hey Oh))”. Right from the opening riff of “Can't Stop”, the audience screams in unison and joins Frusciante in his backing vocals. Incidentally, the guitarist's backing vocals become a highlight of the show, as his high notes resonate in an angelic way.
In “Here Ever After,” from the album that gives the tour its name, Flea, known for his energetic performances, expresses his energy with his jumps and emotional interactions with John. The band follows with “Otherside,” which surprised many, since the song was left out of the setlist for the Costa Rica show. Another surprise was the track “Suck My Kiss,” which was a treat for fans of the group's funkier phases.
The audience demonstrated their intense love for John Frusciante on several occasions, especially by shouting “John Fruscianteee, John Fruscianteee!” between songs. “John, you are the reason I started learning to play guitar,” read a message on a sheet of paper held up by a fan.
During some of these breaks, the band would gather in front of the drums and whisper amongst themselves. Were they discussing the setlist? Were they planning a jam ? We'll never know, but the second question is possibly relevant, since improvisations were a highlight of the night, including even a moment just for John and Flea.
The bassist and guitarist positioned themselves facing each other and delivered an improvisation worthy of bringing tears to the audience's eyes, in which only the string instruments communicated intimately with each other, despite the thousands of people present.
The setlist not only continued to be packed with other classics, such as “Californication”, “By the Way” and “Under the Bridge”, but also with more recent releases – which were equally sung at the top of their lungs by the audience – such as “Black Summer” and “The Heavy Wing” – the latter sparking immense enthusiasm among the crowd. This is because John Frusciante's vocals are mostly restricted to backing vocals in the songs, and in “The Heavy Wing”, it is the guitarist's vocals that lead the chorus.
On the side screens, it was possible to see real-time footage of the show in certain patterns of effects and colors that resembled something between the animations of "Windows Media Player" and the cover of the album Wired (1976), by guitarist Jeff Beck.
Flea was the band member who interacted most with the audience, wishing them goodnight and thanking everyone for coming. The show ended energetically with the danceable "Give It Away," with Flea playing on top of one of the amplifiers. At the end of the performance, Anthony, who barely spoke during the show, thanked the audience, while Chad and John communicated more closely with the crowd, handing out drumsticks and guitar picks.
After the show ended, many people complained about its length, which was less than 2 hours. However, it would be unfair to say that the show wasn't worthwhile: it was danceable, full of energy and fluidity, even with the various pauses. Frusciante's presence was something else entirely. Everyone was talking about him and eagerly awaiting his solos and vocals. All we hope is that he doesn't take another 20 years to return!
