Reviewed by:
unregistered, on july 12, 2006
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
Sound: Dublin. Bad portaloos. Busted eardrums. People who have no inibitions (sexual or otherwise). Not Oxegen again! Never fear, the incorrectly spelled festival is rescued by the arrival of the kings of rock-funk, Red Hot Chili Peppers! After being called "Flabby Rock Dullards" by an idiot of a reviewer of a local paper, the Chili's lit the festival alight with Anthony Kiedis' rapping refrains, John Frusciante's soaring solos, Flea's brilliant basslines and Chad Smith's riveting rhythm. THe sound delivered by the festival's runners was supurb and the band did the rest. Every note thundered through the heavy air and sent fans wild. John changed guitars for pretty much every song and Flea had trouble with his strap at the beginning. I suppose it happens to even the best of us. Anthony kept us entertained (if that moon was a football, I'd kick it up your hole). Always very subtle that Anthony. // 9
Perfomance: Franz Ferdinand had decided to continue for an extra ten minutes then which they were supposed to. As a result the audience had to politly wait twenty further minutes. The kind festival runners flashed on the Pelenty shoot-out of the world cup final to keep fans from destroying the stage to pass the time! I'd never experienced football fans like this lot (come on France. Yes. France score. Italy suck. Come on Italy. Yes. Italy score. France suck). Finally the music started. John, wearing a wooly hat in the middle of July, belted out funk tune as Flea and Chad joined him. Anthony strode on-stage for the opening song, Can't Stop. They played all the hits. Scar Tissue, Fortune Faded, Californication and By The Way. The preformance of the latter was fantastic. They preformed Don't Forget Me also a song that sounds amazing live. From the new album, Stadium Arcadium, they played Dani California, Snow (Hey Oh), Charlie, Wet Sand, Tell Me Baby and 21st Century. By The Way was the finale before the Encore. For this they nailed Under The Bridge and Give it Away. As an added bonus Flea announced "We're going to play a song we haven't played in 15 years". The crowd went wild. They played the incredibly funky Noboby Wierd Like Me. Afterwards, Anthony remarked "That's for the oxegen penis," what an honour! // 10
Impression: After the show, I travelled back home by bus and I had the songs stuck in my head. The preformence of the band was one of the most covincing I had ever experienced. I think they should make the main stage of Oxegen a hallowed area in which only the legends of rock should ever grace. In the same festival, Kaiser Chiefs, Franz Ferdinand, Artic Monkeys and Placebo had preformed and although I have respect for what these upcoming talents have to offer, they are simply just not up to the standard of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. James Brown was on the bill though which made up for it. I only went for the 9th of July date. It set me back 69.50 but it was well worth it. The only unforgettable patrs of the show came during the Chili's set. The constant walk around Punchestown looking for a good act to pass the time weren't the most enjoyable (as there were none) but I would go through it all again just to see them again. I will go again next time their in Ireland. If they come to Oxegen again I'm bringing a clothes-peg, wellies and a big baseball bat (don't ask) but nothing's going to stop me going. Overall, a poor festival that would have done better just to cancel all acts and put on the Chili's. A preformance from a band that lives up to their 'legend' tag. Fantastic! // 10
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