Red Hot Chili Peppers
Koko, London
02/09/2011

When a band haven’t played the UK for nearly four years, you’d be forgiven for thinking fans would be bouncing off the walls at the prospect of seeing them at tonight’s BBC show (to be broadcast on Radio 1 on Monday).  It’s strange then that the audience is muted at best, despite Zane Lowe‘s best attempts at geeing them up (Metallica remixed with Dizzee Rascal anyone? No? Back to Chase & Status it is then…)

When the band finally take to the stage, Kiedis is resplendent in coattails and trashy moustache, complete with baseball cap for ‘Monarchy Of Roses’. Mixing songs from tenth album ‘I’m With You’ with old favourites such as ‘Can’t Stop’, only serves to highlight the lack of hooks in the new material. Unfortunately melodies aren’t the only lacklustre thing, with between song banter coming purely from bassist Flea, and it’s bizarre to say the least. “That was funny as fuck, more fun than fucking!” he says when about a cover of Neil Young‘s ‘Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere’, shortly followed by “Sometimes it’s nice to wrestle, sometimes it’s nice to box….how many people want to get their dicks sucked?” leading to Kiedis trying to make a joke of it, tumbleweed ensues. It’s no coincidence then that his microphone is quickly turned down.

New boy, Josh Klinghoffer (ex-Warpaint), provides some strong backing vocals, and ‘By The Way’ and ‘Californication’ are the unsurprising fan-favourites of the night. One thing they can’t be faulted for is energy, with Flea and Kiedis both whirling in circles like their lives depend on it. The lead vocals are certainly competent but it’s not enough; competent doesn’t make for an exciting show. Fortunately they have a while yet before the major tour, must try harder.

Jen Thomas