music: Red Hot Chili Peppers Deliver On Soldier Field Tour Stop
Photo: SoldierField/Twitter
Friday night was one of those perfect picturesque nights in Chicago. There was a buzz permeating throughout the lakefront as one of the top bands touring this summer, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, took over Soldier Field. They had big shoes to fill since Elton John played there two weeks prior.
Throughout the night, fans were vibing and singing along to great music from across the decades. Not only was RHCP a great main act, but they had two solid openers in Thundercat and The Strokes.
Thundercat
The show started off with the soul/funk bassist Thundercat. While he is not as well known as The Strokes or Red Hot Chili Peppers, he still has an incredible resume. He first started to get his name when he joined his brother in the thrash band Suicidal Tendencies. Then, he went on to collaborate with multiple artists, including Flying Lotus and Kendrick Lamar. With Lamar, he was a heavy contributor on the critically acclaimed album “To Pimp a Butterfly.”
Starting in 2011, Thundercat put out his own albums every few years between collaborations. With his diverse and talented background, his set satisfied many intrigued fans.
Thundercat Setlist
- Lost in Space / Great Scott / 22-26
- Innerstellar Love
- How Sway
- Overseas
- Dragonball Durag
- Funny Thing
- Them Changes
Thundercat at Soldier Field
The Strokes
The Strokes alone are a great band to see, especially in a small venue. But seeing them play their indie rock/post-punk set in a stadium venue only added value and excitement to the night. Many fans arrived extra early to make sure they didn’t miss the set.
The band of Julian Casablancas (vocals), Nick Valensi (guitar), Albert Hammond Jr. (guitar), Nikolai Fraiture (bass), and Fabrizio Moretti (drums) put together an 11-song set packed with classic bass lines and guitar riffs.
From “Last Night” to “Reptilia” to “Hard to Explain,” fans were up out of their seats singing and dancing along. The group made it feel like they were a pre-main act rather than an opener. It was the perfect energy lift before the main act.
The Strokes Setlist
- Last Nite
- Juicebox
- Bad Decisions
- Take It or Leave It
- Automatic Stop
- Ize of the World
- The Adults Are Talking
- Evening Sun
- Reptilia
- Someday
- Hard to Explain
The Strokes at Soldier Field
Red Hot Chili Peppers
The band is comprised of Anthony Kiedis (vocals), Flea (bass), Chad Smith (drums), and John Frusciante (guitar). While RHCP has enjoyed decades of success, they were just coming off their recent album release of “Unlimited Love” earlier this year.
Their performance couldn’t have begun in a better way. Smith, Flea, and Frusciante came out just jamming. It showcased how exciting the rest of the night would be. The Chili Peppers’ setlist started off strong with classics like “Dani California” and “The Zephyr Song.” They would mix in a song off the new album and then go back to classics while sprinkling in a few slower songs throughout the evening. The Encores of “Under the Bridge” and “By the Way” were solid picks but could have easily been flipped for tracks in the main set.
Perhaps a bit surprising, their set started at 8:45 and ended at 10:30, which put the show well under two hours. It caught some fans off guard, but the city’s noise ordinance caps outdoor concerts at 11 PM.
Additionally, RHCP only played three songs off their new album. While it may not be their best record, there were still other tracks from it that could have been included.
Nonetheless, the band sounded great! Their ability to jam and set a sonic mode for fans to sing along to was incredible. The whole stadium was standing and singing for almost every lyric. The Red Hot Chili Peppers poved that they are a must-see act anytime they are in town.
Red Hot Chili Peppers Setlist
- Intro Jam
- Around the World
- Dani California
- The Zephyr Song
- Aquatic Mouth Dance
- Snow (Hey Oh)
- Suck My Kiss
- Pea
- These Are the Ways
- I Could Have Lied
- Me & My Friends
- Wet Sand
- Tell Me Baby
- The Heavy Wing
- Black Summer
- Californication
- Give It Away
Encore
- Under the Bridge
- By the Way
Red Hot Chili Peppers at Soldier Field
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