If you are a seasoned fan of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, watching them perform in front of you is something that will never get old. And if you are a newcomer, it is an experience that nothing can prepare you for. 

On 16 February, the American rock veterans — who last visited Singapore in 2019 to headline the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix — returned to the island city-state to unleash a sizzling chapter of their ongoing Global Stadium Tour.  

Throughout the event at the Singapore National Stadium, verbal exchanges between the band and the crowd were sparse, but this by no means undermined the show's quality. As men of few words, Anthony Kiedis (vocals), Flea (bass), Chad Smith (drums), and John Frusciante (guitar) were more than glad to let their music do all of the talking.   

Although they have been making music and performing for four decades, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees never showed any signs of slowing down during the concert, which ran for approximately an hour and forty minutes. Pulling out all the stops, the quartet delivered an evening of high-quality entertainment that thrilled the thousands in attendance. 

In case you missed it or are looking for something to help you nurse your post-concert depression, here are four highlights from the Red Hot Chili Peppers' latest visit to Singapore. 

RED-HOT CHEMISTRY

One thing fans were quickly reminded of was that listening to the studio versions of the band's music and watching their recorded performances simply do not compare to seeing them in the flesh. Instead of diving straight into the night's first number, the Red Hot Chili Peppers warmed the crowd up by giving it a taste of what it could expect from the show during an introductory jam. Not only did it serve as an opportunity for the members to showcase their individual musical prowess, but it was also a stunning display of the band's strong chemistry. 

When the groovy basslines of Flea, the electrifying screams of Frusciante's guitar, and the rousing accents of Smith's drum fills came together, the result was an incredibly satisfying auditory experience. And when Kiedis finally took the stage for the opening song 'Fake as Fu@k', he sent the band into full throttle with his speedy and lively line delivery. For those watching, the only thing that was to be done was marvel at the well-oiled unit before them. 

OVERFLOWING ENERGY

Aside from being a display of their musical talents, the concert was also an exhibition of the Grammy-winning act's showmanship, a quality that they have also gained fame for. 

"They don't need backup dancers or special effects. They're just four dudes who are good at what they do," a fan could be overheard saying.

As demonstrated by Flea's animated playing of the bass and Kiedis' uninhibited dancing and bouncing, there is plenty of truth to that statement. Constantly energising themselves as well as one another, the more the Red Hot Chili Peppers looked more and more like a self-sustaining machine with each track that they performed. Eventually spilling over into the crowd, their energy was so infectious that it even found its way to the seated sections located a distance away from the stage, where fans could be spotted getting up on their feet and dancing.

THE UNAGING HITS

There exist a number of timeless hits in the Red Hot Chili Peppers' extensive music catalogue and the audience in Singapore was treated to a selection of them. Taken off 2006's Stadium Arcadium, 'Dani California' was introduced just after the opening song. Moving further back in time, the Red Hot Chili Peppers later brought out 'Around the World', 'By The Way', and 'Give It Away', which were released back in 1999, 2002, and 1991 respectively. Performing each of these tunes with a level of passion that has remained unchanged even after so many years, they delighted many.  

But the loudest cheers of the night were reserved for 'Californication', a song so recognisable that even non-fans would be familiar with it. Coming towards the end of the show, the track from the band's 1999 album of the same name was a crowd-pleaser that had fans putting their arms in the air and joining Kiedis as he sang its famous chorus.

THE SOON-TO-BE FAVOURITES

As the Red Hot Chili Peppers are known to have a setlist that changes with each show, there were big numbers, such as 'Can't Stop', 'Snow (Hey Oh)', and 'Scar Tissue', that were not performed for the Singapore crowd. While the decision to omit them may have left some feeling disappointed, it was an understandable one since it freed up space for the band to include their newer material. 

In Singapore, two new songs stood out. With the extremely catchy 'Aquatic Mouth Dance', a track from 2022's Unlimited Love, the Red Hot Chili Peppers extended an invitation to fans to dive into the ocean and join them at a groovy underwater party. Later on, the Los Angeles-based outfit — while standing in front of a large screen playing a breathtaking video of the sun — presented a haunting live version of another track from Unlimited Love, 'Black Summer'. While they may not be as beloved as the band's biggest hits, they were additions to the setlist that showed that even after all these years, the Red Hot Chili Peppers still have plenty to offer. 

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS LIVE IN SINGAPORE 2023 SETLIST:

1. Intro Jam
2. Fake as Fu@k
3. Dani California
4. Universally Speaking
5. Aquatic Mouth Dance
6. Soul to Squeeze
7. The Drummer
8. Around the World
9. Tippa My Tongue
10. Right on Time (with London Calling intro)
11. Hard to Concentrate
12. Reach Out
13. Californication
14. The Heavy Wing
15. Black Summer
16. By the Way
17. I Could Have Lied
18. Give It Away