Red Hot Chili Peppers

06 February 2013

by Sherryn Riley   For someone not a fan, I was still excited when my better half, Duncan, walked into the office kitchen and said, “We’re going to Red Hot Chili Peppers”.  

On a Facebook post, Theo Rood from MJ Event Gear mentioned that he had two tickets available. Not known as the “Racing Snake” for nothing, Duncan snatched them up before they could be sold to anyone else. Thank you Theo and Lorinda!

Going to the concert as regular “punters”, we caught the Park and Ride bus departing from Silverstar Casino. Everything was exceptionally well run, though the Krugersdorp crowd were a bit quieter going to the FNB Stadium than coming back home!

The smell of braai and good times drifted through the air as those who arrived in their own cars got the party started. Local people from Soweto ran stalls selling steak, boerewors rolls and refreshments.

By the time the opening acts, The Muffinz and Die Antwoord were on stage, Duncan had obtained two additional Golden Circle Tickets and we stood in front of FOH. It was really great to see people from various rental companies all coming to the show and catching up.   Pepper fans! (2nd Row) Riaan and Hestie van Niekerk, Verne Dillman and Adriaan Rood. (Front Row), Theo and Lorinda Rood, Sherryn and Duncan Riley.   At 9pm the crowd went wild! Red Hot Chili Peppers were performing in South Africa for the first time. I wondered if the band ever realized, before that moment, that they had such a huge following in Africa. I am convinced they must have thought, “Why did we not come sooner?” I couldn’t stop myself from dancing; the music was great and the sound awesome. Congratulations to Gearhouse on their new sound system which is in a league of its own and on the full production supply.  

Prior to the concert I Googgled “Red Hot Chili Peppers”. When reading the band was formed in 1983, albeit under a different name, I thought there had to be a typo error. When they came onto that stage, I did not see youngsters, but they had an intangible magic and the crowd and I had no choice but to be captivated. These guys are fit, and talented guitarist, Flea, at one point walked across the stage on his hands. When Anthony Kiedis started singing… there are no words.

The stage and set was simple yet striking. A massive LED screen formed the backdrop, above which were four smaller LED screens placed next to each other. Five vertical pillar trusses stood as columns in front of the screen. On either side of the main stage were two smaller screens, each also with upright vertical truss on either side. A total of 108 Robin 600 LEDWash were scattered on the trusses.

The Robins changed colour to compliment video content. The units would shine white while live footage (the “video man” was excellent) of the band was displayed in Sepia colours. Californication had a red and black animated video clip, and the Robins flashed in red. The band’s lighting designer, Scott Holthaus, used green which is uncommon, and he must’ve spent hours behind the desk programming some of the sequences. The lighting desks utilized were two GrandMA consoles.

When I was young, and keep in mind there were sanctions back then, I remember wishing I could attend a fabulous concert. Occasionally artists would perform at Sun City, but it wasn’t how I imagined a rock concert to be. I will be 40 in just over a year, but on Saturday night, with the vibe, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and the one I love putting his arms around me, I felt like a teenager again.

Equipment List:

GrandMA Control

108     x          Robe Robin 600 LEDWash

36        x          Atomic Strobes

45        x          MAC 2000 Wash

8          x          MAC 2000 Profiles

12        x          5k Panthers

8          x          Strong 1200

4          x          Strong Gladiators