Just as the hype for the Paris Olympics 2024 was fizzling out, Red Hot Chili Peppers ended the Games with a bang, taking to an LA beach for a hilariously wicked performance of their 2002 smash hit, “Can’t Stop.”
Handing over from Paris 2024 to the bound-to-be extravaganza of Los Angeles’ 2028 Summer Olympics, the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ performance was so sensational the official Olympics upload has amassed over 1.2m views during its first month online. From the get-go, Music Man readers will be mesmerized by the crystal blue scene of the beach, packed with rock fans, as RHCP bassist Flea (aged 60) kicks off the song in his iconic goblin pose before dancing shirtless across the stage.
Anthony Kiedis (61) is on top form for this set, amping up the ridiculousness by singing the last chorus with his T-shirt pulled over his head. The energy runs vibrant as the band perfects their song like it was the final studio cut, and the crowd clearly can’t get enough.
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With the band members all pushing 60 and still performing at their peak, some online fans are exceptionally moved by the turnaround of guitarist John Frusciante’s career. Back in 1992, John quit the band, dissolved into heroin abuse, got clean, rejoined the band just in time for their career-defining albums “Californication,” “By The Way,” and “Stadium Arcadium,” and now is playing the Olympics.
Homegrown in LA, 1982, Red Hot Chili Peppers have come to define Southern California, and the Olympics likely couldn’t have picked a better act to represent the city through its changing history. The Summer Olympics last made its way to LA back in 1984, only two years after the band’s conception, making for a fitting handover act and a testament to the band’s longevity.
While now revered as Rock N Roll Hall of Fame inductees and four-time Grammy winners, the band didn’t break the mainstream until the release of their fifth album, “Blood Sugar Sex Magik” in 1991, with hit singles “Under the Bridge” and “Give it Away” cementing them in rock history.
But while the band’s chaotic personalities made them icons of the music scene, a resurfaced clip of their 1990s performance on the James Whale show, featuring their treatment of fellow guest Cleo Rocos live on TV, is completely shocking in the face of the Me Too movement. Perhaps it’s time the rock scene strips back RHCP’s glaze of untouchable prestige to address the real controversies underlying this band.
If you would like to hear more from the dynamic energy of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, you can subscribe to their YouTube Channel for more incredible music. Stay connected with the band by visiting their Facebook and Instagram channels. For more updates and information, visit their official website.