Hey there!

Today, I’m going to tell you about the much-talked-about RHCP concert I attended last summer where I managed to catch (at least half of) Chad Smith’s drumstick. It’s a bit of a delayed write-up, but I couldn’t rest easy without sharing this experience. Every second of it was amazing.

Last year, I decided to go to concerts of the bands I was obsessed with in middle school for a bit of nostalgia. I managed to attend three of them. One was Green Day and Weezer at the Florence Rock Festival, and the other was the RHCP concert I’ll be talking about here.

First off, the concert took place on July 9, 2022, at Stade de France in Paris. My friend and I splurged on front-row tickets, and I can honestly say it was worth every penny. The venue, Stade de France, was quite large and beautiful but quite far from the city center. We got there hours early, stood in line in the heat, but we still weren’t early enough as there was already a long queue. The sound system was great, and the distribution of sound was well managed.

The opening acts were Thundercat and Anderson Paak. I generally like a lot of Thundercat’s music, especially his collaboration with Gorillaz on ‘Cracker Island,’ but his performance at the concert didn’t impress me. I felt he failed to fill the stage and I just wanted it to end. For those who don’t know, Stephen (Thundercat) plays bass and incorporates experimental and psychedelic elements into his music. His music videos are fun too, and I recommend watching them.

The second opening act, Anderson Paak, was fantastic. His stage presence was so engaging that he captivated the entire audience. Anderson’s R&B music style and his fun music videos added to the experience. His performance of “Come Down” and other songs with backing vocals were very enjoyable. However, I was impatiently waiting for RHCP to take the stage.

Finally, the concert began with Frusciante’s amazing solo. After his beautiful improvisation, they kicked off with “Can’t Stop.” My friend and I debated whether to stay on Frusciante’s side or move closer to Flea, and we chose Flea. As expected, his stage presence and powerful slap bass were incredibly impressive. He could have filled that huge stage all by himself.

Regarding the setlist, they played many songs from the “Stadium Arcadium” and “Californication” albums. They also included tracks from their latest album “Unlimited Love.” Although I’m not a huge fan of that album, I enjoyed hearing “Black Summer” live. I could have done without “These Are the Ways,” though. While I knew they wouldn’t play anything from their 1984 self-titled album, I still hoped for it. Highlights for me were “By the Way” and “Can’t Stop.” The excellent sound system and the band’s performance made for a great experience. I should also mention Anthony Kiedis’s habit of spitting on the stage whenever he got the chance.

One of the most chaotic and fun moments for me was after the concert ended. As people started leaving, my friend and I were asking someone to send us videos. Suddenly, something fell on me, and I reflexively caught it. It was a drumstick, and then I realized it was Chad Smith’s drumstick. It was such a random moment. Suddenly, a girl next to me grabbed the drumstick and wouldn’t let go. We both stubbornly held on, with a crowd gathering around us, cheering. My friend was dying of embarrassment. We ended up breaking the drumstick in half. I shared my part with my friend, so I ended up with just the rim of the stick, but it remains an amazing memory.

That evening, we sat on the grass near the Eiffel Tower, still buzzing from the concert, drinking our one-euro wine, and sharing our thoughts. It was one of the most unforgettable concerts of my life.