Customer Reviews

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Live at Slane Castle

5 star:		(101)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I had the pleasure of going to see the Chili Peppers during this tour with great seats - I was dead center in the pit. There couldn't have been more than twenty feet seperating me from the band. Being only a casual RHCP fan, I was blown away by the awesome power of their live performance. That remains the best concert I've ever been too. And this DVD is a perfect way to revisit that experience again and again.

If you were also went to see them during that tour, this DVD is essential. They were smart in that they played almost the same setlist and wore the same clothes even (most remarkably Flea's Skeleton costume - reminiscent of John Entwistle) so that for all intents and purposes no matter where you saw them this concert is almost exactly like the one you saw.

The Chili Peppers were full of great surprises here. First of all, John Frusciante has new solo's for every song and he's in prime guitar god form. His improvisations are brilliant, including the intro to "By the Way" which opened the concert and especially the extended solo after "Throw Away Your Television" will blow your mind. I still recall my jaw dropping when watching him perform this live. Also it's good to see they included his solo performance of "Maybe", a 60's pop love song, which comes right after "Scar Tissue" although it's not listed. That was an odd and memorable part of the show I saw.

The filmmakers were smart to film the concert from start to finish. No breaks to hear short interviews from the band. No 'Song Remains the Same' style movie clips. Just pure unadulturated Chili Peppers goodness. There are also some cool effects such as the still-motion, 180 degree, Matrix-style camera trick used to capture and accentuate Anthony Kiedis's crazy jumping around. I also liked how they focused on the right people at the right time, so that interested guitarists such as myself could see the fretboard during many of Frusciante's solos.

Overall there's nothing to complain about with this DVD. It's the best live document of the Chili Peppers that you could hope for. The only thing I would have liked (if only as a lark) is as an extra feature some footage of opening band French Toast, who came on before Queens of the Stone Age. My friends and I had many laughs at their expense, especially when we realized the lyrics to one of their songs chorus's was "This is what I had for breakfast!" Anyone who came early and saw them knows what I'm talking about. Anyway, if you were at this tour you would do well to have this as a reminder. And if you weren't at the tour, buy this to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers at their absolute best.

Is Slane the greatest concert film ever? Though this is for you and you alone to decide you'll be able to tell two minutes into the show when John Frusciante literally rips the Irish air into shreds. In the concert intro, Frusciante pulls some of the most awesome notes known to man from the strings of his electric guitar. It is absolutely unreal to watch and listen to what he can do with that guitar, as he takes his trademark sound to new heights and defines guitar heroics for you right in your own home. From here on in you know that you're in for a special treat. The Peppers display that even dudes well into their 40's are still capable of creating majik on stage on par with what they do in the studio. By the Way, which I've never found to be a strong track, gets a new lease on life in Slane as tens of thousands of Irish fans sing along to it. The segue into Scar Tissue is audio ecstasy, as the band pulls together into a jam based on the song's melody with Frusciante's guitar creating soulful sounds best described as epic. He harmonizes beautifully with Anthony on the aforementioned greatest comeback song of all time. Another song that I never liked on record that is given the royal makeover here is Throw Away Your Television. To my delight I discovered that is actually a great song, augmented by the passionate playing the guys put into it for Slane. I love the tricked out guitar effects, which sound like they were made by a synthesizer and I love the guitar solo that ends the song. I could go on and on and write capsule reviews for each and every song performed on this DVD, but that would take up the entire page. Let's put it this way: Anthony rarely sounds this good on record, Frusciante hasn't played guitar like this since he was eighteen, Chad absolutely wails on the drums, and Flea has taken a necessary supporting role, which only strengthens the band's new, melody-driven sound. All of the band's greatest "new" songs are here, including perenial favorite, the Zephyr Song and of course, Under the Bridge. The 50's ditty John sings after Scar Tissue and the Fugazi homage are two of the many highlights. I won't lie, I'm a monsterous John Frusciante fan. To the person who said he can't play guitar, please go back and give this dvd another go. If this isn't rock guitar playing at it's finest and most identifiable then I haven't been listening to rock for the past 23 years. This is essential.

Lets start with the location: Slane Castle, Ireland. Slane is renowned worldwide for the annual Rock Concerts held in the natural amphitheater in front of the Castle. Artists such as U2, R.E.M., Oasis, Neil Young, David Bowie, Queen, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones and Madonna have performed live. So The Red Hot Chili Peppers are in good company here.

The Peppers deliver a mind blowing performance. I would go as far as to say that the live performance are better than the album version of the songs in several cases. John Frusciante delivers a blistering performance, changing up riffs, adding guitar sections, and adding more funk to the show. John also as an incredible voice. Some people don't realize how much Frusciante adds to the band; but they will after seeing this DVD.

Not only is the performance perfect, so is the production. This is probably the best sounding live concert I've ever purchased, and I have several. The sound is very loud. The guitars, bass, and drums all sound crystal clear; and nothing over powers Anthony's incredible vocals.

This DVD is worth every penny. You'll find yourself watching it multiple times.

With Live at Slane Castle, the always excellent chili peppers show you why they are argueably the best band still around today making new music. Even with a setlist of songs mostly from their last two albums, some of which I never particularly liked are played so well that any viewer is easily swayed into just loving the performance. A real treat with this show is how essentially all the songs form this massive hour and a half jam with multiple songs getting cool new intros (take for example the amazing guitar solo intro to By The Way which I wish they had included on the album) and you will agree that the Chilis are absolutely fantastic live. John Frusciante shows why he is arguably one of the most skilled guitar players of all time with his multitudes of great riffs and amazing improvisational skill when it comes to soloing (Just listen to Scar Tissue and you will be swayed to believe that the man is truly a god.) I particularly like how he plays Under The Bridge shirtless exposing his arms which are scarred from years of shooting heroin. It really drives the message of the song home that you should take an example from him and never use drugs because you will get f**ked up like he was and be all scarred and permanently screwed up. Flea, as a musician, has pulled off a total three sixty and totally changed his playing style as of late and it is shown quite well on this DVD. He used to play mostly slap riffs and steal the show with just mindboggling playing but has now essentially converted to being a rhythm guitar player who just happens to play bass but throws millions of amazing fills into every song. Can it always be heard well? NO! That doesnt change the fact that if you watched this DVD at a high volume you would see his amazing skill as a musician. He still though does the crazy trademark Flea antics of jumping around like a jackass and doing a buncha crazy dance moves while playing. (SIDENOTE:Before the three song encore you must watch Flea's semi hilarious trumpet solo which intros the encores) Flea still though has a solo before around the world and adds a much needed solo to By The Way (No offense but the album version of the song should've had Flea soloing instead of playing the verse riff during what would essentially be a good solo). He also does some really cool stuff along with John before Californication. Anthony Kiedis is, as always, in absolute top form jumping around and putting every bit of energy he has into performing. Then there's the good ole backbone of the band, their drummer, Chad Smith. The guy is fantastic and sadly only gets to shortly showoff during his about minute long drum solo before Flea's trumpet solo. He basically does what he's always done with a smile on his face, which is grabbing what Flea's doing and what John's doing and fuzing it to create a song. It's cool when he comes out before his solo and starts playing drums on key with the crowd which is singing OLE OLE OLE OLE. Sure the guy doesn't get to do too much during the show but it really is a joy to watch him play. Overall, sure the setlist isn't that great but it's the state of mind they're in right now so deal with it but they do manage to take an average setlist and whip out this awesome show for the ages. Anyone who loves music should go out and buy this DVD right now. That's my two cents. Peace Out.

This definitely is the best RHCP video/DVD release and definitely one of the best concert DVD's ever. The sound and the video - this includes the camera angles, lighting and effects - are of the highest quality. Hell, the venue background is a castle.

This captures what one show of the "By The Way" tour looked like for those that missed it, but should be essential for those who caught them on that tour. Having seen the Peppers six times over their career, the shows on the "By The Way" tour are in the upper echelon (Woodstock and my first show after the return of John Frusciante takes no. 1), mainly focusing on songs from "By The Way" and "Californication."

Some may have qualms with the setlist, but you can't blame them for taking out BSSM songs (excluding the hits they "have" to play) - that album is over ten years old and they have grown considerably as musicians, particularly the definite star of this show, John Frusciante. He is enigmatic on stage and brilliant in his guitar playing. His vocal harmonies are pitch perfect and really beautiful. The DVD also includes the doo-wop song he performed on the tour (it's buried at the tail end of "Around The World") and in my opinion the highlight of the disc.

This is a must for RHCP/John Frusciante fans. No question.

Now I've seen a lot of concerts and a lot of concert DVDs, but of all of the ones I own, the Peppers' Live at Slane is a perfect production from beginning to end, and doesn't give you a minute in it's hour-and-a-half span to calm down.

I'm not sure if this was stated in another review, but John Frusciante is arguably the star of the show. Don't get me wrong, Flea is at his normal peak of playing and performing, and Anthony and Chad do a perfect job, but the songs in the show are filled with the normal guitar hooks, but when it comes to the solos, John didn't fail to make me stare in awe. In songs like "Scar Tissue", you can even see the other members of the band smiling in John's direction, also awestruck with his skill. For the Flea fans, however, though he doesn't have as many crazy parts like in the previous DVD releases, there's always "throw Away Your Television", not to mention a number of improv pieces.

They play in front of over 80,000 people, and don't let up for a second. My personal favorites include "Around The World", "Can't Stop", and "Venice Queen". You'll also be treated to their rendition of the Ramones' "Havana Affair". Another great thing is the tunes they play in between songs, and the jams between Flea and John. One particular high for me was their halfway-cover of "London Calling". You can also see Mr. Frusciante with a doo-wop song, somewhere within the few three songs. Also, the lines they play to open the show starts the show off right.

There aren't too many "old-school" Peppers songs, the older of which probably being from Blood Sugar, but the emotion they all put into their newer material proves they love what they're doing. It has the staples of the Peppers of the late 90's to today, with just about all of the singles, like "By The Way", "The Zephyr Song", "Under The Bridge", and "Californication".

The mood of the show is incredible, as well. As the show goes on, you'll see the day quickly go from bright and sunny, to sunset, and to night, and the boys seem to play along with the atmosphere. The 18 song setlist is well worth the pricetag, but add in the unsurpassable performace (John's face during his solos, Anthony's always physical singing, and Flea kicking his feet and jumping around like a caffeine-filled kangaroo), and not to mention perfect video and sound quality, and you've got yourself one of the greatest concert DVDs ever. I've watched it about 4 or 5 times through, and I'm far from stopping. Thanks!

I have seen many amazing performances in my lifetime - including other RHCP - and from some of the other greatest bands in the world. But, the performance by John, Flea, Chad, and Anthony (in no particular order, except I am a guitar player) is what musicians in every genre of music strive for - harmonic perfection. It touches your soul to see this concert. All of these grown men have endured tragedy, addiction, pain, and suffering, which only made them stronger. Their music is out of love - it is the bond that makes them all incredible parts of a majestic whole. Close your eyes and simply listen and feel the music first - and then open them and watch the visual, which only adds another layer to what has already touched you. This 'band' is held together by something far greater than a recording deal or f*$king reality TV show - it is the bond of human compassion, mutual respect, and brotherly love. In their music, it is a harmonic convergence - resonating at a frequency that only our inner souls can connect to, not our conscious self. I cannot describe in simple words what this music has done for myself and my family - it is simply and truly magical. My beautiful 2 year-old son (the smallest, yet biggest RHCP fan) falls asleep to it in my wife's or my arms every night...and will not accept anything else.

On a personal note, thank you for choosing to live John - your soul was destined to rise again and grow from your pain and touch others at the depths that they cannot understand. We are all blessed to hear your beautiful energy through each note you play...

To all of the RHCPs - shine on, and thank you so, so much...

This DVD was absolutely insane, I truly thought I was at the concert. To start off, the Chilis ROCKED this place...the music was ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE, from beginning to end (which was a LOOOOOOONG time), they made my jaw drop (again), and I'm sure they did to the 80 000 people watching it live. I'll stop talking about the actual show, because anyone who knows the Chili Peppers understands that they put on the best live concert in the world. So, onto the next great part of this DVD, which is the actual way it was put together. Unlike "Off the Map", this DVD includes new technology and way more extras than the older DVD. First and foremost, the picture is INCREDIBLE, I hear it was filmied digitally (whatever that means), but all I can say is that it was the most crisp picture that I have ever seen. Furthermore, the filming of this concert was insane. The transitions flowed so nicely, and the multiple angle changes made the best live concert DVD I have ever watched. Finally, my favorite part of the entire DVD was the 'freeze and 180 degree view' (kind of like what you see in 'The Matrix')...it was done SO well, not overused, and only at the appropriate times. I actually sat down and watched this DVD from beginning to end even though I had hours of work to do, it was just that amazing. I have seen the Chilis live three times, and I have to say that not only does this DVD entirely encapture the live experience, it somehow makes it even better. Whether your're a big Chili fan or not, and even if you have all the other Chili DVDs, not buying this DVD would be a HUGE mistake

An amazing performance in front of 80,000 eager fans. They sound absolutly incredible. Anthony's singing is dead on. John and Flea's jams are second to none. Watch the intro solo to Around the World. Flea has more chops than most guitarist I've seen. The jam-into to Californication is awsome too. They play almost every song from their By The Way album and some from Californication and Blood Sugar Sex Magik. The DvD sound is flawless. You can feel the energy just as if you were at the concert. They editors also put in this cool bullet time effect where they'd freeze a frame (Ex. Flea in midair) and rotate the camera angle. For any Chili Pepper fan this DvD is a must. Especially if you want The Chili Peppers at their absolute best.

YES!YES!YES!at first i was a little scared.It was rather pricy and i didnt no if anthony would have a good voice or not.those thoughts quickly vanished.I couldnt get over how alot of songs were alot better live.Every song has a different and largly improved solo(great job john),and some songs they add and change around to them.

When i saw the listing, i reallized all exept for 4 were from by the way and californication, and 3 from bssm.So I just asumed havana affair was one of there old songs,but was wrong.havana affair is a remake of the ramones.never heard the origanal,but bassed on this version, this song is exelent.A highlight for sure.

songs like dont forget me and throw away your telivision are only ok on the studio, but they really brigh it to life live.The piece that they add to throw away your television is great,making it one of the best on here.

they did a really cool versions of scar tissue ,parrellel universe and the zepher song. All of them with just flat out amazing solos and there long to!

The only ones that arnt that good live is by the way,right on time and universally speaking, but they arnt that great to begin with.

There are alot of jams to.The best one is the californication intro with john and flea battling.They jam before the power of equality and right on time.John does a really cool high pitch mini song early on and does a bit of singing before parellel univese.One other jam is fleas bass solo that leads into around the world.you watch that solo, then try telling me that hes not the best bass player ever.The guy is just so incredible.The really sweet guitar solos can be found in scar tissue,zepher,californication,parallel univere,dont forget me,give it away,and a really cool riff on venic queen.

So really good vocals, absalutly amazing solos by john and flea and i forgot to say about the kick ass drum solo before californication(which flea plays his saxamaphone with) equals the best live performace you will ever see(along with zepelin).

Must buy for any fan and if your new to the peppers, this would be the best start.