Bridgeport, Conn. – The last act of the night at the Sound on Sound music festival on September 30 was the award-winning band out of California, The Red Hot Chili Peppers.

All day my friends, who also attended day one, and I debated which track the band would end with. Eagerly anticipating the band’s first performance in Connecticut in 23 years. The bet was between “Californiacation” and “Scar Tissue.” But, before we could find out, the band took the stage with an instrumental. 

The crowd was amped up and ready to hear the rock classics that many of us had grown up with. Years of my life were spent hearing the band play in the car with  my parents. 

To see them in front of me taking the stage was a surreal moment, as the last time they had been to Connecticut was before I was even born. 

Despite being around for many years, the group is still putting out new music and released their new album just a year before this performance called Unlimited Love, which is the 12th album the band has put together over the course of their career. 

Following the opening instrumental, “Can’t Stop” was performed, but not before some banter on stage from Anthony Kiedis. Classic jokes were made about festivals and the reputation they have, including the smell of weed in the air. The group is no stranger to events like these; since the band formed in 1982, they have played many festivals and are even slated to play at the upcoming Bonnaroo Music Festival in 2024.

What became immediately apparent is that over their years of fame, these artists have been able to build a connection with each other on stage that you can sense as they play. Lead guitarist John Frusciante, bassist Flea, and drummer Chad Smith gave it their all throughout the show. 

John Frusciante had just made a recent return to the band after over a decade of having been separated from the group. What became apparent very quickly was the passion that he had for playing guitar, and he didn’t miss a beat.

As the band transitioned into the next track, “Scar Tissue,” I couldn’t help but feel the thrill of the ensemble, as this was my most anticipated song on the setlist. The track is a song not only about life and the way that it affects us but also how we get through it, and it offers an introspective view that many have become familiar with over the years. It was a performance that will be etched into my memory for many years to come.

The band played 14 tracks that left the audience mesmerized, as the lawn was the most full I had seen that entire day. There were some small hiccups as one of the tracks was performed in the wrong key at first with the performance of “Carry Me Home,” but the band was able to carry on with true professionalism and keep the show rolling. 

The Red Hot Chili Peppers did such an incredible job of blending their classics with the new sound that by the time they played the track “Black Summer” off of the 2022 release, you could feel the cohesion behind decades worth of musical work. 

However, my friends and I were all wrong about what track the band would finish with. Time passed incredibly quickly, and soon enough, the sound of “Give It Away” played across the speakers in an encore of two tracks.

As we made our way through the muddy ground that night, I won’t forget what it was like to make it through the park and hear the music echoing all the way out to our cars. What I felt most was the anticipation for the next day of festival coverage as amazing acts like Hozier, Alanis Morissette, and John Mayer would be taking the stage. 

For more information on the festival and what acts will be playing in 2024, you can check out their website here. Also, if you haven’t seen it, you can check out coverage of more day one acts, including Trey Anastasio, who took the stage shortly before the Red Hot Chili Peppers.