Roxy, Los Angeles – 19th March 2001
Date: Monday, March 19th 2001
Venue: The Roxy, Los Angeles, USA
Attendees: Unknown
Audio/Video: YES | YES
Photo Albums:
* links to other websites
[/left_side] [right_side]- Been Insane
- So Would’ve I
- Going Inside
- Neighborhood Threat (Iggy Pop)
- I Just Want to Have Something to Do (The Ramones)
- Representing
- The First Season
- Saturation
- Beat Down
- In Relief
- Ricky
- New Dawn Fades (Joy Division)
- With No One
- Secret Side (Nico)
- Well, I’ve Been
- Strange Love [aborted] (Depeche Mode)
- Runaway (Del Shannon)
- Fallout
- Life’s a Bath
- Country Feedback (REM)
- Moments Have You [aborted]
- Mascara
- Beginning Again
- Modern Love (David Bowie)
- Jugband Blues (Pink Floyd)
- Moments Have You [aborted]
- Smile from the Streets You Hold
- Cut-Out
- Strange Love (Depeche Mode)
Reviews
I plowed “Old Betsy” (my car) about 400 miles thru the desert to see our lovely man. My car nearly overheated, and i even had to pull over for a while for it to cool down. Being the mega type A I am, this stressed me out to no end.
Got to the venue about 4.30 pm. There were about half dozen or so peeps already there. JF came out shortly thereafter … shook some hands, signed some things (i now have all 6 JF / RHCP cd booklets signed). Also talked to Louis for a minute (told him g’day from aussies Lisa and Shell). They did end up releasing 50 tix before showtime.
JF came out at 9.40 pm wearing grey slacks, a pink and white striped shirt, argyle socks and black wingtips (wingtips don’t have to be tutone, do they?). He had bedhead outside but wetted it done and combed it nicely for the show. He looked just like the pic in the Smile booklet, except with about a 4 – 5 day scruffy beard growth.
I won’t get into all the songs, as i don’t recall them all. He didn’t play many off the first two albums, tho. Many new ones and covers – my faves of the night were Runaway, Neighborhood Threat and Modern Love. They were so RAW, not like the smoothed out originals. He also did R.E.M., Syd, Depeche Mode, Joy Division but i’m not familiar with those, so they didn’t do as much for me. JF strummed so hard and broke a few strings, a few times right in the middle of a song, where he was getting heated up, which was a pisser. He really seemed wound up to play for us. He also joins my list of most intense live singers with Rollins and Robin Zander of Cheap Trick (don’t laugh, it’s a huge compliment from me).
It was just amazing to see him perform with such passion. It was a nice mix of his newfound health and happiness and his old borderline “insanity”, for lack of a better word. There were a few moments where he hit notes vocally, that were amazing. He left the stage at midnight and was very friendly, humorous and entertaining thruout the show.
All the Pepper guys were there to support JF and they all seemed to have girlfriends with them. I’m not sure what JF’s new squeeze looks like, so I can’t comment on that. His “best friend” toni was there. She has Reddish / auburn hair and had a floppy hat.
Josh Klinghoffer was there and JF spoke extremely highly of him, onstage. Looks like Josh is his new musical partner in crime. Said they’d have an album out together in the next few months.
JF came out later and signed stuff but it was rushed, as Louis said they didn’t have much time and had to get going. I did ask about his second song ever written on piano and what happened to it (when i got my painting signed (6-00), i told JF how much i loved Curtains and he said he had just written his second song ever on piano). JF said it’ll be on his / Josh’s new album but Josh’ll play the piano part.
For anyone there, i was almost in the center and the second row of peeps off the stage in a blue UNC tarheels hat. The show was really amazing, passionate and soulful even tho i admittedly am a much bigger fan of his RHCP work. His ’97 Nuttstalk show I saw in Chicago is like the difference between night and day. JF just glowed … He wasn’t just a star, more like a supernova. A few times in the middle of an intense performance, he couldn’t help but crack a smile in mid song. Just seeing him being overwhelmed with happiness was worth the trip. I just can’t say how elated i am to see him in such a good place.
While driving down sunset to the freeway after the show, I drove alongside Flea. He had the patchwork colored Mercedes like in the Funky Monks vid and, no, i didn’t race him at stoplights. Moments have you.
Mr Red Hot James Sandt (originally submitted to frusciante.de, a now-defunct fan site)
