In the midst of eighty-thousand screaming people, the ruthless screech of John Frusciante's guitar swoons through the air. In response, Chad Smith attacks the drums with unrivaled ferocity, and pauses. John repeats his feral outcry, and Chad returns, this time with the familiar funk of Flea's bass, and the concert begins. Towards the end of the jam, Antwon the Swan himself storms up to the front of the stage, and starts into their latest hit, 'By The Way'. For those who aren't savvy on the history of the band, suffice it to say that these guys have been through it all. All of the struggles of self-discovery, all of the past blunders, all of the pain of losing their beloved Hillel Slovak (their first guitar player)--these experiences show in each note they play and sing. There's something for everyone in this concert, because the peppers sound varies from album to album. Their versatility demands respect and appreciation--they'll play an angst-ridden ballad in one moment, and follow it up with an up-beat funk number the next, and not skip a beat. But it's not what they play, so much as HOW they play it. Flea's bass-playing is so beautifully complex, yet he makes it look so simple. Watching him jump around, kicking his legs out at the audience with his bass at ankle-level, all the while maintaining a ridiculous bass riff.. what can I say? It's bad-ass. Meanwhile, Chad Smith slams his drums with the fierceness of a beast, and all the sensibility of a jazz drummer. The two of them together are a formidable rhythm section in the Rock and Roll world. Anthony's vocals, while they lack the polish of some other singers, are the best they've ever been. An important thing to keep in mind is that he began the band with the intention of being a rapper, more or less. Seeing how far he's come is definitely goose- bump-inducing. All the while, John Frusciante acts as the icing on the funk-rockin' cake. His less-is-more approach to guitar- playing sets him apart from the other instrumentalists, and his gorgeous falsetto has great chemistry with Anthony's melodies. Due to his hard drug use in the past, the mere fact that he's on stage with them at all is nothing short of a miracle. For my fellow Chili Pepper fans, obviously this concert will be a religious experience for you. For those of you who aren't sold on my favorite funksters yet, well, just try and refrain from head-banging... I dare you.