Passenger band hot8/16/2023 Jon Wertheim: You see yourself on this continuum?įlea: I do. Within their psychedelic circus-and this might be a band's secret superpower-there's no clear ringleader. Frusciante is widely considered to rank among rock's greatest guitar heroes, Chad Smith is regarded as one of today's great drummers, Flea's name is synonymous with virtuosity on the bass. To understand their enduring appeal, start by listening to their four-decade-long list of bangers, that cut a ridiculously wide musical swath. Yeah, I see each song as being, like, a bass solo where (LAUGH) I'm- I'm there to- I'm there to support it. Jon Wertheim: You see him as the lead instrument? It's- it's- everybody has different ways of doing that, you know? I see the bass as the lead instrument the whole time. John Frusciante: We're all supporting each other at the same time. In L.A., we met them at the Roxy on the Sunset Strip, one of their early haunts, where they told us: just as they connect with audiences they connect with each other.įlea: Like, like the way jazz players play and the way that basketball players play, just like, telepathically, and understanding when to go, and when to move, and when to do what. We saw them in Nashville and at the Austin City Limits Festival, the last stop of their most successful year of touring ever: north of $200 million gross–as remarkable a fact as this: a founding member was celebrating a milestone: a 60th one … All intensity and improvisation and happy chaos, they are as much a band for the eye as for the ear. The Red Hot Chili Peppers warned us: the stage is no place for boundaries. As we first showed you last February, 40 years on, they persist selling out stadiums worldwide rocking and relevant for far longer than anyone would possibly have predicted-not least themselves. How then to explain the durability of the Red Hot Chili Peppers? They started in the 80s, swiveling among genres -funk, punk, rock, rap - an underground L.A. Add drugs, death and demons and you have a breakup (or a breakdown) waiting to happen. Creative tensions, clashing egos, the grind of touring-none of it screams stability. Amongst many who were seemingly adamant to sit upon their seats/picnic rugs throughout the whole gig, it is not so surprising how promptly Mike is able to get absolutely everybody to their feet – drawing the crowd closer to the stage with each song.Rock bands are sensitive instruments. Passenger’s ability to turn a crowd is unparalleled. He invests absolute trust in his fans, admitting in jest, “I only have one famous song and it isn’t ‘Let It Go’ – that movie ruined my life.” The crowd laughs in good spirit, yet quickly prove Passenger wrong as they eagerly sing along to a plethora of his songs. Passenger, a busker who previously travelled the world in aspiring towards his musical passions humbly introduces himself to the crowd of 4,000, “What a pleasure – a dream come true – it is to play here.” The content crowd award the band with a great reception to their track “Bloom”, despite the band jokingly requesting, “If you know this song you’re welcome to sing it, if you don’t, please don’t sing you’ll ruin it.”Īmidst laughs, there’s no doubts as to why the band were chosen to accompany Passenger across his Australian tours – with their gorgeous instrumental accompaniments building upon their Sunday-morning road trip feel – their chilled approach to the evening prepares the crowd well for the main act.Ī variety of mature and young fans ready themselves as a bright hum and shroud of mist sees Mike – Passenger – emerge gently onto the stage alongside his band. Frontman Sam Bentley jokingly remarks with his hometown, “we are not Passenger but it feels as though we are playing at a Passenger festival… or the carols.” The band’s ethereal energy – carried and transformed between each of their tracks – is not quarrelled by their humorous breaks between songs.
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