Red Hot Chili Peppers Celebrate 'Unlimited Love' With Surprise L.A. Show, Simultaneous TV Appearances [Videos]

Red Hot Chili Peppers christened their 12th album, Unlimited Love, with a whirlwind of appearances on Friday, including a pair of late-night TV spots and a surprise show in their native Los Angeles, CA. Out now, the album marks RHCP’s first with guitarist John Frusciante since 2006’s Stadium Arcadium.

Those watching at home on Friday had two chances to catch the Chili Peppers when they appeared simultaneously on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel Live. To add to the confusion, Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon had switched shows in an April Fools prank. Viewers who tuned in to watch Fallon on Kimmel saw RHCP perform “These Are The Ways” atop L.A.’s historic Roosevelt Hotel. Over on NBC, those who watched Kimmel on Fallon saw the band perform “Black Summer” from a soundstage in New York.

Red Hot Chili Peppers – “These Are The Ways”

Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Black Summer”

Meanwhile, in L.A., Red Hot Chili Peppers performed a surprise show at The Fonda Theatre. That show, the band’s first public performance since 2019, also marked its first concert with Frusciante since August 26th, 2007. At the L.A. show, as with the TV appearances, drummer Chad Smith paid tribute to Taylor Hawkins with a new drum head bearing the late Foo Fighters drummer’s name. Smith recently shared a video paying tribute to Hawkins, who died in Colombia last Friday at age 50.

The 12-song show allowed RHCP to offer some live Unlimited Love debuts, including “Here Ever After” and “Aquatic Mouth Dance”. Interspersed between those were some of the band’s many classics including “Snow (Hey Oh)”, “Suck My Kiss”, “Can’t Stop”, and more. Following the latter, Frusciante delivered a solo rendition of Elton John‘s “Your Song”, the band’s first take on the cover since August 25th, 2001, per Setlist.fm.

After “By the Way” closed the main set, Red Hot Chili Peppers returned with special guest George Clinton. Dr. Funkenstein was an early champion of the band, producing its 1985 sophomore LP Freaky Styley. Together, he and frontman Anthony Kiedis brought some funk to “Give It Away” to close the show.

Check out some fan-shot videos from the surprise Red Hot Chili Peppers show in L.A. on Friday courtesy of lucid. The band is gearing up for a world tour set to begin in Europe in June, touching down in the U.S. on July 23rd in Denver, CO. For tickets and a full list of tour dates visit the band’s website.

Red Hot Chili Peppers – The Fonda Theatre – Los Angeles, CA – 4/1/22 – Full Show

Red Hot Chili Peppers –”Snow (Hey Oh)” – 4/1/22

Red Hot Chili Peppers –”Here Ever After” – 4/1/22

Red Hot Chili Peppers –”Aquatic Mouth Dance” – 4/1/22

Red Hot Chili Peppers –”Can’t Stop” – 4/1/22

Red Hot Chili Peppers –”Your Song” (Elton John) – 4/1/22

Red Hot Chili Peppers –”By The Way” – 4/1/22

Red Hot Chili Peppers, George Clinton –”Give It Away” – 4/1/22

View Videos

Red Hot Chili Peppers – Unlimited Love

Setlist: Red Hot Chili Peppers | The Fonda Theatre | Los Angeles, CA | 4/1/22

Set: These Are the Ways, Snow (Hey Oh), Here Ever After [1], Suck My Kiss, Aquatic Mouth Dance [1], Hey, Can’t Stop, Your Song (Elton John), Not the One [1], Black Summer, By the Way

Encore: Give It Away

[1] Live debut

[2] John solo, first since 8/25/01

[3] w/ George Clinton

[H/T JamBase]