I was really impressed”… “Legendary rock band “LETCHLI” visited Japan and caused a huge panic at Tokyo Station!

At around 2:00 p.m. on the afternoon of January 20, people who were clearly not passengers were gathered on the Shinkansen platform at Tokyo Station, waiting to catch a glimpse of the legendary super rock band “Red Hot Chili Peppers” (hereinafter referred to as “Lecchilli”), who were in Japan for their first solo concert in 16 years, as they were on their way to Osaka. I was waiting for them to show up for their trip to Osaka.

Formed in 1983 in Los Angeles, the band has sold more than 80 million records worldwide, won three Grammy Awards, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.

This is their first solo show in Japan in 16 years. The Tokyo show was a one-day show at the Tokyo Dome on the 19th, and it sold out in no time. The “Participation Seats” were sold on the day of the show, but they too were sold out immediately. T-shirts were sold out in no time and immediately appeared on Mercari for resale, and the area around the dome was enveloped in an extraordinary feverish atmosphere.

It was after 2:30 p.m. when the members appeared at Tokyo Station for their Osaka concert on the 21st. Vocalist Anthony Keidis (60), holding a large paper bag with the “AMBUSH” logo, was followed by guitarist John Frusciante (52) in a red hoodie, bassist Flea (60) with a hood pulled over his head, and drummer Chad Smith (61), who was a giant of a man. In no time at all, they were surrounded by fans with cameras in hand.

Anthony, who is always grumpy at such occasions, was beaming, as if he had enjoyed the Tokyo show the day before. Free also took off his hood to show us his face while we were waiting for the bullet train.

Indeed, the Tokyo show the day before was a huge success, and Free distributed a video on his Instagram after the show. Lying on his hotel bed, he said the following.

I love playing in Japan, it’s so far away from L.A. The culture is totally different. The culture is totally different. I’ve been in this band for 40 years, and I know how much they care about us. So I really wanted to show my appreciation to the people of Tokyo. I was really moved today. Thank you for giving us such a warm welcome.”

I hope the next time they perform in Japan will be sooner rather than later, say 16 years from now.