If there’s ever a questionable idea, itap the idea to replicate a legendary studio album live on stage, particularly if it’s the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ seminal “Blood Sugar Sex Magik,” and even moreso if it’s not the Chili Peppers performing it.
That is exactly what members of Colorado-based bands , and MC Stephen “Brer Rabbit” Brackett, of fame, decided to do on Friday. The show would cover all 17 tracks in succession minus “Under the Bridge,” saving it for the encore.
The hype of seeing a member of the Flobots and members of Rose Hill Drive play a $10 show led to a packed house at the . One problem: No Brer Rabbit. The mic-toting vocalist had doubled-booked himself with a show at the Aggie Theatre in Fort Collins.
Enter four more Denver bands to the rescue. Deciding that the show must go on, members of , , and came to the rescue.
“On short notice we really only were able to practice 5-6 times before the show,” said Tyler Despres of Dualistics and Science Partner. Quite the undertaking, though as Despres noted, “17 songs and the majority of the fans probably only recognize maybe six of them.”
Rose Hill Drive is no stranger to learning entire albums of other bands’ music. This year the band will tackle the White Stripes’ “Elephant” for its annual New Years show at the Fox Theatre.
The good news is, Friday night worked. The icing on the cake was John Evans of Action Packed Thrill Ride dawning an Anthony Kiedis mask and going shirtless to reveal replications of Kiedis’ trademark tattoos.
As if 17 songs aren’t enough, talk is circling about the same group of musicians performing the Smashing Pumpkins’ “Melancholy and the Infinite Sadness.” Question is, who will shave their head to pull off a good Billy Corgan?
Follow our news and updates on , our whereabouts on and everything else on . Or send us a telegram.
Evan Semón is a Denver freelance photographer and regular contributor to Reverb. See .
