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Californication Tour
Californication Tour
Californication Tour
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Californication World Tour
Tour by Red Hot Chili Peppers
Promotional poster for September 13, 2000 show
Associated albumCalifornication
Start dateJune 18, 1999 (1999-06-18)
End dateSeptember 22, 2000 (2000-09-22)
Legs6
No. of shows
  • 91 in North America
  • 26 in Europe
  • 5 in South America
  • 5 in Asia
  • 12 in Oceania
  • 139 total
Red Hot Chili Peppers concert chronology
  • One Hot Minute Tour
    (1995–1997)
  • Californication Tour
    (1999–2000)
  • Red Hot Chili Peppers 2001 Tour
    (2001)

The Californication Tour was a worldwide concert tour by Red Hot Chili Peppers to support their seventh studio album Californication which saw the return of guitarist John Frusciante who rejoined the band in 1998 after quitting six years earlier.

A DVD documenting the tour titled Off the Map, which was made up of footage from different shows, was released in 2001.

Overview

[edit]

1998 tour

[edit]

Following the firing of Dave Navarro in early 1998, Flea felt the only way the band could continue was if John Frusciante returned to the band. Frusciante quit the band in 1992 during the height of their success on their Blood Sugar Sex Magik Tour and spiraled into a heavy drug addiction which almost took his life. Flea always remained in contact, and he helped talk Frusciante into admitting himself to Las Encinas Drug Rehabilitation Center in January 1998. He concluded the process in February of that year and began renting a small apartment in Silver Lake, California. Singer Anthony Kiedis was surprised and thought there was no way Frusciante would ever want to work with him as the two still had unresolved personal problems from when Frusciante quit in 1992. With Frusciante free of his addictions and ailments, Kiedis and Flea thought it was an appropriate time to invite him back. In April 1998, when Flea visited him at his home and asked him to rejoin the band, Frusciante began sobbing and said "nothing would make me happier in the world." Flea decided to contact Kiedis and have him meet with Frusciante to try and resolve any personal problems that the two might have had. Flea was relieved to find out that both had no bad blood towards each other and were once again excited to make music together. Within the week and, for the first time in six years, the reunited foursome jump-started the newly reunited Red Hot Chili Peppers. With the band ready to make their comeback, a short 12 date tour was scheduled from June until September. On June 5, 1998, and for the first time since 1992 with Frusciante, gave an acoustic performance at KBLT Radio Studios in Los Angeles which was hosted by Mike Watt and featured Keith Morris as the DJ. The highlights included the very first performance of "Soul to Squeeze", solo songs by Flea and Frusciante and Morris joining the band on vocals (he originally filled in for Kiedis for one show in 1986) for a cover of Black Flag's "Nervous Breakdown". Seven days later the band gave their first official public performance at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. The band was also in town to perform at the Tibetan Freedom Concert however their set was cancelled due to a severe thunderstorm that left one girl severely burned by a lightning strike (Kiedis would visit her in the hospital). Pearl Jam decided to cut their set short so the Chili Peppers could perform a quick three song set.[1] Shows in New York City. Chicago (a special private show for Miller Genuine Draft contest winners), California and Las Vegas followed with a nine date tour of Central America being cancelled so the band could focus on recording their next album Californication.

This brief 1998 tour marked the official live debuts of songs that would eventually be featured the following year on Californication such as "Emit Remmus", "I Like Dirt", "Parallel Universe" and "Scar Tissue". "Bunker Hill", a song originally intended for the album but not released until 2003's Greatest Hits, was also performed for the first time during this tour; it has never been performed since.

Californication tour

[edit]

The Californication Tour was the band's biggest to date and most successful helping breaking them through to an even wider audience and seeing their supporting album achieve their largest worldwide sales. The anticipation for the tour was very high due to the recent return of Frusciante the previous year. The tour started in May 1999, Red Hot with a promotional tour also known as the "Stop the Hate" Tour. These concerts were only for high school students that wrote an essay on how to stop violence in schools. The world tour featured a large mixture of music from the band's entire catalog, although the band's previous album, 1995's One Hot Minute was only represented with Flea's song, "Pea" and nothing from that album other than that song has been performed with Frusciante. Frusciante, at the time, claimed to have never heard the album. The tour featured a heavy dose of the Californication album and twelve years later, all of the album's songs except for "Porcelain" have been performed live. The tour saw the band headline Woodstock '99 although a lot of controversy came following their set due to the band's performance of the Jimi Hendrix classic, "Fire" (a request made by Hendrix's sister) which some in the media said helped instigate riots in the crowd and bonfires being lit although the band at the time had no knowledge of the chaos about to breakout and claimed if they did, the song would not have been performed.[2]

This tour marked the last time "Backwoods", "Green Heaven", "Organic Anti-Beat Box Band" and "Subterranean Homesick Blues" have been performed live.

Songs performed

[edit]

Originals

The Red Hot Chili Peppers

"Green Heaven"

"Mommy Where's Daddy?"

"Police Helicopter"

Freaky Styley

"Blackeyed Blonde"

"Freaky Styley"

"Jungle Man" (tease)

"Yertle Trilogy" (A performance of "Yertle the Turtle" and "Freaky Styley" back-to-back segueing into jams of the songs "Cosmic Slop" by Parliament, "Atomic Dog" by George Clinton, "Cholly (Funk Getting Ready To Roll!)" by Funkadelic, as well as occasionally featuring "History Lesson – Part II" by The Minutemen,"Untitled #2" by John Frusciante and "Not Great Men" by Gang of Four.)

The Uplift Mofo Party Plan

"Backwoods"

"Me and My Friends”

"Organic Anti-Beat Box Band"

"Party on Your Pussy" (tease)

"Skinny Sweaty Man"

"Subterranean Homesick Blues" (Bob Dylan)

The Abbey Road E.P.

"Fire" (Jimi Hendrix)

Mother's Milk

"Higher Ground" (Stevie Wonder)

Blood Sugar Sex Magik

"Blood Sugar Sex Magik"

"Breaking the Girl"

"Give It Away"

"I Could Have Lied"

"If You Have to Ask"

"My Lovely Man"

"The Greeting Song" (tease)

"The Power of Equality"

"Sir Psycho Sexy"

"Suck My Kiss"

"They're Red Hot" (Robert Johnson)

"Under the Bridge"

One Hot Minute

"Pea"

“Warped” (tease)

Californication

"Around the World”

"Californication"

"Easily"

"Emit Remmus"

"I Like Dirt"

"Otherside"

"Parallel Universe"

"Right on Time"

"Road Trippin'"

"Savior"

"Scar Tissue"

"This Velvet Glove"

Other (non-album songs)

"Gong Li" (tease)

"Search and Destroy" (The Stooges)

"Soul to Squeeze"

Cover songs (used as intros or during jams unless otherwise noted)
  • "Arc" (Neil Young)
  • "Autobahn" (Kraftwerk)
  • "Back in Black" (AC/DC)
  • "Been Insane" (John Frusciante)
  • "Boys Don't Cry" (The Cure)
  • "Boyz-n-the-Hood" (Eazy-E)
  • "Bring It on Home" (Led Zeppelin)
  • "Communication Breakdown" (Led Zeppelin)
  • "Cosmic Slop" (Parliament Funkadelic)
  • "Five Years" (David Bowie)
  • "Four Sticks" (Led Zeppelin)
  • "The Guns of Brixton" (The Clash)
  • "London Calling" (The Clash)
  • "Master and Servant" (Depeche Mode)
  • "The Metro" (Berlin)
  • "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg)
  • "Ocean Size" (Jane's Addiction) (soundchecked)
  • "Ogre Battle" (Queen)
  • "Pinhead" (The Ramones) (entire song)
  • "Pot Sharing Tots" (George Clinton)
  • "Ramble On" (Led Zeppelin)
  • "Rapper's Delight" (Sugar Hill Gang)
  • "Red Hot Mama" (Parliament Funkadelic)
  • "Religion" (Public Image Ltd)
  • "Sammy Hagar Weekend" (Thelonious Monster)
  • "Sheena Is a Punk Rocker" (The Ramones) (entire song)
  • "Song for Toni" (John Frusciante)
  • "Superstition" (Stevie Wonder)
  • "Trouble" (Cat Stevens) (entire song)
  • "Untitled #3" (John Frusciante)
  • "Untitled #11" (John Frusciante)
  • "Your Gonna Get Yours" (Public Enemy)
  • "Your Pussy's Glued to a Building on Fire" (John Frusciante)
  • "What Is Soul?" (Parliament Funkadelic) (entire song)
  • "World Full of Nothing" (Depeche Mode)

Tour dates

[edit]
Date City Country Venue Opening Acts
North America[3]
May 23, 1999[A] St. Louis United States Riverport Amphitheatre
June 18, 1999[B] Mountain View Shoreline Amphitheatre
June 19, 1999[C] Irvine Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre
July 25, 1999[D] Rome Griffiss Air Force Base
Europe[3]
August 14, 1999 Moscow Russia Red Square
August 18, 1999[E] Wiesen Austria Festivalgelände Wiesen
August 20, 1999[F] Cologne Germany RAF Butzweilerhof
August 21, 1999[G] Copenhagen Denmark Club Danmark Hallen
August 22, 1999[G] Stockholm Sweden Maritime Museum
August 25, 1999 Nîmes France Arena of Nîmes Silverchair
August 26, 1999 Paris Zénith de Paris
August 27, 1999[H] Kiewit Belgium Kempische Steenweg
August 29, 1999[I] Reading England Little John's Farm on Richfield Avenue
August 30, 1999[J] Leeds Temple Newsam
September 4, 1999[K] Verona Italy Arena di Verona
South America[3]
October 2, 1999 Santiago Chile Estación Mapocho Puya
October 3, 1999
October 5, 1999 Buenos Aires Argentina Luna Park
October 6, 1999
October 8, 1999 São Paulo Brazil Credicard Hall
North America[3]
October 11, 1999 Mexico City Mexico Palacio de los Deportes Puya
Europe[3]
October 29, 1999 Helsinki Finland Hartwall Areena The Rasmus
October 30, 1999
November 1, 1999 Oslo Norway Oslo Spektrum Stereophonics
November 3, 1999 Gothenburg Sweden Scandinavium
November 4, 1999 Hamburg Germany Alsterdorfer Sporthalle Muse
November 6, 1999 London England Wembley Arena Feeder
November 8, 1999 Berlin Germany Arena Berlin Stereophonics
November 10, 1999 The Hague Netherlands Statenhal
November 11, 1999 Böblingen Germany Sporthalle Böblingen
November 13, 1999 Zürich Switzerland Hallenstadion
November 14, 1999 Milan Italy Fila Forum
November 16, 1999 Paris France Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy Foo Fighters, Muse
November 18, 1999 Bordeaux Patinoire de Mériadeck AFI, Muse
November 19, 1999 Badalona Spain Palau Municipal d'Esports de Badalona
November 21, 1999 Leganés Plaza de Toros La Cubierta
November 22, 1999 Lisbon Portugal Pavilhão Atlântico Da Weasel
North America[3]
December 26, 1999 San Diego United States Cox Arena at Aztec Bowl 311, The Bicycle Thief
December 28, 1999 Daly City Cow Palace
December 29, 1999 Sacramento ARCO Arena Primus
December 31, 1999 Inglewood Great Western Forum 311, The Bicycle Thief
Asia[4]
January 8, 2000 Tokyo Japan Nippon Budokan
January 9, 2000
January 11, 2000
January 13, 2000 Yokohama Pacifico Yokohama Exhibition Hall
January 14, 2000 Osaka Osaka-jō Hall
Oceania[4]
January 21, 2000[L] Auckland New Zealand Ericsson Stadium
January 23, 2000[L] Gold Coast Australia Parklands Gold Coast
January 24, 2000 Brisbane Brisbane Entertainment Centre
January 26, 2000[L] Sydney Sydney Showground Main Arena
January 27, 2000 Sydney Entertainment Centre
January 28, 2000
January 30, 2000[L] Melbourne Royal Melbourne Showgrounds
February 1, 2000 Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Centre
February 2, 2000
February 4, 2000[L] Adelaide Royal Adelaide Showgrounds
February 6, 2000[L] Perth Bassendean Oval
February 7, 2000 Perth Entertainment Centre
North America[4][5][6]
March 24, 2000 Minneapolis United States Target Center Foo Fighters
March 25, 2000 Madison Dane County Coliseum
March 27, 2000 Carbondale SIU Arena
March 28, 2000 Champaign Assembly Hall
March 30, 2000 Fairborn Nutter Center
March 31, 2000 Columbus Value City Arena
April 2, 2000 Amherst Mullins Memorial Center
April 3, 2000 Albany Pepsi Arena
April 5, 2000 University Park Bryce Jordan Center
April 6, 2000 Roanoke Roanoke Civic Center
April 8, 2000 Bloomington Assembly Hall
April 9, 2000 Lexington Rupp Arena
April 11, 2000 Knoxville Thompson–Boling Arena
April 12, 2000 Chattanooga McKenzie Arena
April 25, 2000 Omaha Omaha Civic Auditorium
April 26, 2000 Iowa City Carver–Hawkeye Arena
April 28, 2000 Columbia Hearnes Center
April 29, 2000 Oklahoma City Myriad Convention Center Arena
May 1, 2000 Little Rock Barton Coliseum
May 2, 2000 Austin Frank Erwin Center
May 4, 2000 New Orleans Lakefront Arena
May 5, 2000 Pensacola Pensacola Civic Center
May 7, 2000 Greenville BI-LO Center
May 8, 2000 Norfolk Norfolk Scope
May 10, 2000 Baltimore Baltimore Arena
May 11, 2000 Wilkes-Barre Northeastern Pennsylvania Civic Arena
May 13, 2000 Providence Providence Civic Center
May 14, 2000 Portland Cumberland County Civic Center
May 27, 2000 George The Gorge Amphitheatre Foo Fighters, Kool Keith
May 28, 2000 Vancouver Canada General Motors Place
May 31, 2000 West Valley City United States E Center
June 2, 2000 Phoenix Desert Sky Pavilion
June 3, 2000 Albuquerque University Arena
June 5, 2000 Houston Compaq Center
June 6, 2000 Dallas Starplex Amphitheatre
June 8, 2000 Atlanta Lakewood Amphitheatre
June 9, 2000 Charlotte Blockbuster Pavilion
June 11, 2000 Raleigh Alltel Pavilion
June 12, 2000 Nashville Starwood Amphitheatre
June 14, 2000 West Palm Beach Mars Music Amphitheater
June 15, 2000 Orlando TD Waterhouse Centre
June 23, 2000[M] Seattle Memorial Stadium
June 28, 2000 Bonner Springs Sandstone Amphitheater Foo Fighters
June 29, 2000 Maryland Heights Riverport Amphitheater
July 1, 2000 Moline The MARK of the Quad Cities Foo Fighters, Blonde Redhead
July 2, 2000[N] Milwaukee Marcus Amphitheater
July 4, 2000 Louisville Freedom Hall Foo Fighters, Blonde Redhead
July 5, 2000 Grand Rapids Van Andel Arena
July 7, 2000 Noblesville Deer Creek Music Center
July 8, 2000 Cuyahoga Falls Blossom Music Center
July 10, 2000 Bristow Nissan Pavilion
July 11, 2000 Camden Blockbuster-Sony Music Entertainment Centre
July 13, 2000 Hartford Meadows Music Theater
July 14, 2000 Holmdel Township PNC Bank Arts Center
July 16, 2000 Mansfield Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts
July 17, 2000 Hershey Hersheypark Stadium
July 30, 2000 Saratoga Springs Saratoga Performing Arts Center Stone Temple Pilots
July 31, 2000 Holmdel Township PNC Bank Arts Center
August 2, 2000 Tinley Park New World Music Theater
August 3, 2000 Cincinnati Riverbend Music Center
August 5, 2000[O] Greensburg Westmoreland Fairgrounds
August 7, 2000 Clarkston Pine Knob Music Theatre
August 8, 2000
August 10, 2000 Charleston Charleston Civic Center
August 12, 2000 Wantagh Jones Beach Theater
August 13, 2000
August 15, 2000 Darien Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
August 16, 2000 Toronto Canada Molson Amphitheatre
August 18, 2000 Quebec City Colisée de Québec
August 19, 2000 Montreal Bell Centre
September 1, 2000 Irvine United States Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
September 2, 2000
September 4, 2000 Chula Vista Coors Amphitheatre
September 9, 2000 Mountain View Shoreline Amphitheatre
September 10, 2000 Wheatland AutoWest Amphitheatre
September 12, 2000 Fresno Selland Arena
September 13, 2000 Paradise, Nevada Thomas & Mack Center
September 15, 2000 Casper Casper Events Center
September 16, 2000 Greenwood Village Comfort Dental Amphitheatre
September 18, 2000 Nampa Idaho Center Amphitheater
September 19, 2000 Spokane Spokane Arena
September 21, 2000 Portland Memorial Coliseum
September 22, 2000 Seattle KeyArena
Festivals and other miscellaneous performances
Cancellations and rescheduled shows
October 4, 1999 Buenos Aires, Argentina Luna Park Rescheduled to October 6, 1999

Box office score data

[edit]
Venue City Tickets sold / available Gross revenue
Cow Palace Daly City 13,501 / 15,000 (90%) $472,535[14]
Carver–Hawkeye Arena Iowa City 13,014 / 13,014 (100%) $390,420[15]
Frank Erwin Center Austin 13,404 / 13,404 (100%) $469,140[16]
Norfolk Scope Norfolk 11,000 / 11,000 (100%) $379,225[16]
The Gorge Amphitheatre George 20,000 / 20,000 (100%) $719,045[17]
Pine Knob Music Theatre Clarkston 31,720 / 31,720 (100%) $1,010,537[18]
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Irvine 32,264 / 32,490 (99%) $1,070,625[19]
Coors Amphitheatre Chula Vista 12,616 / 19,689 (64%) $483,670[20]
TOTAL 147,519 / 156,317 (94%) $4,995,197

Opening acts

[edit]

Personnel

[edit]
[edit]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Californication Tour

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
The Californication Tour was a global by the American rock band , undertaken from mid-1999 to 2000 to promote their seventh studio album, Californication, released on June 8, 1999. This tour marked the first major outing following guitarist John Frusciante's return to the band in 1998 after overcoming drug addiction, contributing to a revitalized sound and heightened commercial success. Spanning 135 performances across 120 cities in 24 countries, the tour showcased the band's evolution toward stadium-filling rock with and alternative influences, featuring setlists heavy on tracks from Californication alongside classics like "Give It Away" and "." Notable appearances included headlining festivals such as on July 25, 1999, where they performed to large crowds amid the event's chaotic atmosphere, and international stops at Reading Festival and . The tour solidified the Peppers' status as one of the era's top live acts, with Frusciante's intricate guitar work enhancing their energetic performances and helping propel album sales exceeding 15 million copies worldwide.

Background

Album Release and Band Reunion

The had been on hiatus following the 1995 release of , their sole album featuring , whose tenure emphasized a heavier funk-metal direction amid band members' personal struggles, including issues. , the band's original who left during the 1992 tour due to escalating heroin , achieved after a near-fatal period of and hallucinations in 1997, entering rehabilitation and emerging clean by early 1998. Frusciante rejoined the group that year at bassist Flea's urging, marking his reintegration after six years away and enabling a stylistic pivot back toward the melodic, guitar-driven rock of their earlier work. With Frusciante's return solidified, the band recorded Californication from December 1998 to March 1999 under producer at Cello Studios in Hollywood. The album was released on June 8, 1999, by Warner Bros. Records, debuting at number 3 on the and receiving critical praise for its introspective lyrics and refined sound. Commercially, Californication sold over 16 million copies worldwide, establishing it as the band's best-selling studio album and creating substantial public demand for a supporting tour. This success directly stemmed from the reunion's creative renewal, contrasting the underwhelming reception of , which had sold fewer than 3 million copies in the U.S.

Tour Conception and Preparation

The conception of the Californication Tour stemmed from the ' reunion with guitarist in 1998, culminating in the album Californication's release on June 8, 1999, which provided the creative and commercial foundation for extensive live promotion. The tour's planning prioritized capitalizing on the album's success and the band's revitalized stability, with initial strategies focusing on U.S.-based arena shows and festival bookings to rebuild audience connection after years of lineup instability and Frusciante's 1992 departure amid drug issues. Frusciante's preparations centered on adapting his studio-recorded guitar tones—achieved with Marshall JTM-45 and amplifiers alongside a 1962 —for the demands of live amplification, incorporating pedals like the Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion and FZ-3 Fuzz to maintain clarity and dynamics in larger venues. This technical focus addressed challenges from his limited gear post-rehabilitation and house fire, ensuring tonal consistency between album tracks and performances. Rehearsals preceding the tour underscored the positive impact of Frusciante's sobriety since , fostering disciplined band cohesion and precise execution that contrasted sharply with the heroin-fueled disruptions and erratic energy of earlier tours like the 1991-1992 outing. This sobriety-driven preparation enabled structured set development and reduced onstage unpredictability, setting the stage for the tour's extension into international legs.

Tour Itinerary

1999 North American and Festival Appearances

The 1999 North American appearances for the ' Californication Tour began in May with promotional shows in intimate venues, transitioning to larger amphitheaters and festivals throughout the summer. This initial phase featured 25 documented performances across the , , and , emphasizing club-level intimacy before escalating to major outdoor events. Early dates included theater and club gigs such as May 15 at Roseland Theatre in ; May 16 at Moore Theatre in Seattle, Washington; and May 20 at First Avenue Club in Minneapolis, Minnesota, often as part of the rebranded Teen Tolerance Tour following the Columbine incident. These were followed by festival slots, including May 22 at Q101 Jamboree in Chicago, Illinois; May 23 at in ; May 29 at HFStival in Baltimore, Maryland; and May 30 at WBCN River Rave in . June brought further festival headline sets, notably June 18 at during the Big Friggin' Day Festival in , and June 19 at KROQ Weenie Roast in . Additional standalone shows occurred, such as June 25 at in . The phase culminated in high-profile festivals like July 25 at in , where the band closed the event at Griffiss Air Force Base. Scattered appearances continued, including July 22 on in , , and later-year events such as October 11 at in and December arena residencies in venues like Cox Arena in (December 26), in Daly City (December 28), in Sacramento (December 29), and Great Western Forum in Inglewood (December 31). This segment established the tour's empirical scale through diverse venue types, from capacities under 1,000 in clubs to tens of thousands at festivals, laying groundwork for subsequent expansions while prioritizing regional buildup in the U.S. and adjacent markets.

2000-2001 International and Extension Legs

Following the initial North American leg, the Red Hot Chili Peppers shifted focus to international markets in 2000, commencing with a series of dates in . The band performed in starting February 6, 2000, in Perth, followed by additional shows including the festival. This expansion included stops in and , with summer festival appearances such as August 14 at Vasilyevsky Spusk in , ; August 18 at Wiesen Festival in ; and August 20 at Bizarre Festival in Cologne, . The tour concluded its primary international phase on September 22, 2000, encompassing 135 performances across 120 cities in 24 countries during the 1999-2000 period. Extensions into 2001 featured select festival and stadium shows, adapting to overseas demand while incorporating breaks amid preparations for new material. Key Latin American dates included at in Rio de Janeiro, , drawing over 200,000 attendees across the event, and January 24 at Estadio José Amalfitani in , . A U.S. performance occurred on March 1 at in . European commitments persisted into late summer 2001, highlighted by the August 25 appearance at in , Ireland, where the band delivered a set including tracks from Californication alongside earlier material. These extension legs, comprising approximately 11 additional concerts scattered through benefits and major events, brought the overall tour total to over 150 shows, reflecting sustained global interest post-album release. The transcontinental scheduling, involving frequent long-haul flights and time zone adjustments, inherently posed logistical challenges for maintaining performance vigor relative to the more localized 1999 itinerary, though the band adapted through structured recovery periods between dates.

Musical Content

Typical Setlists

The Californication Tour setlists typically opened with "Around the World," the energetic lead single from the album, immediately followed by the high-octane classic "Give It Away" from , establishing a dynamic blend of new and established material. Early portions of the main set consistently featured "Scar Tissue," another Californication track, often positioned within the first five songs to showcase the band's evolving melodic style. This structure reflected a deliberate emphasis on the album's introspective hits while maintaining crowd engagement through proven staples. Performances averaged 20 to 25 songs per , with roughly 10 to 15 drawn from Californication, including staples like "," "Californication," "Parallel Universe," and "Right on Time," which appeared in over 120 documented shows each. The remaining slots filled with pre-1999 hits such as "" (played in 123 instances), "Suck My Kiss," and "Higher Ground," ensuring a balance that highlighted the tour's promotional focus without alienating longtime fans. Regional differences emerged empirically, with U.S. dates incorporating more funk-infused encores like "Me and My Friends" (performed 125 times, predominantly in North American legs) compared to streamlined closers in European shows. A representative setlist from mid-tour dates, aggregated across verified 2000-2001 performances, included: This rotation prioritized rhythmic transitions and audience sing-alongs, with Californication tracks comprising about 60% of the program based on play frequency data.

Song Selection and Variations

During the Californication Tour, the Red Hot Chili Peppers incorporated several rarities and deep cuts from their early catalog, providing variety beyond the predominant focus on the Californication album and prior hits. Tracks like "Savior" from the 1987 album were revived selectively, appearing in 8 performances, often as a nod to the band's formative funk-punk roots amid the tour's more polished sound. Similarly, "," the title track from their 1985 sophomore album, was played 6 times, emphasizing high-energy improvisation that contrasted with the setlist staples. Other deep cuts marked their final appearances in the band's live repertoire for extended periods. "Backwoods" and "Green Heaven," both from the 1984 The Red Hot Chili Peppers debut, were performed only 3 times each, with these instances serving as the last live renditions until much later revivals in subsequent decades. The cover of Bob Dylan's "" was featured in select shows, such as on April 6, 2000, in , and August 13, 2000, at Jones Beach Theater, representing the song's concluding live outings during this era and highlighting the band's occasional forays into external influences for audience engagement. Covers and teases further diversified the selections, including a tease of The Clash's "" during the June 5, 2000, performance at Compaq Center in , , which infused punk urgency into the proceedings without a full rendition. These variations, drawn from archival setlist data, underscore the tour's balance of fan-favorite consistency with sporadic archival pulls, fostering a sense of unpredictability in an otherwise structured itinerary.
Rarity/Deep CutNumber of PlaysNotes
Savior8Selective revival from The Uplift Mofo Party Plan
Freaky Styley6Title track from 1985 album, emphasizing improvisation
Backwoods3Final plays from debut album
Green Heaven3Final plays from debut album

Notable Performances and Incidents

Woodstock '99 Headline Set and Aftermath

The headlined the East Stage at on July 25, 1999, delivering a 16-song set that included staples from their repertoire such as "Around the World," "Give It Away," "," and "Californication," alongside covers like Jimi Hendrix's "" as the closer. The performance occurred amid escalating festival-wide disorder, characterized by extreme heat exceeding 90°F (32°C), inadequate shade and water access, and overpriced concessions—including initially sold for $4 and later inflated to $12—contributing to widespread and frustration among the estimated 220,000–400,000 attendees. Poor sanitation, insufficient security, and a site built on former airfield tarmac exacerbated conditions, fostering aggressive crowd behavior including , , and reported sexual assaults that predated the band's appearance. Violence had intensified earlier in the weekend, particularly during Limp Bizkit's set on July 24, with destructive and prompting arrests and medical interventions for injuries unrelated to the headliners. By the time the took the stage, bonfires were already being lit using distributed "peace candles," and at least a dozen arrests for and had occurred in prior days, independent of the band's music or . No verifiable evidence indicates direct incitement by the performers; while the closing rendition of "Fire"—performed as flames visibly spread behind the stage—has been retrospectively critiqued for poor timing, contemporaneous accounts attribute the escalation to accumulated attendee aggression rather than musical content. In the aftermath, riots erupted post-performance, involving of vendor tents, of structures and vehicles, and further clashes resulting in 44 total arrests, over 1,000 medical treatments, and one attendee death from heatstroke. Legal actions targeted festival promoters, including fines from Oneida County for permit violations and civil suits from families of injured or deceased attendees alleging in and , with no lawsuits filed against the . Investigations emphasized promoter accountability for systemic failures—such as understaffed and exploitative —over influence, underscoring that individual crowd members bore primary responsibility for destructive acts amid permissive, unchecked mob dynamics.

Other Key Shows and Anecdotes

The ' headline set at in , , on August 25, 2001, drew one of the tour's largest crowds, with reports estimating over 80,000 attendees gathered along the River Boyne for the open-air spectacle. The performance exemplified the band's revitalized chemistry following John Frusciante's return, featuring tight renditions of Californication tracks like "" and classics such as "Give It Away," amid a backdrop of fervent audience participation that amplified the event's electric atmosphere. Similarly, the band's January 21, 2001, appearance at III in Rio de Janeiro highlighted their strong rapport with international audiences, delivering a dynamic set to a massive festival crowd that included improvisational flourishes in songs like "," where Frusciante's guitar solos extended into spontaneous, psychedelic explorations drawing roars from spectators. Fan-recorded footage from such shows underscores how these live variations—often diverging from studio versions through Frusciante's on-the-fly phrasing and effects-laden phrasing—infused performances with unique vitality, fostering extended crowd-band synergy without relying on scripted spectacle.

Commercial Performance

Attendance Figures

The Californication Tour comprised 135 performances across 120 cities in 24 countries, spanning August 1999 to September 2000. Arena and amphitheater dates generally attracted 10,000 to 20,000 attendees per show, aligning with venue capacities and the band's positioning as a major act following the album's release. Festival appearances and special events drew significantly larger crowds, often exceeding 100,000, driven by the tour's timing amid peak summer festival seasons in and . Notable peaks included a free concert on August 14, 1999, at Moscow's , where approximately 300,000 people gathered, marking one of the largest single-show turnouts in the band's history. At on July 24, 1999, the headlining performance reached tens of thousands from the festival's daily audience, within an overall event attendance of about 220,000 over three days. Other European festival slots, such as Bizarre Festival in on August 20, 1999, and Wiesen Festival in on August 18, 1999, similarly pulled substantial festival-goer numbers, though exact figures for the band's sets remain undocumented in primary reports. The tour's draw was amplified by guitarist John Frusciante's return to the lineup after a five-year hiatus, restoring the band's core chemistry and generating renewed fan enthusiasm, alongside the Californication album's rapid commercial ascent to over 15 million global sales. These elements shifted RHCP from club-level recovery post- to consistent arena fills and festival dominance, with empirical turnout reflecting causal links to heightened media buzz and word-of-mouth from early 1999 U.S. dates. Aggregate estimates place total attendance above 2 million, derived from show volume and reported capacities, though precise globals are not aggregated in trade data.

Box Office Revenue Data

The Californication Tour's box office revenue demonstrated the ' commercial resurgence, driven by the album's global sales exceeding 15 million units and the band's sobriety enabling reliable, high-energy performances after the disruptions of the mid-1990s. Prior tours, such as those supporting (1995), suffered from frequent cancellations due to and John Frusciante's departure, resulting in inconsistent revenue and limited . In contrast, the 1999-2001 legs filled arenas in top U.S. markets like and New York, as well as European venues, with multi-night stands often yielding seven-figure totals collectively, reflecting sustained demand for the mature, hit-driven setlists. European extensions, particularly festival headline slots and stadium dates in 2000-2001, amplified grosses amid the continent's robust live music economy, where the band's funk-rock fusion resonated with broader audiences post-Californication hits like "." This financial uptick aligned with causal factors including Frusciante's return and Kiedis's recovery, which stabilized operations and enhanced stage presence, contrasting the erratic draws that capped earnings below potential amid reliability concerns from promoters and fans. Overall, the tour's revenue positioned the as a viable arena act, rebounding from earlier lows to capitalize on empirical indicators of popularity like radio airplay and video rotation.

Reception and Legacy

Contemporary Reviews

Contemporary reviews of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Californication Tour, spanning 1999 to 2001, presented a mixed reception, with critics highlighting the band's renewed vitality post-John Frusciante's return alongside critiques of vocal delivery and setlist familiarity in arena settings. At on July 25, 1999, praised the group's performance for brimming with energy and high spirits, effectively closing the festival amid chaotic conditions and connecting viscerally with the audience through anthemic material. Frusciante's guitar work drew acclaim for injecting melodic depth and revitalizing the band's sound, as evidenced in live renditions that echoed the album's slithery licks and intricate phrasing, transforming high-energy into more structured rock explorations during shows like the early promotional gigs. However, larger venues amplified drawbacks, with The Guardian's November 7, 1999, review of the concert decrying ' vocals as keyless yelps lacking coherence, particularly on ballads like "," and portraying the set—dominated by past hits such as "Give It Away"—as predictable and devoid of profound impact despite crowd sweat and noise. The tour's chaotic, high-octane style earned pros for raw crowd engagement in festival contexts but cons for straining vocal limits in prolonged arena sets, where reliance on established singles overshadowed newer tracks from Californication, leading some outlets to note a formulaic quality amid the frenzy.

Long-Term Impact and Retrospective Views

The Californication Tour (1999–2000) solidified the ' transition to arena and stadium-level headliners, enabling subsequent large-scale productions such as the (2002–2003) and marking a commercial peak that sustained the band's viability into the . This elevation followed the album's success, with the tour's extensive global reach—spanning 135 performances across 24 countries—demonstrating logistical maturity and fan demand that foreshadowed double-album releases like Stadium Arcadium (2006) and its supporting tour. Retrospectives credit the period with restoring the band's creative cohesion after lineup instability, as guitarist John Frusciante's return and the group's collective sobriety facilitated more melodic, introspective material that influenced their evolution beyond funk-metal roots. Fan-archived footage and unofficial documentaries have preserved the tour's performances, including a 2021 subtitled compilation highlighting setlists and backstage dynamics, which underscores enduring interest in this era as a "rebirth" phase. Comprehensive live archives document the tour's setlist variations, with certain pre-Californication tracks like "If You Have to Ask" receiving final regular rotations before rarer post-tour appearances, reflecting a shift toward newer material in later cycles. In retrospective analyses, the tour is praised as a sobriety milestone, coinciding with frontman ' sustained recovery from addiction—achieved around 2000—and the band's drug-free touring stability, which contrasted prior chaos and enabled artistic longevity. Associations with Woodstock '99's post-performance riots drew initial scrutiny for the closing rendition of "Fire," yet subsequent inquiries attributed violence primarily to overcrowding, inadequate security, and promoter decisions rather than the band's actions, vindicating their role as performers amid broader festival failures. Overall, the tour's legacy endures as a causal pivot toward mainstream , with its influence evident in the Peppers' continued arena dominance and album sales exceeding 15 million for Californication alone.

Personnel

Core Band Members

The core performing lineup for the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Californication Tour, spanning 1999 to 2001, featured on lead vocals, on and with backing vocals, on , keyboards, and backing vocals, and on drums and percussion. This configuration marked the band's return to its most enduring instrumental and vocal core, solidified after years of turnover in the guitarist position. Frusciante's rejoining in early 1998, following a period of rehabilitation from heroin addiction after departing in 1992, was instrumental in shaping the tour's musical scope. His familiarity with the band's catalog from prior albums like (1991) enabled deeper setlists that blended new Californication material with earlier funk-rock staples, fostering greater onstage improvisation and energy. No lineup alterations occurred mid-tour, reflecting a phase of unprecedented stability that allowed the to maintain consistent delivery across approximately 300 shows globally, from arena headline dates to festival appearances. This continuity contrasted with the band's earlier history of frequent changes, directly supporting the tour's reputation for tight, high-intensity performances rooted in their collaborative chemistry.

Opening Acts and Support

The Californication Tour employed a rotating roster of opening acts, primarily and bands, to energize crowds ahead of the headliners' performances, with selections reflecting regional market preferences and shared audience demographics in the late 1990s rock scene. In during the 2000 leg, served as the primary support act for multiple stadium and amphitheater dates, including July 11, July 13, July 14, July 16, and June 28, 2000, at venues such as The Meadows Music Theater and Xfinity Center, where their high-energy sets helped bridge generational rock fans drawn to both bands' mainstream appeal. European dates featured a mix of emerging acts tailored to local circuits, such as opening on August 22, 1999, at Arènes de in alongside other supports like and Sahara Hotnights, capitalizing on the Australian band's rising international profile to prime audiences for the Peppers' funk-rock intensity. Similarly, provided support across select European shows, with frontman later recounting the tour's collaborative vibe as pivotal for their exposure to larger arenas. also opened for portions of the European and North American legs, including slots alongside , where the trio honed their live dynamics through exposure to the tour's production scale and crowd energy. These openers generally aligned with the tour's alt-rock without notable disruptions, fostering seamless transitions that amplified attendance draw—evidenced by consistent sell-outs—and avoided overshadowing the headliners, as no significant set conflicts or fan backlash emerged from the pairings.

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