Red Hot Chili Peppers Dust Off ‘Universally Speaking’ In Manchester

Red Hot Chili Peppers continued their world tour at Old Trafford in Manchester on Wednesday with their first concert in England since 2016. The quartet honored the legendary Manchester area band Joy Division at the start of the evening and went on to work the tour debut of By The Way single “Universally Speaking” into their show.

Wednesday’s concert began with a jam featuring elements of Joy Division’s “Shadowplay” and “Hardcore Follies” by Funkadelic. The Chili Peppers then delivered a double dose from 1999’s Californication with “Around The World” and “Dani California.”

Vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea, drummer Chad Smith and guitarist John Frusciante followed “Dani California” with “Universally Speaking.” Frusciante hadn’t performed the By The Way cut with the band in nearly 18 years while the group last played the tune back on October 14, 2017.

Red Hot Chili Peppers returned to Californication for “I Like Dirt” and then played “These Are The Ways” off their recently released Unlimited Love LP. The 2022 album was also represented in Wednesday’s setlist by “Black Summer,” “Here Ever After” and “One Way Traffic.” Additionally, the band’s 16-song main set in Manchester featured such classics as “Suck My Kiss,” “Californication,” “Soul To Squeeze” and “Give It Away.”

The four-piece turned to their iconic 1991 record Blood Sugar Sex Magik to kick off the evening’s encore with “I Could Have Lied.” Red Hot Chili Peppers then said farewell with “By The Way.”

See fan-shot video footage of “Universally Speaking” from Wednesday’s concert below: