Chili Peppers Concert Flick Screens Locally

Though their music hasn't changed much at all since they struck on the "Under the Bridge" hit-making formula and began almost exclusively releasing relatively mellow Pop songs designed for chart success, long-standing, occasionally funky veteran band Red Hot Chili Peppers has at least gotten creative in terms of pre-release promotional activities. They'll continue that trend on Aug. 30, the release date for the band's forthcoming LP, I'm With You, by presenting a concert film that will be broadcast on movie screens across the globe, including here in Cincinnati.

So far, the group has used street art in Los Angeles (containing a robot, the Chilis' logo and the album's street date) to spread the word about I'm With You. The art was allegedly done by Mr. Brainwash, also known as Thierry Guetta, who was featured in artist Banksy's Oscar-nominated documentary, Exit Through the Gift Shop. There was so much talk about the film's questionable authenticity as a non-fiction doc, many remain skeptical of the enigmatic, hoax-perpetuating Banksy's every statement and action and are have doubted if Mr. Brainwash was even who was presented to be in the film. Which kind of makes RHCP's use of him in their campaign even more interesting.

Just recently, the Peppers pulled another unique PR stunt by performing a secret, quasi-release party concert last month for 300 people at the remote Henry Miller Memorial Library in the woods near Big Sur in California. How did that come about? Bassist Flea lives a stone's throw away and frequents the "Library," really more of a book store/museum.

The last pre-release promo for the band's 10th studio album release is perhaps not quite cool and creative, but it's still pretty unique. The band's performance in Germany on Aug. 30 — the day I'm With Youis released —is being filmed then broadcast that same day to 450 movie theaters across the U.S. (and, later, about that many across the globe). For the film, dubbed Red Hot Chili Peppers LIVE: I’m With You, the band will play the new album in order all the way through (the only time they'll do it), plus a set of "greatest hits."