LEGENDS OF THE LONGHORN

Red Hot Chili Peppers

The multi-Grammy Award-winning band and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees, the Red Hot Chili Peppers (RHCP), defined the alternative rock sound from the late ’80s into the early 2000s. Embracing the raw energy of skate culture, they performed on college campuses and leveraged MTV's emerging platform to build their fan base. They created a unique sound that blended elements of psychedelic and punk rock with hip-hop and funk, selling over 120 million records and selling out stadiums worldwide.

When they took the stage at the Longhorn Ballroom in 1986, RHCP was an up-and-coming band generating buzz but still experimenting with their sound and heavily involved in the drug scene. At the same time, the Longhorn was undergoing its own transformation; longtime owner Dewey Groom had sold the venue, and the new ownership sought alternatives to the many urban cowboy-themed venues opening around town. They hired Jeff Liles to book acts for the famed venue. Liles, who was to become a local legend, brought in many bands just before they hit much larger stages.

The RHCP’s performance at the Ballroom that night was captured on Super 8 film, and parts of it were made accessible to the public. With minimal clothing and their unrestrained, unapologetic personalities, the RHCP performance continued the Longhorn Ballroom’s long-standing tradition of giving talented artists across multiple genres a platform to launch from.