Flea - Red Hot Chili Peppers celebrate Flea with intimate gig

Red Hot Chili Peppers celebrate Flea with intimate gig

Red Hot Chili Peppers played a gig in Flea's back garden on Tuesday (16.10.12).

The 'Californication' hitmakers commemorated their bassist's 50th birthday with the intimate show, which raised funds for the Silver Lake Conservatory, the Los Angeles music school he founded 11 years ago.

Speaking ahead of the nine-track performance, Flea told Rolling Stone magazine: ''For this to happen on my 50th birthday tonight is the best gift I could ever hope to receive.''

The rockers opened with 'Can't Stop' and the set included a cover of Neil Young's 'Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere' .

After closing with 'By the Way', Flea told the crowd: ''It's been kind of an overwhelming experience for me. It feels really meaningful and poignant to have everybody come out and support.''

Among the audience at the gig in the Los Feliz neighbourhood of Los Angeles was producer Rick Rubin and actors Owen Wilson and Edward Norton.

Rancid - whose singer Tim Armstrong is a former pupil at Silver Lake - also performed a 30 minute set, and Ben Harper sang 'Happy Birthday' to Flea, as a giant birthday cake featuring a stand-up bass was brought out.

Ahead of the musical performances, guests enjoyed a sit-down dinner and an auction of two pieces of art - one from Banksy and the other from Takashi Murakami - with both being sold for over $100,000 apiece.