Red Hot Chili Peppers

When guitar genius John Frusciante left RHCP a few years back, the music world lost one of its most complete pairings. Frusciante’s fantastical guitar licks danced with Flea’s impossible slap bass across their records like shooting stars caught in a freak binary system. New axe-man Josh Klinghoffer blends in well enough, but the band’s new album, I’m With You, is soft. Singer Anthony Kiedis can be especially annoying when he’s trying to carry to much of the weight, and the (still great) Flea/Chad Smith rhythm section can only do so much in this setting. They’ve been hit-and-miss for a while, sure, but the fire has now officially dulled, and the funk is less funky. Thank god for the hits. With Rebirth Brass Band. TODD HAMM

Thu., Nov. 15, 8 p.m., 2012