An Engaging, Hopeful Show by Frusciante

As usual, John Frusciante was supported by the other three Red Hot Chili Peppers when he performed at the Roxy on Monday. But Anthony Kiedis, Flea and Chad Smith--who welcomed the guitarist back to the band in 1998 after a five-year, addiction-forced absence--weren’t on stage. They were just part of a very supportive audience of hometown friends, family and fans for a rare, slightly shaky but ultimately affecting solo acoustic appearance tied to the recent release of his album “To Record Only Water for Ten Days.”

The setting encouraged Frusciante’s idiosyncrasies, his echoed voice wandering from near-screech falsetto to over-pushed growl, and his imagery wandering into the ether. But his disarming nervousness, his frequently expressed gratitude and his gift for both melody and impressionistic yet in-the-moment lyrics made for an engaging balance between out-there wigginess and in-here heart.

On stage, it seems, support came from spirits--he explained that they’ve revealed, among other things, that there are two people alive “who will make music as good as John Lennon.” He also invoked the spirits of tragic heroes Del Shannon and Nico (whose songs performed) and dedicated tunes to Rick Nelson and original Peppers guitarist Hillel Slovak (whose overdose death led to Frusciante’s joining the band).

It was no surprise when he encored with a song by Pink Floyd founder Syd Barrett. But Barrett’s a drug-casualty hermit. Frusciante’s back in the world. And this show, miles from the Peppers’ strut, was full of hope from someone who not long ago didn’t seem to have any.