Jane’s Addiction

Let me preface this by saying that I’m not a big Jane’s Addiction fan – I just didn’t get it. 

It took one live performance to spin me in a 180 degree direction. Perry Farrell is the ultimate archetype of a rockstar and he commands your presence while he’s on stage. His voice is one that sounds like it’s been shredded after thirty years of raging vocals and whines. Farrell’s trademark tone is still there, but the wear and tear from his years on stage have definitely done numbers to it. This didn’t take any less power away from Farell as he powered through the set alongside Queens of the Stone Age guitarist, Troy Van Leeuwen. Leeuwen was subbing in for Dave Navarro who unfortunately is still recovering from a Covid infection. I was let down by the news as I knew that Navarro, who also temporarily played for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, has an especially unique way of carrying himself on guitar, channeling the unbridled, wild yet masterful essence of Jane’s Addiction into the instrument. However, I felt that Leeuwen played well while regrettably having little of Navarro’s charisma. Farrell did most of the talking for the show, talking about his experience having grown up in Miami. 

“In Hollywood [Florida], I learned to surf, but in LA, I learned to rock.” 

Jane’s Addiction very well felt like its own rock show, with songs like “Mountain Song” and “Ocean Size” melting the ears and eyes through bright flashing lights and instruments that were turned up to eleven.