The 35-plus-year odyssey that is Jane’s Addiction took another unbelievable turn last night (Sept. 13) in Boston, as the group ended their show early after frontman Perry Farrell attacked guitarist Dave Navarro onstage. Farrell, 65, was restrained by crew members and bassist Eric Avery, whose participation in the band’s current tour after a 14-year hiatus has been a major selling point for fans.
Farrell’s lackluster performances at pair of outdoor New York shows earlier this week drew the ire of social media commenters, who’ve speculated as to whether he is struggling with drug or alcohol issues. During the first gig on Tuesday, he confessed, “ladies and gentlemen, I have to be honest with you. Something’s wrong with my voice. I just can’t get the notes out all of a sudden.” Later, Avery wrote on Instagram, “looking forward to getting another crack at this spectacular rooftop venue tonight. I’m optimistic we will be better.”
At Leader Bank Pavilion last night, things were even worse, as Farrell shouted at Navarro during the ninth song of the show, “Mountain Song,” and tensions built further during the subsequent performance of “Three Days.” After that, in the middle of “Ocean Size,” Farrell walked over to Navarro, aggressively nudged him and then appeared to take a swing at him. Watch fan-shot footage of the confrontation below.
Jane’s Addiction is scheduled to perform tomorrow in Bridgeport, Ct., but have yet to address the incident or the future of the band, which have broken up and reformed on numerous occasions since their original 1991 split.
During a May 23 gig at the 400-capacity Bush Hall in London, Jane’s played with Navarro for the first time since 2021, thus completing the original lineup of Farrell, Avery and drummer Stephen Perkins. Navarro had been out of the group due to symptoms from long COVID and was replaced on the road in recent years by former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist/Pearl Jam multi-instrumentalist Josh Klinghoffer and Queens of the Stone Age’s Troy Van Leeuwen.
Jane’s have also recorded new music, with the recently released “Imminent Redemption” marking the original lineup’s first fresh track since 1990’s Ritual De Lo Habitual.
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Perry Farrell assaulted Dave Navarro during JANE'S ADDICTION's concert earlier tonight (Friday, September 13) at the Leader Bank Pavilion in Boston, Massachusetts.
The incident happened late in JANE'S ADDICTION's set as the band was finishing the song "Ocean Size". Farrell, who was reportedly mumbling lyrics most of night, seemingly drunk or high, aggressively bumped shoulders with Navarro and got in the guitarist's face and swore at him, as a confused Dave looked at him asking what was going on. Navarro eventually stopped playing and put a hand up to Farrell's chest. Then the singer appeared to throw a punch at Navarro before being held back by a roadie and JANE'S ADDICTION bassist Eric Avery. The latter proceeded to do his best to restrain Perry with a bear hug along with members of JANE'S ADDICTION's road crew who surrounded Farrell and forced the singer offstage.
This has not been a good week for Farrell, who was reportedly in rough shape when JANE'S ADDICTION's classic lineup played at the Rooftop at Pier 17 in New York City on Tuesday (September 10). However, he managed to pull it together for Wednesday's concert at the same venue.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I have to be honest with you. Something's wrong with my voice," Farrell admitted to the crowd on Tuesday before adding "I just can't get the notes out all of a sudden." The next day, Avery posted to Instagram: "Looking forward to getting another crack at this spectacular rooftop venue tonight. I'm optimistic we will be better."
The Boston show was part of JANE'S ADDICTION's co-headlining tour with LOVE & ROCKETS, with 15 gigs left on the itinerary.
The trek is scheduled to wrap up on October 16 at Los Angeles's YouTube Theater.
In a recent interview with Guitar World, Avery was unsure if JANE'S ADDICTION would be still standing in 2025.
"I still don't know if we're a band that you ever assume will be here a year from now," he told the magazine. "That being said, yeah… there is a revitalization and a reconnection. Let's hope it lasts."
