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Jane’s Addiction cancels reunion tour after spate of apologies about onstage fight

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Jane's Addiction cancels reunion tour after spate of apologies about onstage fight

As a seasoned cinephile with decades of concert-going under my belt, I must admit that I was quite taken aback by the sudden and unfortunate turn of events surrounding Jane’s Addiction‘s reunion tour. The band has always been one of those rare gems in the music industry, embodying the raw energy and creative spirit that defines great rock ‘n roll.

The remaining shows of Jane’s Addiction’s reunion tour have been unexpectedly cancelled following a physical altercation between lead vocalist Perry Farrell and guitarist Dave Navarro during a concert in Boston on Friday, which prematurely concluded the performance.

On Monday, a post on the “Jane Says” band’s social media announced that they have decided to temporarily disband, stating they are taking a break as a group, which they describe as a challenging decision.

After the generic statement from the band, there was a harsh criticism directed at Farrell by his bandmates, focusing on his “mental health issues” following an incident with Navarro during the Leader Bank Pavilion show. Onstage, it seemed like Perry struck Navarro, and a brawl ensued which was quickly intervened by the stage staff, who managed to separate the musicians.

A post shared by Jane’s Addiction (@janesaddiction)

Because of Perry Farrell’s persistent behavior and ongoing mental health issues, we regretfully announced the cancellation of our current US tour. The welfare of Perry, ourselves, and our collective safety is paramount. We fervently pray that he receives the necessary assistance for his well-being.

The three-piece group expressed their disappointment in not being able to meet the expectations of their ticket-buying fans, stating that they can’t find a way to both guarantee a secure stage environment and consistently give an exceptional performance each night. They shared that their spirits are heavy with sadness.

A post shared by Dave Navarro (@davenavarro)

Following the cancellation notice on Monday and their subsequent statement, Farrell expressed his regret for having reached a “boiling point” which led to his “unforgivable actions.

Over the weekend, things were extremely challenging for me. After giving it some thought, I feel it’s important to extend an apology to my bandmates, particularly Dave Navarro, our fans, loved ones, and friends, for my actions during Friday’s performance. My emotions reached a boiling point, leading to behavior that was unacceptable. I acknowledge my shortcomings and take full responsibility for how I reacted in that situation.

The singers behind “Nothing’s Shocking” and “Ritual de lo Habitual,” childhood friends who formed a groundbreaking pre-grunge band in California back in 1985, combined their diverse musical influences from metal, punk, new wave, and goth genres. They initially parted ways in 1991 but reunited this year after a 14-year separation, performing at the YouTube Theater in Inglewood last month with the original lineup: Farrell, Navarro, Avery (who declined participation in several previous reunion tours), and Perkins.

15 shows on the tour were called off by the band, just under a month after Live Nation had added seven more dates to the tour, which also starred Love & Rockets as co-headliners. The band first apologized to fans on Saturday for the issues that occurred on Friday, and then canceled a show in Bridgeport, Connecticut, originally scheduled for Sunday.

Jane’s Addiction had scheduled a concert in Toronto on a Wednesday, which would be followed by a series of shows in Midwestern and Southern states, culminating in a journey towards the West Coast in October. The band was to conclude their reunion tour with a second appearance at the YouTube Theater on October 16th.

On Saturday, Farrell’s wife, Etty Lau Farrell, shared a video on her Instagram account detailing the events of their confrontation that took place on Friday. She discussed the “underlying tension and hostility” and provided insights into what occurred between the two individuals.

In her post, she described the magic that made the band so lively as if a fuse had been lit. Perry, who had been growing increasingly frustrated due to his inability to clearly hear himself over the band’s loud stage volume, eventually snapped. Every night, he struggled with tinnitus and a sore throat, but when members of the front row complained about the band being too loud and not hearing Perry, he exploded with anger.

Lau Farrell stated that the band began playing “Ocean” prior to Perry being fully prepared, and the stage’s volume was so deafening that he “could barely hear over the roar and the vibration of the instruments.” By the end of the song, according to her, he wasn’t singing, but rather shouting just to be audible.

The vocalist, who wed Farrell in 2002, also claimed that Avery “won the fight.”

As Dave maintained distance from Perry to calm things down, another crew member named Dan quickly moved towards the scene to help too, grabbing Perry to restrain him. In the meantime, Dave decided to step aside and retrieve his guitar. Eric, approaching from upstage in the dark, sneaked behind Dan and held Perry in a headlock before punching him three times in the stomach. Another crew member with long hair, Kevin, intervened by pulling Eric away. Finally, Eric, seemingly unfazed, walked towards the front of the stage to apologize to the audience for the show ending prematurely.

In the wake of the incident, I penned down my observations. Navarro maintained his composure, appearing both dashing and composed amidst the turmoil, while Farrell transformed into a frenzied figure for approximately thirty minutes. The singer, overwhelmed, wept profusely. I also pointed fingers at Avery for failing to deescalate the situation and exploiting it instead, even landing a few underhanded blows on Perry.

Before the band’s concert tour was called off, Emmy-nominated actor Walton Goggins shared an a capella rendition of “Jane Says” on his Instagram following their apology.

The actor from ‘Justified’ and ‘Fallout’ shared that he recorded himself as a possible candidate for the lead singer position in Jane’s Addiction.

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2024-09-17 00:01

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