Swigging red wine out of a bottle and looking like a hipster Joshua Tree version of Indiana Jones, Jane’s Addiction frontman Perry Farrell surveyed the sold-out crowd Tuesday night at the YouTube Theater. “This is the eternal L.A.,” he proclaimed in his distinctive almost-drawl. Indeed, the “new” and “old” SoCal music scenes were out in full force to pay homage — including members of No Doubt representing the latter, relative newcomers Twin Temple the former.
Following in the scrappy DIY footsteps of the Doors and Guns N’ Roses — Los Angeles lineups also led by mesmerizing, unpredictable, semi-shamanic frontmen — Jane’s formed in 1985, created explosive chemistry by combining the members’ metal, punk, new wave and goth influences. The collaboration coalesced with 1988’s “Nothing’s Shocking” and 1990’s “Ritual de lo Habitual,” a pair of stunningly creative and original LPs that have aged as well as the band members themselves. 2024 finds the lineup back in its OG incarnation for the first time in 14 years: guitarist Dave Navarro, bassist Eric Avery (who opted out of several previous reunion tours) and powerhouse drummer Stephen Perkins, high school friends who surmounted the slings and arrows of the music world to re-emerge at the top of their musical game.
In 14 songs and 90 minutes, the lineup tore through a wide variety of mostly well-chosen material, including one new track, the raw, lilting, groove-heavy “Imminent Redemption.” Kicking off the show with 1997’s “Kettle Whistle” was slightly odd: the long, slow-burn track was played on record by Red Hot Chili Peppers’ bassist Flea, but the selection still set the vibe and tone for a dynamic set where Avery’s propulsive bass was often the backbone of the groove.
At 65, Farrell is the elder statesman of the bunch, yet energetic and full of oddball quixotic charm. Onstage, he’s both performative and genuine, though the singer’s interest in vocal effects — which he controlled via a setup on a music stand center stage — seemed to sometimes detract from what might have been more intuitive, immediate and connected moments with his band and the audience.
With a spare stage and no spotlights — a far cry from the 2016 shows where gyrating women flew above the band suspended on flesh hooks — Jane’s is both a band’s band and a fan’s band, delivering enviable, muscular musicianship with a singalong energy and a left-of-center sensibility. Navarro — a frequent guitar guest with artists including Nine Inch Nails, Guns N’ Roses and Janet Jackson — has a palpable charisma and is a commanding, nimble player. Bearded and black-hatted, styled not unlike Clint Eastwood in “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” the dramatic but quietly compelling guitarist shone on scorching solos, his metal bona fides evident on “Pigs in Zen,” his iconic fretwork shining in the epic “Three Days.” He was equally compelling on acoustic guitar for Jane’s trademark lyrically and musically poignant true tale “Jane Says,” backed by bongos and steel drums. Avery also pitched in on acoustic guitar as Farrell’s impassioned, talk-singing guided the song’s offbeat, undeniable appeal.
The 6,000-seat YouTube audience was especially appreciative of the 1990 hit “Stop!,” which rages with the ferocity of a car crash, and the rousing “Mountain Song,“ one of Jane’s most ebullient tracks, the Farrell- and Avery-penned song apparently the first-ever written by the band in 1985.
The band’s radio classics blended easily into deeper cuts like “Ted, Just Admit It,” which stretches more than seven minutes on the album (whose lyrics also feature the “Nothing’s Shocking” that gives the album its title), an esoteric tune that feels emblematic of underground L.A. at the time.
Jane’s biggest hit, the colorful, perfection of the impossible-to-ignore “Been Caught Stealing,” first arrived in 1990 with a video as creative and unhinged as the song. It was the night’s closer, but, oddly, a disappointment. Farrell was simply not on point, the song’s usually controlled chaos losing vocal steam, whether from wine, wear or whimsy.
Still, Jane’s Addiction left the stage with its mysterious and magical mythos intact, as embodied especially in the disparate duo of Navarro and Farrell. Jane’s proved that it’s aging gracefully, and especially in the case of Navarro and Perkins — with an undimmed ferocity. The quartet’s place in L.A.’s storied musical lineage was secure long before the Farrell-created Lollapalooza tour turned alternative mainstream, and with lyrics in “Imminent Redemption” including “Let’s stir up that karma / Let’s launch us a comeback,” a creative future for the nearly 40-year-old lineup seems assured — and welcomed.
