Jane’s Addiction Preview Tour At L.A. Theater
Jane’s Addiction rocked the Grand Olympic
Auditorium in downtown L.A. Thursday night.
For the preview to the upcoming “I-Itz M’My Party” tour, the
unassuming crowd crammed into the small ballroom ready for the
band’s surprise antics since — as everyone knows — Jane’s is one
of the most inventive live acts of all time.
Anxiety and exhilaration swept through the building as pulsating
lights bathed the multi-platformed stage. No smoke or mirrors were
needed as the new version of Jane’s Addiction — featuring
Dave Navarro (guitar), Stephen Perkins (drums), Flea (bass) and Perry Farrell (vocals) — unveiled their new stage show. Wearing a cross between Vegas lounge and Kiss outfits without makeup, Jane’s opened the night with “Ocean Size.”
Moving into “Stop,” Jane’s was joined onstage by scantily clad
women who gyrated on platforms above the band. Continuing with
“Mountain Song,” the dancers and Farrell slinked snakelike across
the floor.
Farrell then climbed onto a platform away from the stage and
broke into “Summertime Rolls” while slithering around his new
perch. The band continued to wail from the main stage while the
audience sang along. Afterwards, similar to a Lilliputian parade,
the band strolled through the crowd on the floor carrying giant
papier-mache flowers and shimmering lanterns while they
moved to a platform set upbehind their fans. There they did
semi-acoustic versions of “Jane Says,” “Classic Girl” and the
tribal “Chip Away.”
The band returned to the main stage to wrap up the dress
rehearsal with “Ted Just Admit It.” Even though the crowd screamed
for more, Jane’s never reappeared for an encore.