reCAP :: Jane's Addiction w/ A Place To Bury Strangers :: 2015.05.19
Watch Jane’s Addiction alt-rock- Demigod Perry Farrell parade around stage like a cheetah at The Cap on May 19 for an entire hour-plus set, and let your jaw drop as you Wikipedia to find out he’s 56 years old. Nothing’s Shocking? Well, some things are. It’s a cliché to say this act or that act has “never sounded better” or “never looked better,” but when it came to Farrell and his mighty band of misfits (Stephen Perkins, Dave Navarro, and Chris Chaney) those oft-used phrases quickly turn to absolutely truth.
Performing each track off their 1988 groundbreaking Nothing’s Shocking - their first studio album, Jane’s Addiction captivated the crowd with not just flawless playing of those iconic songs but via the trademark magnetism of its showman/frontman, who egged the audience on with come ons, and fed off their energy with each performance. At one point, he cracked a couple times, “It’s too easy.” But there was nothing facetious about that boast. He had the sold-out audience in the palm of his hand and he kept them their all night with nothing but affection. Case in point: the Willy Wonka of rock even shared a bottle of his own tequila with the crowd.
Nothing’s Shocking is of course best known for its standout tracks “Mountain Song” and the hit “Jane Says,” and the band crushed both of those (the calypso vibe of the latter was an interesting take), but it was tracks like “Ocean Size,” “Had a Dad,” and especially “Summertime Rolls” that really stood out from the pack, and had the joyous, sometimes crazy, often dancing, one or two crowd surfing crowd in a delightful tizzy.
Throughout the 13-song set (short but better to be flawless at a baker’s dozen than flesh out a set with filler), the band was in the zone, and Farrell was on a bender of love. I lost count how many times he screamed “Port Chester!” Following the LP run, Jane’s Addiction encored with a one-two punch of “Three Days” and “Stop!” – both off the 1990 classic Ritual de lo Habitual album. The latter culminated with two tattooed beauties literally flying through the air with two others on the ground (one of which is Farrell’s wife), strutting their stuff. Beautiful girls. Beautiful night. Beautiful band. They never sounded better…or looked better. Seriously.