THE BEAST

A shocking turn of events unfolded during JANE'S ADDICTION's concert on Friday, September 13, at the Leader Bank Pavilion in Boston, Massachusetts. The show ended abruptly after frontman Perry Farrell assaulted guitarist Dave Navarro on stage, leaving fans stunned.

The incident occurred late in the band's set during their performance of "Ocean Size." Farrell, who appeared intoxicated or under the influence, had been mumbling lyrics throughout the night. As the song neared its end, Farrell aggressively bumped shoulders with Navarro and got in his face, shouting at him. A visibly confused Navarro stepped back, asking what was happening, and when he put his hand on Farrell's chest to defuse the situation, Farrell swung at him. The punch was intercepted by JANE'S ADDICTION bassist Eric Avery, who quickly restrained Farrell with a bear hug. Roadies and crew members rushed in to help, eventually forcing the singer offstage.

Navarro, clearly shaken by the attack, threw his guitar pick into the crowd before walking off the stage. Drummer Stephen Perkins, who was celebrating his 57th birthday that night, joined the remaining band members in an emotional embrace at the front of the stage, thanking the crowd before also leaving.

Following the altercation, Farrell’s wife, Etty Lau Farrell, posted a detailed explanation on Instagram, offering her perspective on the situation. She revealed that tensions had been building between band members for some time, exacerbated by Farrell's struggles with tinnitus and a sore throat. The situation reached a breaking point when audience members near the front row complained to Farrell about the band being too loud, which caused Farrell to lose his temper.

"The dynamite was lit," Etty wrote, describing how the conflict on stage started when the band launched into "Ocean Size" before Farrell was ready. Overwhelmed by the loud stage volume, Farrell was reportedly screaming by the end of the song, trying to make himself heard over the instruments.

Etty went on to describe the physical altercation, claiming that while Navarro tried to de-escalate the situation, Avery escalated it by putting Farrell in a headlock and punching him in the stomach. She criticized Avery for his actions, accusing him of taking advantage of the chaotic moment to strike Farrell.

Farrell's outburst came at a particularly difficult time for the singer, who had struggled during a previous show at Pier 17 in New York City just days earlier. At that performance, Farrell confessed to the crowd that he was having trouble with his voice. Despite these challenges, he managed to recover for the following night's show at the same venue.

The Boston concert was part of JANE'S ADDICTION's co-headlining tour with LOVE & ROCKETS, with 15 shows still left on the schedule. The tour is slated to wrap up on October 16 at the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles.

This tumultuous moment has cast a shadow over what was intended to be a celebratory tour, especially for Navarro, who recently returned to the band after missing tours in 2022 and 2023 due to long COVID. During his absence, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen and former RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS guitarist Josh Klinghoffer had filled in.

Farrell had previously expressed how much he missed Navarro during the guitarist's absence, telling the New York Post in 2022, "I wish I would have my dear guitar player around." However, after this dramatic incident, the future of JANE'S ADDICTION appears uncertain.

In a recent interview with Guitar World, Avery admitted that the band's longevity remains unpredictable. "I still don't know if we're a band that you ever assume will be here a year from now," he said, casting doubt on whether JANE'S ADDICTION will still be standing by 2025.

With tensions running high and internal conflicts on full display, the next chapter for JANE'S ADDICTION remains unclear as fans wait to see what will unfold in the coming weeks.