A heated altercation between Perry Farrell, the frontman of Jane’s Addiction, and guitarist Dave Navarro abruptly ended the band’s concert in Boston on Friday night. The incident occurred during the performance of “Ocean Size,” when Farrell began to express his anger towards the crowd at the Leader Bank Pavilion. His outburst escalated when he turned to Navarro, shouting and physically confronting him, as seen in a video shared on social media.
The video shows Farrell moving aggressively towards Navarro, who attempted to maintain his composure and hold Farrell back. The situation intensified when Farrell threw elbow jabs at Navarro, prompting crew members and bandmates, including bassist Eric Avery, to intervene. Despite their efforts to calm the situation, the lights were dimmed and Farrell was escorted off stage.
The remaining band members, Navarro, Avery, and drummer Stephen Perkins, addressed the crowd following the incident. They expressed their gratitude and peace towards the audience, who responded with a standing ovation. The crowd was left with mixed feelings, with some disappointed by the early end to the concert, while others speculated that they may have witnessed the band’s final performance.
Photographer Brian MacKenzie, who was documenting the concert, shared that the crowd initially thought the confrontation was a staged act. He noted that Farrell had been drinking wine throughout the evening and that Navarro and Avery seemed more irritable than usual.
As of Saturday morning, neither the band nor Navarro and Perry have publicly commented on the incident. This is not the first time the band has faced issues during their current North American Tour. At a concert in New York City on September 10, Farrell admitted to the audience that he was struggling with his vocals.
Despite these challenges, the band continues to engage with their fans. Bassist Avery took to Instagram the day after the New York concert to express his optimism for their upcoming performances. Jane’s Addiction is set to perform next at the Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater in Bridgeport, Connecticut on September 15.
The band’s 2024 tour marks a significant milestone, as it reunites the original members following Avery’s return in 2022 and Navarro’s recovery from long COVID. Farrell has previously expressed his appreciation for Navarro, stating in a 2022 interview that he missed his guitarist during his absence. The band had enlisted the talents of Troy Van Leeuwen from Queens of the Stone Age and Josh Klinghoffer from Red Hot Chili Peppers to fill Navarro’s role during his hiatus.