Jane's Addiction - December 01, 1988 - Club Eastbrook, Grand Rapids, MI

Date: December 01, 1988
Location: Club Eastbrook, Grand Rapids, MI
Recorded: No known recording
Status: Confirmed
Type: Concert
Lineup: Perry Farrell
Dave Navarro
Stephen Perkins
Eric Avery
Artwork:
 

Setlist:

Idiots Rule
Ted, Just Admit It
Summertime Rolls
Ocean Size
Thank You Boys

(incomplete)

Show Information:

Alter Ego opened.

Janes' show loaded with spirit, rage
William R. Macklin
The Grand Rapids Press
December 2, 1988
pg B2, B6

Now we know why Jane was addicted.

Jane's Addiction, the latest band of world beaters from L.A.'s ubiquitous rock underground, put on a show Thursday at the Club Eastbrook that was so full of bombast, innovation and spirit that the group may well end up on the Food and Drug Administration's list of habit forming substances.

Led by the provocative, energetic Perry Farrell, the Janes pretty much abandoned the polished, consummately produced sound that characterizes their critically vaunted debut album "Nothing's Shocking" in favor of a bruising, incestuous marriage of unrelenting hard rock and propulsive post punk.

What they lacked in technical skill, they made up for in confidence and courage. What they lacked in subtlety and restraint, they made up for with rage and righteousness.

The opening act, local band Alter Ego, had a good measure of courage as well. The five-member group - vocalist David Ogilvie, guitarist Sean Foder, keyboardist Joseph Botwinski, drummer Mike Bouldin, and bassist Mike Perfitt - ran through a short and interesting set of original, synth-based rock. With experience and a few more solid songs, they could well become a band to watch.

Thanks in large measure to Farrell, Jane's Addiction is an eminently watchable band. It was that the other members of the group - guitarist David Navarro, drummer Stephen Perkins, and bassist Eric A - didn't do their share to help the show along. It was just potently clear from the moment the band appeared that the man at the heart of Jane's is Perry Farrell.

Peering from behind dark round glasses at the relatively tiny audience of 500 (300 paid to see the show, and another 200 or so got in with complimentary tickets) his green-tinted dreadlocks capped by one of his homemade hats (a red and blue knit porkpie), Farrell stomped, trembled, bobbed and weaved his way through each vocal barrage.

During "Idiots Rule," a scintillating dance number given oomph by Perkins' heavy thump, Farrell kicked around the stage pounding out the beat with his fee and spitting the song's chanted chorus, "Idiots rule, idiots rule."

Things were even more frenzied during "Ted, Just Admit It," the band [sic.] brilliant examination of the media's role in desensitizing the public to violence. Spinning madly, Farrell tripped over one of the stage monitors. He quickly recovered, then went spinning across the stage again.

Although the Janes tend to prefer things fast, one of their most gratifying songs is "Summertime Rolls," a slow and mesmerizing view of a day in the country.

The show could have ended on that haunting note, but the Janes followed and finished with "Ocean Size," one of those odd hard rock songs they perform with a strange otherworldly sensitivity.

Farrell, who had taken several large swigs from what looked like a scotch bottle, almost brought himself and the show to a sorry finish when he accidentally hit himself in the face with his microphone after twirling the cord around his neck.

That's an old and stupid stage tick, and was really unworthy of the singer. He was unhurt, but the microphone refused to work properly afterwards. Technicians replaced it in time for a loosey-juicy encore that included "Thank You Boys," a nice jazz guitar throw-away courtesy of Navarro.

On the basis of one album and one show, it's hard to say what long-term impact the Janes will have on modern pop. But for a short time Thursday, they were indispensable.

Thanks go out to Jill for the article scans.