Jane's Addiction - May 03, 1991 - Springfield Civic Center, Springfield, MA

Date: May 03, 1991
Location: Springfield Civic Center, Springfield, MA
Recorded: Audio (audience)
Status: Confirmed
Type: Concert
Lineup: Perry Farrell
Dave Navarro
Stephen Perkins
Eric Avery
Artwork:
 

Setlist:

Up The Beach
Whores
Standing In The Shower... Thinking
Ain't No Right
Three Days
Been Caught Stealing
No One's Leaving
Then She Did...
Mountain Song
Stop!
Ocean Size
Chip Away

Show Information:

Rollins Band opened.

Thanks go out to Kevin for the article scan.

Union-News (Springfield, MA)
May 7, 1991
Edition: ALL EDITIONS
Section: ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Page: 29

Jane's Addiction: That's strong stuff
Author: KEVIN O'HARE

STAFFUNION-NEWS (Springfield, Mass.)

The X-rated album covers aren't the only things shocking about Jane's Addiction.

For starters, there's their openness about heroin use, their sexually charged lyrics and an in-your-face attitude toward mainstream success.

But no matter how hard they try to avoid it, success seems to be coming to Jane's Addiction anyway.

They even sold out Madison Square Garden on their latest tour, which rolled into the Springfield Civic Center last Friday. As one might expect, the Los Angeles alternative music kings came on strong, thrashing their way through a raucous set that had hard-core fans slam-dancing by the score.

It wasn't an evening for the timid. The 4,200 or so in attendance had come to play, and watching some of the body-bashing in the front rows often proved more intriguing than the action on stage. With some concert-goers literally being tossed among the crowd, the band blitzkrieged its way through an 11-song, two-encore show.

Much of the concert was culled from "Ritual de lo Habitual," the group's third and latest album and one of last year's hottest-selling alternative-music titles.

The sound attack proved relentless, powered by drummer Stephen Perkins' thundering toms and the wailing, droning crunch of guitarist Dave Navarro.

But Jane's Addiction's dominating force is vocalist Perry Farrell, whose raspy shrieks, raw screams and occasional melodic flares were drenched in echo.

Strutting a stage decorated with statues, Christmas lights and other bizarre paraphernalia, the outspoken frontman lived up to his bad-boy reputation. He spent some of his between-song patter extolling the virtues of his private parts, other times chiding the audience for failing to bring more concerts to the venue.

But he did prove a charismatic figure, whether roaring through the guitar grit of "Standing in the Shower. . .Thinking," or powering the out-and-out hard rocker "Mountain Song." Some of his most impressive vocal work came on the eerie "Three Days," which built from a quietly mysterious introduction to a maddening, frenzied conclusion.

Farrell, who not only has admitted using heroin but confesses to enjoying it, lives life on the edge. His on-stage approach is much the same and is helping trigger some significant rewards for the band. The question will be whether he lives long enough to enjoy them.

Opening the show was another thrashing L.A. outfit, the Henry Rollins Band. What was most surprising were some of the intricate and complex music arrangements bubbling under the group's bombastic cover.

Lead vocalist Rollins sported a batch of tattoos, including a massive one on his back under the words "Search & Destroy." His half-spoken, half-sung efforts occasionally were reminiscent of Jim Morrison, though he was nowhere near the Doors' singer in terms of vocal talent.

Highlights of the group's set included "Get a Grip" and "Human."