Jane's Addiction - Manchester Apollo - August 21st 2014
The
band as ever revolve around the showmanship of singer Perry Farrell.
On occasion, band tensions, technical
issues and general rock and roll lifestyles have marred some Jane's shows, but the now mid-fifties
frontman is in fine health and struts around the stage like a
fighting, prize-winning cockerel, taking the occasional swig from a
bottle of wine and genuinely on top of his game. He knows a thing or
two about stage presence does Perry Farrell and milks it like the
true pro he is. He also has vast musical knowledge and never misses
the opportunity to engage with a crowd. Name-checking some of
Manchester's finest exports as well as a warm mention to the Hacienda days. The
missing Eric Avery was key in the making of this record all those
years ago, often providing the simple but hypnotic bass lines to the
rest of the band to build these classic songs around. Chaney doesn't
quite sling the bass around in the manner Avery did but musically
it's all there and he's every part the fully qualified JA member.
Tattooed, shirtless guitarist Dave Navarro has riffs and guitar
trickery pouring from his heavily inked fingers. If ever there was a
lead guitarist that made this rock and roll thing look easy as well
as fabulous then he stands before the 02 Apollo tonight. Which leaves
Mr percussion, Stephen Perkins. The youngest member of the original
line-up at the age of 46 yet his boyish looks take years off that
figure. I imagine he'd probably not miss a beat if he did this entire
album blindfolded such is his obvious passion for the band and the
music they've created over the years.
An
album-in-full-show can sometimes be nothing more than a necessary
cash cow in a band's later career. For Jane's Addiction and Nothing's
Shocking it's no longer about the dollars, but the need to give this
masterpiece its own stage and let it out again like an uncaged
animal. 'Idiot's Rule', 'Mountain Song' and 'Had A Dad' just three of
the album's significant gems inside The Apollo tonight. For sure
there have been arguably 'on a par' moments in the years that
followed this release. 'Ritual De Lo Habitual' graces the tail end of
the performance with a magnificent rendition of the iconic 'Three
Days'. Scantily-dressed dancers move playfully around the stage, as
this sexually charged album high-point delivers it's unique
roller-coaster of a record live once again. 'Just Because' from the
third album 'Strays' is warmly received as the band remind us of
their back catalogue outside of Nothing's Shocking. Perkins comes to
the front of the stage for the signature moment of Nothing's Shocking
- 'Jane Says' and for the triple drumming collective on the Indian
war dance like of 'Chip Away'. Two more female performing
artists swing high over the stage, suspended from hooks through their
backs as the band blast through this tribal-like number.
Before
exiting the night, the band and performers take a final bow. It's all
been very Jane's Addiction if you get my drift? Elaborate,
flamboyant, sexual, comical and intense. And you wouldn't want
it any other way than that.
