Perry Farrell has a vision. It's a twisted, dreamy, recovering-heroin-addictcircus of a vision, but nothing Jane's Addiction does is shocking. For a group with well-documented drug- and ego-induced bickering, its second reunion tour -- "Jubilee 2001," which stopped at Nissan Pavilion Saturday -- presented a unified, even euphoric front.
Frontman Farrell appeared onstage undulating out of a giant parachute skirt while dancers moved beneath it. Guitarist Dave Navarro donned nipple rings while gyrating in tight bell-bottom jeans. And drummer Stephen Perkins's mohawk bobbed over the cymbals to the opening beat of "Kettle Whistle." The only non-original Jane's Addiction members were Porno for Pyros bassist Martyn LeNoble and keyboardist Linda Good.
Femi Kuti and Live warmed up the chilly audience, which filled the seats but didn't spill over onto the venue's lawn.
Throughout the 90-minute set, lingerie-clad dancers populated the stage and scaffolding, riding a seesaw and occasionally appearing on platforms amid the audience. The first part of the show built to the rousing "Summertime Rolls," which inspired an audience singalong.
Despite the sexuality of the show, the overall tone wasn't raunchy but dreamlike and spiritual. Netting hung from rafters while Day-Glo streamers and tropical flowers added a Cirque du Soleil feel. For a man with a high-pitched voice, Farrell skillfully came across softly -- pleading and longing when he sang introspectively about love.
The band disappeared and popped up on a small stage toward the rear of the pavilion, where it played a brief acoustic set starting with "Jane Says." Farrell, who donned some sort of eagle headdress, thanked Navarro for coming out (since he didn't play on the last reunion tour). This led into Navarro playing "Rexall," the single off of his new solo album. "I don't know about you, but I feel very, very, very alive," Farrell rejoiced as he went into his own solo single, "Happy Birthday Jubilee."
When the band returned to the stage, Farrell wore a silver sequined suit and floppy purple hat while the thrashing "Mountain Song" inspired the most head-banging of the evening. At 11, Farrell sincerely thanked the crowd, explained that they had to end because of a curfew, and praised Washington residents: "A champion isn't just someone who can beat someone up, a champion is also someone who can take a punch."
