By Dan Hoffman
Arizona Daily Wildcat
December 8, 1997

Fishnets and Topless Dancers

Dan Hoffman Arizona Daily Wildcat Jane's Addiction lead singer Perry Farrell sings from atop Stephen Perkins' drum riser. The band played to a sold-out crowd at the Mesa Amphitheater Thursday night.

Jane's Addiction is back. The infamous rock group released a live/rare compact disc collection earlier this year and is backing it up with a three-month tour.

Technically, it's being called a "relapse" and not a "reunion" tour, because original bassist Eric Avery declined to be a part of it.

His loss.

Thursday night's sold-out crowd at the Mesa Amphitheater didn't care if it was labeled a reunion or a relapse; for them it was a resurrection.

Opening the show was Goldie. From what I hear he spins "jungle." Whatever. Jungle, techno, ambient, house - it all sounds the same to me. For what it's worth, Goldie's light show was well-done, and I really liked some of the bass effects. Awesome bass. El Niño bass.

Soon enough, Goldie left the stage. Along with the other photographers at the show, I was ushered up front, behind security, to shoot Jane's Addiction's first three songs.

Those three songs were a blur. I saw singer Perry Farrell jumping madly, guitarist Dave Navarro in a black tutu and fishnets, nipple rings gleaming brightly and Red Hot Chili Peppers transplant Flea bobbing rhythmically on bass, all mere yards away, but I didn't think about it; I couldn't. I could only shoot.

Dan Hoffman Arizona Daily Wildcat Despite the cold night air, Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro played the show topless and in fishnet stockings.

An instant later I was out of film and stumbling into the frenzied crowd, ears ringing, head swimming and thinking "This is rock 'n' roll!"

Shortly, Perry suggested things slow down and the opening notes to "Three Days" began. No less than five scantily clad dancers joined the band, gyrating erotically, climbing and straddling various pieces of the stage, including some very sexy maneuvers on and around a 30-foot pole at stage right.

Highlighting the show were the band members, amidst a virtual armada of security, making their way to a smaller stage in the middle of the crowd. From there we were treated to three classics, including the awe-inspiring "Jane Says." Perry even stopped singing at times to hear what seemed like the entire city of Mesa singing along.

The finale was a smoking version of "Nothing's Shocking" back on the main stage, complete with even more erotic dancers, some of them actually topless this time.

Almost immediately the lights came on and the road crew began breaking down the stage. As I was leaving I heard a few grumbles that there was no encore. "They need to play 'Been Caught Stealing,'" someone said.

Personally I didn't care. I prefer to leave a show still wanting more. And I did.