Perry Farrell Punches Dave Navarro, Ending Jane’s Addiction Show

A concert by the reunited Jane’s Addiction in Boston came to a sudden halt Friday night when an enraged Perry Farrell threw a punch at guitarist Dave Navarro. Farrell, still visibly agitated, was quickly restrained by crew members and hustled offstage.

Multiple audience members shared videos of the altercation online after the chaotic conclusion to the show. This emotional outburst follows some “off” moments in other cities, which have already been a topic of discussion in reviews and on social media. Fans are now left wondering if the remaining dates of the band’s long-awaited reunion tour, their first in 14 years, will proceed as planned.

Footage shared online captures the band performing “Ocean Size,” the 11th song in a setlist that typically stretches to 14 or 15 numbers, when the incident occurred between Farrell and Navarro, the band’s two most prominent members. Some fans reported seeing tension building between the pair in earlier songs, which eventually escalated into physical confrontation.

Video leading up to the scuffle shows Farrell fiercely grunting toward the audience before turning to Navarro and shouting at him. Farrell aggressively bumps shoulders with the guitarist during a solo, prompting Navarro to stop playing and raise a hand to Farrell’s chest to create distance. Farrell then appears to throw a punch. The stage lights dim as three men, including bassist Eric Avery, surround Farrell and forcibly remove him from the stage as he continues to struggle.

After Farrell’s exit, the rest of the band, including Navarro, calmly stepped to the front of the stage, hugged, applauded the audience, tapped their hearts, and offered a peace sign before leaving.

The altercation quickly went viral on social media, sparking a mix of humor and concern. Comparisons to Oasis’ infamous feuds were common, while others questioned the band’s future.

“I was there,” tweeted @deanasc1. “The crowd was bemused. Half pissed the show ended early and half excited we may have seen the last Janes A show ever.”

Another tweet from @Tribecalledflex joked, “Jane’s Addiction broke up before Oasis omg.”

On setlist.fm, the page for the Boston show included the note: “Stephen Perkins’ drum kit was outfitted with balloons for his birthday. The set ended early after Perry Farrell punched Dave Navarro.”

Representatives for Jane’s Addiction and the tour promoter, Live Nation, could not be reached for comment.

Rumblings of internal friction had already circulated following the band’s shows earlier in the week in New York City. At their first of two concerts there, Farrell admitted to the audience that he was struggling vocally, saying, “Something’s wrong with my voice. I just can’t get the notes out.” The following night, however, a reviewer for JamBase reported a much-improved performance, noting that Farrell sang well and the band delivered a strong show.

Ironically, Farrell defused a fight during the second New York show, even stopping the performance to make two audience members reconcile.

A review of their Tampa show earlier this month in Creative Loafing hinted at possible tensions between Farrell and Navarro. The critic noted that Farrell’s frequent, nonsensical rants were met with frustration from Navarro, who at one point deliberately played a loud chord to interrupt the singer and refocus the performance.

Jane’s Addiction’s first tour in 15 years is co-headlined by fellow ’90s band Love & Rockets. The Boston show marked the 20th date of the tour, with 15 more scheduled, including an October 16 finale at L.A.’s YouTube Theater. As of now, the tour is still set to continue.