Jane’s Addiction has canceled the remaining dates of their North American tour following an onstage altercation last week between frontman Perry Farrell and guitarist Dave Navarro, which escalated into a fight involving all four band members and abruptly ended their performance in Boston.
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| Jane's Addiction during their New York City concert earlier this month. Photo by Astrida Valigorsky/Getty Images |
On Monday, the band released a statement addressing the tour's cancellation. Following the incident on Friday, the band, which had reunited for their first tour together in 14 years, also called off a scheduled Sunday night show in Connecticut.
“To all the fans, the band has made the tough decision to take some time away as a group. As a result, they will be canceling the remainder of the tour,” the statement, shared on social media, reads.
Jane’s Addiction — comprising Perry Farrell, Dave Navarro, drummer Stephen Perkins, and bassist Eric Avery — were early leaders of the alternative rock movement in the 1990s. The group, formed in Los Angeles in 1985, has seen members come and go since their initial breakup in 1991, which coincided with their role in launching the first-ever Lollapalooza tour. This 2024 tour marked the band’s first with all four original members but has now ended after just 22 shows.
The altercation in Boston occurred when Farrell, appearing visibly upset, approached Navarro during his solo on the song “Ocean Size” from their 1988 album Nothing’s Shocking. In fan-captured videos, Farrell can be seen grunting and slamming into Navarro, who raises a hand to keep his distance. Farrell then swings a punch at Navarro, at which point three men rushed on stage to restrain him. The fight escalated when Avery put Farrell in a headlock and punched him multiple times.
Navarro later issued a statement on behalf of himself, Avery, and Perkins, posted on Instagram: “Due to a continued pattern of behavior and the mental health struggles of our singer Perry Farrell, we have made the decision to end the current U.S. tour. Our priority is his health and safety, as well as our own, and we have no other option. We hope he finds the help he needs.”
“We deeply regret that we won’t be able to fulfill our commitments to the fans who bought tickets,” Navarro added. “There’s no way we can ensure a safe environment on stage or guarantee a great performance each night. We’re heartbroken.”
On Monday, Farrell apologized to both fans and his bandmates for his actions during the Boston show. “This weekend has been incredibly challenging, and after taking the time to reflect, I must apologize to my bandmates, particularly Dave Navarro, as well as fans, family, and friends for my behavior at Friday’s show,” he wrote. “Regrettably, I reached a breaking point that resulted in unacceptable actions, and I take full responsibility for how I handled it.”
Farrell’s wife, Etty Lau Farrell, also addressed the altercation over the weekend, posting a detailed explanation on Instagram. She praised Navarro while criticizing Avery, explaining that Perry has struggled with severe mental health episodes since 1997. She added that her husband’s frustration stemmed from feeling that his voice was being drowned out by the band’s volume.
“Perry’s frustration had been growing night after night; he felt the stage volume was too loud and that his voice was being overpowered by the band,” Etty Lau Farrell explained. “He had been dealing with tinnitus and a sore throat every night. When fans in the front row began complaining to Perry, cursing at him about the band’s volume, he lost control.”
A request for comment from the band’s publicist, sent by Reporter regarding Etty Lau Farrell’s statements, was not returned by Monday. The band’s statement noted that refunds for the canceled shows would be available at the original point of purchase.
For those who bought tickets through third-party sites like StubHub or SeatGeek, the statement advised contacting those platforms directly.
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