Jane’s Addiction frontman Perry Farrell was caught punching guitarist Dave Navarro on stage during a Friday night concert. The on-stage meltdown forced several crew members to pull Farrell off stage, abruptly ending the veteran band’s performance in Boston.
Farrell, 65, was in the midst of performing “Ocean Size” when he suddenly began to angrily grunt and shout at the crowd at the Leader Bank Pavilion, exclaiming, “F*** you!” before unleashing a primal scream into the microphone.
A wild-eyed Farrell turned to Navarro, 57, on his right and once again shouted while forcefully shouldering the stunned guitarist. This awkward encounter was captured on video and shared on YouTube.
The two veteran performers faced off as Farrell edged closer to Navarro. Dave calmly and quite easily restrained the slight and unimposing elderly singer with his right arm.
Farrell then throws a few clumsy jabs at the guitarist, sending Farrell’s many beaded necklaces flailing toward Dave. Several crew members and bandmates, including bassist Eric Avery, the n rush in to restrain the “Jane Says” singer, urging him to “stop.”
As the lights dimmed on stage, a flurry of punches erupted while the hysterical singer was escorted out of sight. The remaining three band members—Navarro, Avery, and drummer Stephen Perkins—stepped to the front of the stage, offering a heartfelt farewell to the audience.
The band lifted their hands high, tapped their chests, and flashed peace signs as the crowd cheered.
Eyewitnesses Give Their Accounts of Perry Farrell Punching Dave Navarro
Despite the seemingly warm response from the crowd, many in attendance later admitted they were annoyed with the fiasco.
Photographer Brian MacKenzie gave his perspective on the flailing Farrell.
“I was shooting the show for the venue.. that clip really has everything notable that happened onstage,” MacKenzie wrote on X. “Perry had a huge bottle of wine with him all evening, Navarro and Avery kept chatting with each other the whole show and seemed angrier than normal.”
However, despite this, MacKenzie thought the outburst was simply part of the show.
“Everyone (us included) thought it was a bit,” he added. “A weird one, but, like, it was almost encore time and it seemed like ONE way to have the band leave the stage (only to return to thunderous applause) but .. 2 minutes later, house lights and walk-out music and show was over!”
Meanwhile, one fan noted that the whole show was something of a fiasco.
“Just got back from the show and Perry was a mess,” the fan wrote on X. “Forgetting and repeating s–t at the same time. Feel bad for the production and fans that paid a stupid amount of $.”
The band, currently in the middle of its North American tour, has not made any comments regarding the incident.