Let’s be honest, Lollapalooza 2009 was all about Jane’s Addiction. After three days of outstanding acts, all eyes were on the Budweiser stage late Sunday as Jane’s Addiction with the original line-up (including hold-out bassist Eric Avery) closed the festival. After almost two decades apart from their last visit at the very first Lollapalooza, the opportunity to see the band play live is an event that proved not to be missed.
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Jane's Addiction
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 Entertainment
Art
Grant Park at Lollapalooza
Chicago, IL
August 9, 2009
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Packed in tight the anticipation was high. Watching them play Sunday night was not just a good time, it was a historical event. Perry Farrell, also the founder of Lollapalooza, gave the fans what they wanted. The band wasted no time, diving into the song “Up the Beach” while a helicopter circled the stage providing a spotlight from above. Wearing a bright gold jacket without a shirt Farrell came out looking like a punk rock version of P.T. Barnum. Pumping his fist in the air he spurned on the already crazy crowd.
“Holy shit! Eighty thousand punk rockers! Can I be seeing right?” said Farrell to the crowd just after the first song. There was a definite sense of pride in his voice as he looked upon the audience. This, after all, was his baby and Jane’s Addiction was the rightful father home again.
Jane’s Addiction was without a doubt the largest production of the festival. There were pyrotechnics, props, dancing girls and sets. Sometimes it helps to be the one running things, you can get away with whatever you want.
Farrell has become quite a showman in the last two decades. Almost every song was met with an introduction of some sort. Typically this is fine but much of what was said came off as a little too rehearsed. No matter, the adrenaline rush of watching the band play was enough to keep you wired for hours.
The time off has done the band good as everyone brought their A game to the show. Farrell said it best about half way through the show “We swore off women to get in shape for this show. We swore off liquor. I hated that rule. And we swore off stealing" then launched into the fan favorite “Been Caught Stealing.”
The only annoyance of the night came from the Playstation stage directly opposite the Jane’s Addiction show. Due to an unplanned overlap in sets Band of Horses played a full three songs past their end time. Like a fly that won’t go away they either weren’t aware or simply didn’t care that they were overlapping with one of the major headline acts. I am told that their show was one of the best they have ever performed. I just wish they had finished it before Jane’s took the stage. Thankfully as the night continued they quickly faded away.
You could sense the camaraderie between the band as they performed on stage. No matter what may have torn them apart years ago none of that seemed to make a difference on stage that night. Even if the reunion only brought them together once, it was worth it.
After the last song it was obvious no one wanted to leave. There was more to come, we were all sure of it. So when the band came back to the stage everyone got what they had hoped for, a mind-blowing rendition of “Jane Says.” The icing on the cake was the addition of Aerosmith’s Joe Perry backing up on guitar during the encore.
The end of a night also signified the end of the festival, but few wanted to leave. Lollapalooza 2009 had been a wild, intense ride for fans and musicians alike. With record-breaking attendance came record-breaking heat and stories that would last a lifetime.
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Sweet Addiction
Written by Guest on 2009-11-11 20:06:24
You told a tall tale well.  |
Incorrect
Written by Guest on 2009-11-14 14:58:16
It was bassist, eric avery, who hasn't been with them for two decades, not perry Farrell. |
Corrected
Written by publisher on 2009-11-21 02:34:18
Actually, I think it was just worded weird and made it a bit confusing. I blame me for not catching that. Regardless, any confusion has been corrected. |
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