Jane's Addiction, Sevendust, Stereo MC's, Insolence & Wicked

Even the hearing impaired would have had a fabulous time at the Jane's Addiction concert. Shoreline Amphitheatre was a huge box of gooey eye candy and featured something for everyone.
Sevendust was the first act of the night. In my opinion, they are one of the best "nü metal" bands around right now. They don't mess around with the rock / rap shit and between throaty yells and howls the lead singer actually has a voice that would make any grandmother proud. They started their set out with "Denial," a radio favorite, and I hadn't seen head banging like this since Beavis and Butthead were cool. The Amphitheatre was only speckled with onlookers and it took over an hour until the place was packed in tight.
Stereo MC's followed Sevendust, but I went to check out the side stage that featured Insolence and the sensational spinning skills of Wicked. At first it seemed a random array of musical styles to be presented at one show. But, Perry Farrell, lead singer of Jane's addiction and Porno for Pyros, now dabbles in the DJ scene. He performs under the name DJ Peretz, and freshens up after his Jane's Addiction sets so he can run to a club and spin.
On a farther side stage was The Yard Dogs Road Show who projected a sort of erotic, eerie and entertaining jam session by scraping a tin can along a washboard, plucking at a wash basin bass, blowing (red-faced) into trombones and trumpets and singing into a megaphone. These traveling hippies / freaks - some of whom walked on stilts - danced, marched, breakdanced and caught the eye of everyone walking past.
Then, it was finally time for Jane's Addiction to take the stage and Farrell emerged from the center of a giant white parachute that swayed around him like a skirt. Girls danced inside of the skirt and eventually sprouted, coming out to relish in Farrell's presence. This was the best visual show I have ever seen. Farrell entertained the crowd with his hilarious, slightly eccentric antics, shook his little booty and sipped from a martini glass.
On stage was a sort of merry-go-round / swing set that his girls, in Vegas-style feathery frocks and glittery nipple pasties flew around on, while the band played "Stop."
Two small platforms were set up just yards away from my seat with naked girls dancing and playing together. Mid-performance the band went under the stage and popped up in the middle of the audience; Farrell now a glittery, tight-trousered Daniel Boone look-alike, complete with coonskin cap. On their new stage they belted out "Jane Says," and guitarist Dave Navarro performed one of his own acoustic melodies, "Hungry," finishing off with "Happy Birthday Jubilee."
Farrell pointed at lucky fans that were now right under Addiction's nose, "You think you have a big dick? Well you don't! Let's just have a big party right here!" The band returned to the main stage and a giant seesaw was brought out for the dancers to frolic on.
Jane's Addiction played like it was their last show, and the crowd, full of die-hard fans, appreciated every last drop of the animated performance. Farrell finished the show in a head-to-toe silver glitter suit and a wide brimmed hat equipped with a giant purple feather.
- Rachel Krampfner

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