Etty Lau Farrell, the wife of Perry Farrell, lead singer of Jane’s Addiction, has shared her version of events regarding the band’s disastrous concert in Boston, offering a detailed account of who was involved and the chaos that unfolded.
Her explanation provides insight into the actions during and after a confrontation that forced the show to an early close.
In an Instagram post on Saturday, Etty explained that her husband was frustrated by the band’s sound levels overpowering his vocals, which led him to physically attack an unsuspecting Dave Navarro, the band’s guitarist.
She praised Navarro for maintaining composure but criticized bassist Eric Avery for delivering “cheap shots” by allegedly putting Perry in a headlock and punching him three times—a detail not apparent in fan videos widely circulated online.
Etty did not shy away from describing her husband’s intense reaction, calling him a “crazed beast” for half an hour after the concert’s abrupt end, before he eventually broke down in tears.
Video footage of the incident, previously detailed, shows Perry Farrell angrily confronting Navarro, grunting at him, and delivering a shoulder bump before throwing a punch.
The stage lights dimmed at that point, making it hard for viewers to discern the details of what followed.
However, what is clear is that two crew members and Avery tackled Farrell to separate him from Navarro. Farrell continued to struggle as they pulled him off stage into the wings.
Etty’s Instagram post offered a play-by-play of the events, with high praise for Navarro’s calm demeanor but harsh words for Avery, accusing him of taking advantage of the situation to strike Perry.
“To prevent speculation, I wanted to share a first-person account of what happened on stage with Jane’s Addiction last night at the Lender Pavilion in Boston,” she wrote.
“Clearly, there had been tension and animosity among the band members…the magic that made the band so dynamic was now dynamite. Perry got in Dave’s face and body-checked him.”
Though she mentioned the initial “body check,” Etty omitted any reference to the punch Farrell threw at Navarro, which seemed to escalate the situation further. (The video does not clarify if the punch actually connected.)
She attributed her husband’s outburst to sound issues, explaining that his frustration had been building over several nights due to the stage volume drowning out his voice.
Perry, she said, had been dealing with tinnitus and a sore throat each night. When fans in the front row began complaining to Perry that the band was too loud and they couldn’t hear him, he lost control.
The situation worsened when the band began playing the song “Ocean” before Perry was ready. The stage volume, she explained, was so loud that Perry couldn’t hear the instruments properly and, by the end of the song, he was screaming just to be heard.
Etty questioned who had “won the fight,” ultimately blaming Avery for escalating the situation and striking her husband.
“Why, Eric Avery of course,” she wrote sarcastically. “While Dave was trying to de-escalate, Eric put Perry in a headlock and punched him three times in the stomach.
A crew member, Kevin, pulled Eric away, but then Eric casually walked to the front of the stage and apologized to the audience for the early end to the show.”
After the altercation, Etty described Perry as “a crazed beast” for the next half-hour, eventually breaking down in tears.
She praised Navarro for staying calm and composed throughout the incident, while criticizing Avery for either misunderstanding or disregarding the need for de-escalation.
“That’s my first-person account of what happened. Take a look at the video for yourself,” Etty concluded, adding several hashtags like “A man can only be pushed so far,” “Dave took the high road,” and “Cheap shot.”
Etty’s account leaves unclear why, despite Perry’s frustration with the sound levels, Navarro became the target of his anger.
Although this Boston show marked the most dramatic incident of the Jane’s Addiction tour—their first in 14 years—there had been signs of internal tension and vocal difficulties during previous performances, as indicated by fan reports and reviews.
Earlier in the week, the band played two shows at the Rooftop at Pier 17 in New York City. The first performance saw Perry apologizing for his voice issues, a point Etty later referred to in her Saturday post, citing his sore throat.
“Something’s wrong with my voice… I just can’t get the notes out all of a sudden,” Perry reportedly told the crowd. The following day, Avery admitted online that the performance had been subpar but expressed optimism for the next show.
The second night in New York was much better, noting that the band “rebounded to end New York City run on a high note,” though they did mention Perry’s tendency to ramble while drinking wine during the performance.
At another earlier show in Florida, Perry’s behavior had also been erratic. A reviewer observed that Farrell appeared confused, prone to “incoherent speech,” and engaged in rambling monologues while drinking from a bottle of wine.
The reviewer also noted apparent tension between Farrell and Navarro, as the guitarist seemed frustrated with Perry’s rants and even interrupted him by deliberately playing a loud chord to steer the show back on track.
Despite these tensions, many of the other shows on the tour, which is co-headlined with Love & Rockets, have gone smoothly and received praise from fans excited to see the band together after 14 years.
As of Saturday morning, representatives for Jane’s Addiction and concert promoter Live Nation had not responded.
The next stop on the tour is scheduled for Sunday at the Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
If the show proceeds, many fans are expected to have their phones ready to capture the entire event, anticipating more drama.
Some fans have even joked about the fight being a preview of what could happen when the Gallagher brothers reunite for an Oasis tour next year.
However, Liam Gallagher has already commented on the Jane’s Addiction situation. When asked about the comparison, he responded, “I don’t think so, we’re very professional these days. We’re going to blow your minds.”
Liam also offered a blunt response to the footage of the Jane’s Addiction altercation: “Their attitude stinks.”
