Jane's Addiction Ford Theater 1989 [Full Set] 

Seeing a Jane’s show live in those days was like a full-on gathering of tribes. Every show was a mix of the punks, metal heads, skaters, hippies, glam rockers, indie heads, sxe hardcores, druggies, goths, surfers, new wavers, jocks, nerds, and college rock fans. I genuinely feel bad for any fan of rock n roll who never got to see the original lineup perform live.

I went to one of these shows in 1989 and never saw Jane’s again. It’s June 2024 and I plan on seeing them now that Eric is back. Only people who were alive at this time know how groundbreaking Jane’s was

Stephen Perkins; one of the best and most underrated drummers of all time.

18 years later up the beach still brings the stillness that saved me on many a heroic dose of acid. I could have been speaking gibberish and clicking those first few notes would bring me back.

Praise to the men who filmed this and then posted it. You have preserved a piece of history here that captures the fury and passionate energy that exuded from the MIGHTY Jane’s Addiction unlike anything else out there. Powerful.

Stephen made them DIFFERENT. There were so many bands that had great guitarists, and great musicianship, but Stephen Perkins was a whole different animal, when it came to drummers. Polyrhymic, tribal, and funky. Hes one of one. And, hes a very genuinely nice guy.

When Dave N. was still ultra shy and at his most creative and dynamic writing..

The band that changed everything for me. So incredibly influential and powerful. Can't throw enough adjectives around to do them justice. This line-up at this period of time was EVERYTHING!!

They were so refreshing from all the 80’s synth crap out at that time. They ushered in a new era of music. RHCP, Nirvana, soundgarden, Alice In Chains, etc…

Ahhh the golden days.... I was at this show and was so stoked to be blasted on by these cats in the front rows. The smell of incense, flowers, smoke and dense heavy energy that was undescribable. Half way through the show it got pretty intense down front and my shoes got knocked off me and thrown up on stage. spent the rest of the night in socks and wore them like a badge of honor. First time I saw them was pre album and they opened up for Love and Rockets in Irvine at UCI. Perry came out completely naked and got through a song before they made him put a thong on. I knew they were going to be big by that show. Saw them many times after all through the sweaty LA glory days. Jane's and early Red hot chili peppers were my two favorites at that time. Saw them at Lollapalooza 1 at Irvine down in front and it was insane and I still have the perfect unworn shirt. NOTHING touches those days. Glad I made it out.......

I was there for this concert one of the defining moments in my life. I’m 52 years old now. Know what? I’m going back.

I went to 2 or 3 nights from this stand and got great seats and my tape deck in every time. I also got backstage somehow one night, through a photographer friend. Free beer! These were some of the best shows I've ever seen. The theatre was just the right size to be intimate, but big enough to feed energy back at the band. It's an outdoor theatre and one of the nights I went was a full moon behind the band while they played. There was a great hometown vibe too. Jane's were at their peak here, in my opinion.

The raw energy and power of this band live in their prime was awesome to behold.....saw them several times back then.

Perkins was a beast! And this footage is amazing...I was born too late to experience JA in their prime so I live vicariously through this

Perry singing his heart out... This is pure Jane's Addiction gold. My favorite everything.

Up the beach 0:00 Mountain song 2:50 1% 6:45 Idiots rule 10:20 Aint no right 13:30 Ted... 16:50 Thank you boys 26:00 Standing in the shower 27:30 Whores 30:50 Bobhaus 34:20 Pigs in zen 36:40 Blood rag tease 41:10 Summertime rolls 44:00 Ocean size 51:15 Trip away 59:10 Jane says 1:03:00

This music has probably saved my life a few different times

This was my first J.A. show. Live... this show was insane! Blew our minds! We went to any show we could for the next couple years watching them play! Santa Barbara the Palladium...the insane concert with Red Hot and Fishbone! All three under one roof! So glad to grow up in So Cal in the late 80's and 90's!!!! Thanks for posting!

I could watch Perkins slay those drums all damn day... especially back then with the big hair and playing with a reckless abandon... yet simultaneously holding it down rock steady. Definitely one of the greatest drummers to come out of the 80's - 90's alternative scene... the guy is just an absolute stud behind the kit.

VOTE Jane's Addiction RNR Hall of Fame !!

Yes children, this is the correct Jane's Addiction video to watch.

17 at the time. I went to 2 of the shows! Will never forget

Holy Moley Dave is on absolute fire at this show. Superb guitar player, best band ever.

Awesome band. Extremely underrated in the sense that nobody talks about em like they deserve. FACT

Pinnacle Jane's. Perkins, Avery, Farrell, Navarro killing it. ⚡️

Saw them in a gutted out grocery store with stage set up in back. Bad Brains opened. My memory was the entire place was packed, no seating, and everyone went ballistic for entire set. You'd be in front of stage then mosh current would take you by the restrooms, then to the back by the check out stands, then back to the front. People were moshing on all sides, as well as above and below you. Bit of a mosh to survive experience.

I’ve never been more frightened during a show-I couldn’t contend with their power. Best live show ever!

I slept on this band for years, and then I ended up at a show and they absolutely blew me away. Hands down, to this day, one of the best live shows I have ever seen.

I worked for the opening band on this tour for a good percentage of the shows booked. Crazy thing was watching up close and in real-time Janes's Addiction blowing up throughout the tour. We started in small clubs and ended up in large clubs and very sizeable venues. One of the shows we did as things were taking off for the band was in Birmingham Alabama in a place that barely held 300 hundred or so people and the promoter had extra P.A. setup outside because so many people were outside and could not get in. The band's management soon decided to stop doing the small venues booked way before the tour started and just have the rest of tour moved into much larger venues.

You never say to yourself or anyone else that Jane’s Addiction songs like so and so. They are 100% original. There’s only one Jane’s, one Perry, Dave, Steven, and Eric! It was their cover art on the first live record that had me hooked! Cash in !!!

Even through my computer speaker coming from a bootleg recording made 31 years ago this still knocks.

Thank you very much for posting this video! For me this concert represents a really important time point in music history

I was at this show! Best time of my life. Im actually on video at 8:18 curly hair guy in front of perry who attempts to do stage dive but falls back into the crowd! LMAOOOOO. It's been how many years? I had totally forgotten how crazy I was at shows! Imagine my surprise when I see myself come out of the crowd and attempt at a stage dive! LOL Wow, the memories! Man I loved our generation. I wouldn't trade those days for anything! Jane's was god!!! This was actually their homecoming show they played Seven Days, for $10 a night at John Ansen Ford Theater which is no longer there in late 89! I managed to be there three of those seven days. I would have gone to every single one but I had to work the other ones. Good Times! Thanks so much uploader for helping me re-live one of the best nights of my life. :)

This makes me so happy. I was 14 (what were my parents thinking?!) and went to two nights of this series - one with The Flaming Lips. Set off my true love of Jane's Addiction and I was lucky enough to see them many many times over the next few years. Thanks for sharing this!

I was at this show!!! Actually, there were 7 shows. I went to 3 of them! It was the best time of my life!!!

Hard subscribe, You’re a hero for capturing this national treasure and it should be in The Smithsonian. 🙏

Dude you’re actually fucking with me, I was watching this not even realizing this was world rockumentary. You’re the man dude thank you for the amazing footage

This was so great to see. I was physically at the show the Flaming Lips opened. Was more than a little impaired. This is the transcendent show so wish I’d gotten to see the 4-5 times I’d seen them. Jane’s was magic.

I’m 47 years old. In 89 I was 14, definitely wasn’t going to shows yet, but by 92-93 I was. Went to tons of shows in LA throughout the years. Somehow I never got into Jane’s Addiction. I was into a lot of different music, rock, metal included, just not Jane’s. Perry freaked me out. Just didn’t get the look or the voice. So I never gave them a chance. My favorite movie was Natural Born Killers. Also the soundtrack. Ted, Just Admit It is where I really gained an appreciation. That and Jane Says. Still, I never dove deep at all. This past November, went to see Smashing Pumpkins at Hollywood Bowl. JA opened. I was excited to finally check them out understanding that my favorite musicians worship Perry Farrell. HOLY SHIT! They blew me AWAY! Stole the show from SP for sure. Perry’s voice is an instrument. The drums, bass, even the dancers, it was a fucking EXPERIENCE. Again, not knowing the history of the band, I saw fans saying they’d never see JA without Dave Navarro, I can appreciate it, but to me, they were awesome with Troy Van Leeuwen. My only complaint was the set was too short. My wife and I both agreed that if ever given the opportunity, we had to see them do a full set, of course not knowing if it would ever happen. Well a couple months later, they announce the Palladium show a few weeks ago. We got tix day 1. Again, MIND BLOWN! This time with Josh Klinghoffer. The 2 replacements are no slouches at all. But now I’ve been going back and checking out the OG lineup. And man, Dave Navarro was a certified monster! I fully get why fans are loyal to him. I’ll be first in line if they do an all original show. Better late than never I suppose. Sorry for the long story, just wanted to let everyone know that when music is great, new fans will always be born. Even old dudes like myself. Rock on.

Dave is amazing. Super young and shredding.

I saw them in 89 at Toads Place in New Haven Perry blew me away he looked like an alien the way he moved his locks were green they tore the house down non stop I must've lost 15 lbs slamming the whole show. I'm 53 now and the highlight of my life is going to Publix oh well...thanks for the flashback!!

Eric is the unsung hero of JA dude is fucking badass

when bands released life changing albums and tours in 1989, to mere touring for the millionth time in 2024 in automatic drive.

Whoever posted this.. Thank you

Utterly stunning, such uniqueness, style and energy. JA totally changed my outlook on music, both listening and playing. Thanks for uploading, as a fan from the UK any footage was really hard to get hold of back in the early nineties when I first encountered Jane's, nobody in the mainstream was talking about them, but they were big with the skateboarding crowd I was part of at the time. I never thought I'd be able to see something like this. Awesome.

I went to the 7th night of these shows...It was my first time seeing them...Right when they hit the first note of the first song everyone jumped up on their seats!. I almost ate shit since they were folding chairs!!....... Perry was a little fried by the last night but it all still hit hard!. One thing that night showed me was this......LA had a scene, the strip had it's own scene, the eastside had it's scene......but Janes had their own scene!. After that night I realized Janes was kind of it's own microcosm. The vibe there was strange, unsettling, and pretty awesome.....and oooooh the aroma!. If you were there, you know 😏 It's fun to see this 35yrs later!!......oye!, this o'l gen x guy is feelin it!

They will be a Black Sabbath type late entry to the RRHF. The layman have no clue how influential and important they are. Amazing band. ⚡️⚡️

I was at this concert. Best concert I've seen.

where is rock like this now?

I can listen to the drummer all day and into the night.Love the foot.

Best band ever to come out of L.A

You know, every time i saw Dave or Perry in whatever magazine they really rubbed me the wrong way. And been caught stealing wasn't enough for me to dig deep. Of course Jane says is classic but i never felt compelled to dig deeper. Now i know they are legends. Can't wait to see them on the reunion tour!!!😂

I hope music history gives this band the credit they deserve. They changed music and took rock to a new level. I get the Nirvana stuff, but Nirvana were a product of their time, they didn't shape it themselves.

There's surprisingly many of these original lineup lives on youtube

People don't understand the depth of how good prime Janes addiction was, especially live....Eric Avery, Dave Navarro, and Stephen Perkins were a legitimate professional 3 piece. And although perry wasn't the most gifted vocally, he was a very good writer and his minimum singing ability could be helped with echo making him sound unique. Incredible band in it's prime.👍🔥💯🔥🔥

Wow! Seeing this, I can almost still smell the fake fog(smoke machines). I went to 6 of the 7 shows, and had a great time each night, with great openers each night. Many fun stories from that week, so good, so fun, a true positive life experience. In my top 3 venues ever, and that week especially.

I saw them on this tour in Dallas at Trees. $4. Walked right up to the stage and was blown away.

I went to three of these shows. One night was standing on the chairs, one was in the pit and I can’t remember wear I was for the third show. I got there early and made a mad dash once the gates were opened. Inside shows early when they played Club Scream, Fenders Ballroom and other indoor shows they sounded better, but what solid shows! The energy was so intense. 100% awesome

Eric and Steven and the OG lineup. Saw them many a time back in these days. On any given night they might have been the best band in the world. Tribal, erotic, deeming with mystique, outright dangerous when they desired, the only thing like it was a bad Brains show. The energy exchange between the band and the crowd can't be described. It was a real visceral thing, a charge in the air. The only thing close was maybe the Grateful Dead or the Allman's, who also had a potentially incendiary crowd. Black Flag too now that I think on it. Two great Jane's stories for you. When they signed their record deal they were by far the biggest band in LA. They had a major following and staggering influence cuz they not only had the musical chops and stage presence, but had huge well earned street credit as well going back to Perry's days with Psi-Con. They were an important band seriously respected in the indie/alternative crowd so much so that when they finally signed a record deal they got a huge bonus, total musical control of their albums and the option to release a live lp before their debut LP. These were unheard of concessions. So Janes put out Live at the Roxy. Members of most local acts attended, including the RHCP and Janes was on fire, just burnt the place to the ground. After the show they drove home in silence. Parked the car and just sat there. Finally, Flea looked at Kiedis and asked, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Kiedis sighed and replied, " Yeah, why do we even bother to play music?" Story two: In the Jane’s Addiction oral biography Whores, Jeff Ahmet observed Jane’s performance while Green River was warming up for them in LA. “Stone and I were on the side of the stage when Jane’s was playing, totally mesmerized by the interaction between the band and the crowd… It was the first time I had seen an alternative music show where it was like the most reverential hard-rock crowd. That night Jane’s addiction showed us that you could do something totally different and make it work, which basically caused Green River to break up since the other guys didn’t dig it as much as Stone and I did. Our drummer hated them. When we got back to Seattle we just knew we wanted to do something else, something with less limitations, something that had endless possibilities…” Vocalist/guitarist Mark Arm dismissed Jane’s as being too high pitched and hair metal. That sounds like something the guy who would go on to found Mudhoney would say. I mean that with no disrespect. Mudhoney is just a completely different aesthetic. Perhaps without that Jane’s Addiction show Pearl Jam would have never existed.

That was a time when You sang on stage ,so only in huge smoke ,they dont have other effects.Extremely Great Band All Time!!!

The definition of alternative.

Year i graduated highschool. Music was my escape, i say my dad's old giant headphones, dark side of the moon and Even in the quietest moments in the dark in my bedroom were my first highs in life. We generally had SHIT to listen to up to 89 then it all happened with these guys, grunge, the Hip. Damn why didn't it happen a few years sooner?! But thankful it HAPPENED. Jane's is so SO GOOD

I was there! Those were the days. I have seen Jane’s many times since and just saw them in Dallas Aug 18, 2024. Still amazing. I think Dave is better than ever. The band is not the same without him. It was so good to see them all together again!

bought the record in 88, wish i was at that show, it would have been pure magic!!

Incredible. Thank you!

I saw them in 1986 (unintentionally) when they opened for X. I had never heard of them. They sounded really bad, but they were incredibly energetic. At the encore, Perry Farrell came out completely unclothed (not a stitch) and eventually jumped into the audience for a crowd surf. Yep, you can see how that would get a bit weird. No video, no phones, and I have no proof. But that's the way I remember it. I can't imagine how someone could be so extroverted (or high) as to come out on stage without clothes, but man those 80s shows got crazy. And you see here how there is no chasm between fans and stage. They are squashed right up to the front. No yellow-shirted security. None.

So fortunate I got to see this band so many times back in the day. Perry is an amazing performer. As others have said a religious experience for sure!!!

I love & miss that Jane's Addiction so fucking much. That Jane's Addiction changed me forever. These old videos are so bittersweet. Takes me back to the good old days. I'm happy for them now, being to enjoy the fruits of their labor. I will always love Jane's & Perry. Is it bad to wish they were still on drugs? Probably. If only for my own selfish reasons. They were so great. The best rock band of all time.

I agree this whole band was amazing!

I saw Janes at TT the Bears in Boston MA. In 89? I think. Saw them again at Lalapalooza. Then, at the Lowel memorial auditorium. They were Monsterous live. Late 80s into the early 90's they were one of the best live shows out there. A veritable freight train of sound.

First band I fell in love with!! over 30 years ago being 16 love at first sight!!!

I only wish that all the kids today could have experienced this. I’m glad it was recorded.

Truly the best band ever.......after 30 years still amazing

Wow factor a thousand 100 million! Brings us all back and for that a big Thank You for posting this!

Jane's Addiction was Jerry Garcia's favorite band of that era. I have to agree with Jerry.

This is sooo awesome. Nothings Shocking is one of my favorite albums ever. Growing up a punk rocker/skater guy in the 80’s in the Midwest when we heard Janes & this album it broke the mold of what we were listening to in the Detroit area. The audio is great and grainy video makes it even more cool. Thank you for posting.

Love the foreshadowing of the already- written "Bloody Rag" -allude from P4P'S to sm 5 yrs later ,., around 41:15 during Pigs in Zen rant,👍🤟✌️15:04 too..Janes on all cylinders❤️💪🤟🏾✌🏾🗼📐🎶👻

No band - not even the Crüe - exemplified the addictive danger of sex, drugs & rock n roll more than these guys. And they did it all while making beautifully violent mosaics of musical masterpieces. I mean I love “Kickstart My Heart” as much as the next guy, but it’s damn sure no fucking “Then She Did…” or “Ocean Size.” Also… 41:17 During the breakdown of “Pig’s In Zen,” they break into some of what would become Porno For Pyros’ “Blood Rag,” which was released 4 years later. I wonder how many other Porno songs were already at least partially written before they broke up.

Nostalgia lane... I'd seen Jane's at least a dozen times before these shows - several of which between 1985-87 at the 9th and Grand location of the original Scream club (that me and my teenage friends snuck into every Friday and Saturday nights)., Al's Bar, L.A. Street Scene and so forth. I went to three of these Ford shows- just sauntered up and gave whomever was at the gate $10 for entry. These shows sold out quickly. I pretty much outgrew the band by this point. I had later seen them in various member incarnations (bassists De Stefano (sp), Flea - which was weird because I always felt the Chili Peppers competed against JA at one point early on) but they were never the same - didn't command the same sound or presence in the rhythm department that made them. Until a little show at the Echoplex in '08 or '09 that reunited the dudes with Eric Avery which i almost declined to attend. There, it all came washing back. Jane's was back - at least for a night.

I love how the camera pulls out wide right before the whole band kicks in on Up the Beach. It's great when the cameraperson knows the songs.

saw this show at moore theater seattle 89. in the pit during up the beach while perry offered the bottle of wine

looked everywhere for this footage thanks my day is better now.

God damn, how I wish I was there

Saw them twice, once in 1991?, Henry' Rollins opened for them . Great show. Then more recently with smashing pumpkins. They still got it!

I saw them four times in one week in 89. Was dosed up for all four. They were unstoppable then.

wow, i get goosebumps on that shit ...Mica, Cathy H, Dave Mercer , Avi, and about 1000 of my closest friends giving Janes Addiction all of it ! I wore a leather jacket that probably still smells like cloves and sweat from that fuckin show ,..and we drove home with no headlights thru Topanga Canyon on doses.,....hell yeah ....best night ever

This show and the one at Scream in the old Hotel in DT LA in the middle of the night were what I will remember them as - pure creative fury at it’s finest.

JA @ their greatest. Thanks for posting. Fans used to have this audio and so great to watch the video!

I think this is my favorite show (the one in the link above); so wild and full on! In nearly one month I gonna go to a show here in Germany and I know that this energy can´t be recreated - but still it's gonna be the first time I see them with Eric. I can remember then over 30 years ago I sat with a good friend of mine in my room, totally stoned, lights turned off, right between the speakers and we listened to Ritual. A whole wide universe opened up for us. Music was never been the same afterwards! "God" bless Jane´s Addiction for that! I think I listened to Janes every day for a year. Concerts without mobile phones and like a big voodoo ceremony! Love it!

This is the Jane's Addiction I saw in 89 in Portland. They blew my mind and I saw them several times after that. Always tight band and great show. Their Lollapalooza show was spectacular. I also saw them with the Pixies and Primus opening,

All of the L.A. bands were from the great band X. They were the forerunner of the entire 80's post punk scene in L.A. it was a great experience, to have been there. Jane's Addiction was on their way up, but the Chili peppers and Fishbone were the top in those days. Jane's got to the top from hard work, and playing gigs constantly

I was an 18-year-old security guard at Scream. I remember Jane's and Red Hot CP performed frequently around this time. Great times at the Embassy Grand.

I saw the reunion tour and thought they were excellent. This particular concert looks like it was beyond fun. The trouble is I really don't like audience recordings nor videos. As a guy who did not see the original concert lineup, it is difficult for me to gauge because I cannot hear the words or music.

They are on fire!!!!!!

The shit thrown at these guys, and they never missed a beat. Today's primadonna's wouldn't stand a chance!

to me, spring 89 was JA's absolute prime. europe 90 was sick too and i didn't catch them til 91 but they weren't the same. lmfao at the ppl who saw JA minus Eric A and tell ppl "I saw JA." Nah, bruh, you saw Perry's JA cover band. Perry blew up at me on Twitter years ago when I told him he hasn't been relevant since 91. Stephen's use of African polyrhythms is unrivaled by anybody except maybe CC Jr from Ween.

I was at the high skool and JA was something cool new I founded!

my favorite band I love their early work.

49:52 ... when the lights go down... absolutely beautiful

The greatest live band I ever saw...