2. Jane’s Addiction

THE O2 ARENA

15 JULY 2009

Alright, I’ll be honest, I only really know Ritual de lo Habitual, but judging by the half-hearted applause around me, it seems like the rest of the crowd is in the same boat. They announce it’s the “new original lineup,” which garners about as much enthusiasm and energy as a Monday commuter train. The crowd is clearly baffled, and, judging by the glazed look on Perry Farrell’s face, so is he.

Things start on a high note with “Three Days”; cue powder blasts of moody riffs, and fleeting optimism that didn’t last. The sound guy must have nodded off and accidentally leant on the sliders: muddy bass, shrill guitars and Perry’s vocals buried somewhere under a pile of sonic rubble.

The crowd, valiantly trying to vibe, just couldn’t muster up the energy. Soon, we are fleeing to the corridor, where the noise, muffled by a supporting structure of concrete, sounded a lot better. When a show sounds more tolerable from outside the arena, you know you’re in trouble.

By the end, even Perry has had enough. He had resorted to lobbing sarcastic remarks at the crowd, asking if the band has any friends in London? Maybe, but definitely not the bloke on the soundboard. It was like watching a band slowly realise that their comeback gig is more of a wake.