SSMF Honors Jane’s Addiction at the House of Blues

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a - IMG_2513What began in 2008 as a festival to honor the founders of the most iconic music spots in West Hollywood, the Sunset Strip Music Festival has featured a long list of music’s top talents for throngs of show goers in L.A. year after year. With the weekend long celebration bearing down on fans Saturday morning, the House of Blues held a well attended ceremony to honor So-Cal legendary alternative rockers Jane’s Addiction.

On Friday, September 19th, a line ran along the sidewalk in front of the Andaz Hotel and across the street to the door of the Hollywood House of Blues.  Fans stood before the red carpet to get a look at the members of Jane’s Addiction, skateboard king Tony Hawk, artists including Dead Sarah, Dirty Machine and Toni Monroe to name a few. Starting up at 7 o’clock, the step and repeat wall got hot, but the party was fired up indoors.

a - IMG_3085KROQ Radio’s Ted Stryker stood onstage to announce the festivities. Calling out to the members of Jane’s Addiction, drummer Steve Perkins, guitarist Dave Navarro, bassist Chris Chaney and front man Perry Farrell, the audience cheered as they were honored from the stage with praise for works recorded and years in writing and performing around the globe.

In the band’s history, they began with their first performance at the Roxy on Sunset in 1985, immediately creating a stir with their album titled Nothing’s Shocking and MTV’s refusal to play the video for the song The Mountain Song due to a shot of full frontal nudity. While the album received little love from FM radio, the supporting tour for the album put the band on stages with artists including The Ramones and Iggy Pop – launching the band into stellar status worldwide.

a - IMG_2459Along with words from people including Whisky and Rainbow owner Mario Maglieri, KROQ’s Rodney Bingenheimer and members of the West Hollywood Town Council, the audience was treated to a ten minute film reel of highlights from the band’s career. Then the magic happened.

Set up to perform on stage was the equipment of the band Dead Sarah. Farrell asked the crowd if the band could play a song, and to rave response, they in fact played two – The Mountain Song and Ain’t No Right.

The rest of the evening offered other artists taking the stage and performing music by Jane’s Addiction in their own personal renditions. An after party ensued across the street at the Andaz Hotel with attendees including the L.A. band Love and a 38 and former Skid Row front man Sebastian Bach.

As a precursor to the Sunset Strip Music Festival 2014 that would take place on Saturday, where Janes Addiction would perform their original album Nothing’s Shocking in it’s entirety, this happening was one of those events that only happens by surprise in Hollywood. Along with the spoken praise, the band was gifted with four pairs of Silver Sunset Strip Headphones and a plaque to commemorate the years of success they have shared as a band.

CLICK HERE to view more pics from the show.

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