WORCESTER, Mass.--The opening night of any band's tour is often punctuated by an assortment of kinks that will likely be worked out during subsequent performances, and Jane's Addiction [ tickets ]'s inaugural Jubilee reunion-tour concert on Tuesday night (10/2), though exhilarating, was no exception.

Aside from a one-off festival appearance earlier this year, Jane's Addiction hasn't played in front of an audience since its 1997 reunion tour. That jaunt was the first outing by founding members Perry Farrell (vocals), Dave Navarro (guitar) and Stephen Perkins (drums) since the group disbanded in 1991. Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea filled in during that road trip for original bassist Eric Avery, who reportedly declined participation in both reunion outings.

This time around, Farrell, Navarro and Perkins are joined by bassist Martyn LeNoble, recruited from Farrell's post-Jane's Addiction side-project, Porno for Pyros. Together, the four put on a 90-minute show that was, in a word, uneven.

Theatrics abounded in the Centrum, beginning with show-opener "Kettle Whistle," which saw Farrell take the stage concealed behind a black curtain that several crew members carried ahead of him. The singer, when unveiled and spotlighted, was a captivating sight, bare-chested and adorned from the waist down in an expansive white skirt made from a parachute, under which writhed four female performers and one male, all of whom intermittently thrust various limbs through openings in the fabric.

The bohemian theatrics continued throughout the night, almost to the point of distraction. Clad only in thongs, pasties and fishnet bodysuits, the female dancers climbed jungle gym-like stage props, took turns dirty-dancing with both each other and the band members, periodically appeared on platforms positioned throughout the audience, spun acrobatically on ropes hanging from a wheel-topped pole located on the mainstage, and teetered on a giant see-saw behind Farrell.

With all of the activity, the band itself frequently seemed to be a secondary component, though Farrell--who changed costumes three times--was clearly at home with the theatrical delivery as he pranced, danced and writhed around the stage. Navarro, meanwhile, was at his quintessential rock-star finest, riffing his way through the group's classics, shirtless, nipple-pierced, tattoo-covered and dressed in tight, dark-colored shorts, black fishnet stockings and combat boots.

After a half-dozen songs had been delivered--including the group's hit "Stop" from 1990's "Ritual de lo Habitual"--the show reached its lowest point, as the band left the stage and pre-recorded techno music filled the arena for about 10 minutes, leaving some audience members wondering if something had gone wrong.

The reason for the delay became evident when the foursome finally appeared on a small stage at the rear of the hall, with Farrell sipping from a glass of wine and now dressed in a different pair of pants, a beaded shawl and what appeared to be a coonskin hat. From there, the band delivered "Jane Says" and "Classic Girl," as well as one song each from both Navarro's and Farrell's recent solo efforts--Navarro performed his "Hungry" alone with an acoustic guitar.

Another--and mercifully shorter--break followed as the band made its way back to the main stage, and a jam-session by Navarro, LeNoble and Perkins ensued before Farrell joined them, now clad in a silver-sequined suit and wide-brimmed hat. The band played several more tunes, including crowd-favorite "Mountain Song," before calling it a night.

Sadly, despite the exciting theatrics, an impressive light show and a well-crafted stage set--featuring oversized paper lanterns and fluorescent artwork that glowed under a flood of blacklights--the show suffered from poor sound. An abundance of bass overwhelmed the early portion of the band's set, severely muddying Farrell’s specter-like vocals and Navarro’s rhythm licks, and the right mix was never really found at any point in the night.

Before performing the show-closing "Chip Away," Farrell indicated that he was aware of the problem.

"I'm having a good time, don't get me wrong," he said, "but somebody said a beer got spilled on the soundboard and that's why the sound was f---ed up."

The consistently elated singer joked it all off, however, saying, "What are you, kidding me? Shouldn't beer make the sound better?"

Disappointing sound notwithstanding, the overall production was an impressive spectacle, and showed promise for future stops on the outing. And, really, at moments like the one when Farrell and Navarro cavorted with and hugged each other, or the many instances during which the mohawked Perkins displayed his thunderous percussive skills, it was clear that the most exciting visual effect for the audience on this tour is seeing the band together again.

Jane's Addiction's tour continues on Wednesday night (10/3) in Philadelphia. Click here for a story that includes the band's full itinerary. Click here for a review of Farrell's solo DJ tour.

• Get real-time updates on Twitter
• Visit us at Facebook