Jane's Addiction Reunion Salvages NME Awards Show

Variety's Rich Nieciecki attended the Jane's Addiction reunion Wednesday, which came at the conclusion of the inaugural NME Awards USA. He filed this report.
The largest gathering of British accents in L.A. outside of Ye Olde King’s Head in Santa Monica queued up to the open bar before the presentations and the kudofest’s organizers were presumably hoping for a loose, rock ’n’ roll version of the Golden Globes. But what transpired at best wavered between a foul-mouthed C-list Friars’ roast and a high school prom/talent show (albeit one with killer music).
Whether it was host/Aussie comedian Jim Jeffries trading expletive-filled putdowns with presenter Kelly Osbourne or the terse “thanks” offered up by Lemonheads’ Evan Dando upon receiving his arbitrarily chosen Classic LP award for 1992’s “It’s A Shame About Ray,” the stage patter left a lot to be desired. Amid all the nonsense, however, some sincerity did occasionally poke through: Mick Jones, formerly of the Clash and B.A.D., seemed genuinely honored to be given the Inspiration award and rocked out on two songs with his current outfit, Carbon/Silicon; and Dando delivered two fine acoustic perfs from “Shame About Ray,” the title track and “My Drug Buddy.”
But clearly most in attendance, if they were paying any attention at all, eagerly anticipated the finale, when Jane’s Addiction was bestowed the Godlike Genius Award for Services to Music. the band proved they were deserving of such hyperbole with a four-song blast (“Stop,” “Mountain Song,” “Ocean Size” and “Jane Says”).
A particularly buff Eric Avery, who has resisted overtures of reuniting for years, locked his bass in step with the tribal drumming of Stephen Perkins, while guitarist Dave Navarro, in all his metal-glam glory, wailed away and spastic singer Perry Farrell strutted the stage in all black (and a full horse’s tail) — a muscular and sinewy musical unit once again. Too bad only a few hundred people witnessed it in person; it was streamed live on MySpace.
Show mercifully finished under two hours. The list of winners, as if it matters, after the jump.

Best Band
The Killers

Best Solo Artist
Albert Hammond, Jr.

Best Live Band
My Chemical Romance

Album of the Year
Foo Fighters’ “Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace”

Best New Band
Vampire Weekend

Best New Solo Artist
Mark Ronson

Best New Live Act
Vampire Weekend

Best International Band
Arcade Fire

Best International Solo Artist
Kate Nash

Best International Live Act
Arcade Fire

Best International Album
Arctic Monkeys’ “Favourite Worst Nightmare”

Best International Track
Klaxons’ “Golden Skans”

Best New International Band
Klaxons

Best New International Solo Artist
Kate Nash

Best New International Live Act
Klaxons

Best Track
The Killers’ “Tranquilize”

Best Video
Justice’s “D.A.N.C.E.”

Best TV Show
“Heroes”

Best Film
“Juno”

Breakthrough Artist Santogold

Breakthrough Track
MGMT’s “Time to Pretend”

Classic LP
Lemonheads’ “It's a Shame About Ray”

Inspiration Award
Mick Jones (The Clash, B.A.D. and Carbon/Silicon)