Steven Tyler and Aerosmith were back in the saddle again, performing a rocking show in front of an audience for the first time since the iconic rock group was forced to cancel their farewell tour mid-journey back in 2023 due to the frontman’s vocal chord injuries.
The show, titled Aerosmith & Friends and held Thursday at a packed Hollywood Bowl, saw not only Tyler and bandmates Joe Perry, Brad Whitford and Tom Hamilton on stage, but also performances from Billy Idol, Guns N’ Roses, the Black Crowes, Heart, Sammy Hagar and Eric Church, while Dave Grohl joined Aerosmith on drums while Johnny Depp made a surprise appearance on guitar for one song. Even Aerosmith founding drummer Joey Kramer, who hasn’t toured with the band since 2020, showed up for the group’s last song, getting behind the kit for “Walk This Way.”
“We’re going to rock this place so hard you’re going to think the big one is coming,” Tyler told the crowd after taking the stage. “It’s gonna be tectonic.”
And for the short while the band was on stage, Tyler and company did indeed rock the place hard. It was only a six song set, focused on the band’s 1970s classics such as “Sweet Emotion,” “Dream On,” “Toys in the Attic,” but Tyler gave it his all. For a 78-year-old rocker previously sidelined over vocal issues, he was in fine form vocally and physically, even hopping on top of a piano for one song.
It’s unclear what this week’s Bowl shows represent for Aerosmith, whether they’d take more of these shows on the road or if this weekend will serve as the more official goodbye they never got three years ago. It wasn’t something the band harped on much Thursday, as Neither Tyler nor the band spoke much on those previous challenges Thursday night, nor did they give much introspection or stories behind the hits. Just rock n’ roll with lasers and wind machines.
“We’re the same fucking band that we started 55 and a half years ago,” Tyler said, hugging Kramer before they launched into “Walk This Way” at the end of the night.
And adding to the only-in-LA vibes of it all, the band was introduced to the stage by actresses Liv Tyler and Alicia Silverstone. Tyler is, of course, Steven Tyler’s daughter and the two ladies famously starred in a series of era-defining music videos for the band.
“Liv, we were just little babies. And tonight, we brought our little babies,” said Silverstone.
“But we’re still kind of babies, too,” Tyler chimed in.
“And Liv is the actual baby of Steven Tyler,” Silverstone underscored as the crowd cheered in approval.
Aerosmith only played around 35 minutes or so but there was a whole evening of build-up – thanks to the “Friends” portion of the lineup who covered Aerosmith songs over the decades. Billy Idol, for example, belted “Living on the Edge.” Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson of Heart performed “Janie’s Got a Gun,” while Church sang “Rag Doll” and “I Don’t want to Miss a Thing.”
But that was only part of the prelude. Black Crowes did a five song set (and frontman Chris Robinson mentioned how Aerosmith gave his band their first arena tour in 1990) before Gun N’ Roses, Axl Rose included, did a five song set that featured three covers of mid-1970s songs but then had the audience screaming itself hoarse with their own hits “Welcome to the Jungle” and “Paradise City.” Rose was wild and energetic, never standing still.
The evening, produced by 724 Management and Blackbird Presents, had a music festival aura around it, with breaks in between major sets, concertgoers making new friends, and the smell of weed hanging in the air. Some audience members lamented a lack of their 90s hits, but this was clearly a true throwback evening, with the shirt merch tellingly leaning heavily on a 1970s atmosphere.
The evening confusingly ended in a fireworks extravaganza after the band had left the stage, leaving the crowd wondering if there would be an encore or not. Sadly, it was left wanting. The band will officially end their stand at the Bowl with another concert this Sunday.