Aerosmith kicked off its farewell “Peace Out” tour in Philadelphia on Saturday with a two-hour concert that covered its extensive catalog and gave the world one last chance to see what earned these men from New England a place in the pantheon of rock’s greatest names of all time.
Singer Steven Tyler, guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford, and bassist Tom Hamilton all wore black cowboy hats as they performed “Back In The Saddle,” the song that opened the band’s shows for years. decades. A huge Aerosmith logo hung from the ceiling, flanked by even larger wings.
Tyler and Perry sang from either side of a microphone stand wrapped in Tyler’s signature scarves, recreating one of rock’s most iconic poses. At the end of the song, Tyler hits the extremely high note, proving that even at 75 and after a lifetime of pharmaceutical mishaps, he can still do it.
This was followed by “Love In an Elevator” and “Cryin”, two major radio hits of the late 1980s and early 1990s, which laid the foundation for the group’s controversial hit “Janie’s Got A Gun”, a song about a woman being separated from her father was sexually abused.
The group also released to their admirers rare tunes such as “No More, No More”, during which Tyler forgot several words, “Adam’s Apple”, “Seasons Of Wither” and “Hangman Jury”, inspired by the blues of the Mississippi Delta.
However, there are only so many songs in a two-hour show, and with a catalog as extensive as Aerosmith’s, some of the biggest hits have been cut, including Dude (Looks Like A Lady) and Train Kept A-Rollin, which often closed the show on previous tours.
The fact that Aerosmith played in Philadelphia is incredible in itself, considering how often their fans caused injuries to band members. In October 1977, an audience member threw an M80 explosive onto the stage, which exploded in Tyler’s face, burning his cornea and causing a bloody wound on Perry’s arm. A year later, at another show in Philadelphia, someone threw a bottle that hit an onstage speaker, sending shards of glass into Tyler’s face and mouth.
Tyler referenced the attacks during Saturday’s concert, calling them “the Big Bang Theory” before Perry silenced him. Tyler quickly changed the subject and mentioned that his mother’s family was from Philadelphia.
Saturday’s show was the 40th Aerosmith played in the city and ended without anyone needing paramedics.
There were typical opening problems. Tyler began the chorus of “Dream On” a verse early before he could catch himself. Perry’s guitar fell silent for a few notes during the iconic opening of “Walk This Way.” After a masterful harmonica solo on Hangman Jury, Tyler tossed the small instrument over his shoulder, only to realize at the end of the song that he needed it again. A technician was called to return it to him.
However, there were far more good things than bad, and that has been the case at Aerosmith concerts for decades. On a cover of Stop Messin’ Round, Fleetwood Mac’s 1968 three-chord blues, where he and Whitford traded solos and Tyler brought out his harmonica, Perry was truly brilliant on vocals and guitar.
Drummer Joey Kramer withdrew from the farewell tour “to focus all his attention on his family and his health,” according to the band. John Douglas, a drummer and artist who has developed custom drum kits for bands such as Van Halen, ZZ Top and Guns’N’Roses, fulfilled his role admirably.
“Walk This Way” was a major worldwide hit for over a decade before gaining greater notoriety in 1986 when rap group Run-DMC teamed up with Aerosmith to create a new version of the song, which is widely credited with he helped break down the barriers that separate rock and rap fans.
Confetti and streamers fell from the ceiling during the song’s performance at the end of the show Saturday night. Tyler grabbed a piece of confetti out of the air and ate it.
The farewell tour is scheduled to last until early 2024 and end in Montreal on January 26th.