Review: Aerosmith

Photos by JOE LEDFORD/The Star

Nearly 40 years after releasing its first album, Aerosmith is still in the music business, still making records, still touring, still whipping big crowds into moments of frenzy.

Wednesday night, the rock-blues band from Boston drew a crowd of about 9,000 to the Sprint Center, where, for two hours, it proved you’re never too old to sing the blues or 40-year-old solid-gold classic-rock songs.

Steven Tyler, Joe Perry and the rest of the band are all in their 60s; Tyler will turn 65 in March. Seniority hasn’t fazed any of them, especially Tyler, who still struts all over the stage like a preening rooster. His voice isn’t what it used to be, but it is still serviceable -- at times impressive -- and he remains as dynamic and entertaining a frontman as there is in the business.

They opened with something from their self-titled, debut album, “Mama Kin,” then one of their standards from nearly 20 years later, “Love in an Elevator,” then a hit from their foray in tin Top 40 pop, “Jaded.”

Earlier this month, the band released its 15th studio album, “Music From Another Dimension.” The music doesn’t necessarily live up to that title, but it does fit in with the rest of the band’s catalog. They played two of its tracks. One of them was “Oh, Yeah,” another rollicking, primal  rock-blues anthem that, like nearly every song played this evening, was larded with guitar licks from Perry. He  was given plenty of spotlight all night, showing off his many guitar-slinger moves and his array of guitars (including the one that bears an image of his wife, Billie) and singing lead vocals once.

Every one else had at least one solo moment, including drummer Joey Kramer, whose long instrumental was interrupted by Tyler, who stood behind him, banging out a few rhythms for a minute or so.

Tyler, however, remains the premier force in this band, thanks to a personality that embraces all  its excesses and quirks and charms. He still dresses like he’s a rock star in his prime (so does Perry),  and still acts like he is, too. 

His voice stayed strong, if not always steady, for the full two hours. A few times he proved  he could hit and sustain the high notes, if not always precisely. He gave a big thanks to Russ Irwin, the band’s longtime touring keyboardist, who chipped in substantially on background vocals.

The sound this evening could have been cleaner, though it was much better during Aerosmith’s set than during Cheap Trick’s, the opener. The stage, which included a long runway, was flanked by two banks of spotlights that beamed intermittently and an enormous video screen behind the band that broadcast live images and recorded video footage, including some featuring Perry that was taken earlier in the day, in the streets outside the arena.

The rest of the set included well-known covers: of Rufus Thomas’ “Walkin’ the Dog” and of the Beatles’ “Come Together.” Tyler asked the crowd whether it wanted older stuff or newer stuff, and the response seemed unambiguous. For the most part, that’s what the band delivered: nuggets and standards like “Last Child” and “Rag Doll.”

For the home stretch, they saved all the heavy ammunition, ending the first set with “Dude (Looks Like a Lady)” and “Walk This Way," then coming back for an encore that comprised their two best-known songs: “Dream On” and “Sweet Emotion.” For “Dream On,” Tyler started at a white grand piano, immersed in fog/smoke. Perry would end  up atop that piano, where he unleashed one more hail of guitar licks.

By show’s end, it was raining confetti, Perry and Tyler were shirtless (Perry used his shirt to beat his guitar during “Sweet Emotion”) and their fans stood and devoured it, many of them just ike they did 40 years ago.

Cheap Trick: They opened with a one-hour set that was energetic but suffered from a sound that was too bright and too muddy. Throughout the set, lyrics were nearly undiscernable at times.They are still touring without founding drummer Bun E. Carlos, who has been replaced by Daxx Nielsen, son of lead guitarist Rick Nielsen. Compared to previous shows, Rick Nielsen was relatively light with the jovial banter. Highlights: The back-to-back openers, "Hello, There" and "Elo Kiddies," and the closing four songs, which included their ace power ballad, "The Flame," "Dream Police" and "Surrender."

SETLISTS

Cheap Trick: Hello, There; Elo Kiddies; California Man; On Top of the World; Ain’t That A Shame; I Know What I Want; Baby Loves to Rock; Sick Man of Europe; The Flame; I Want You to Want Me; Dream Police; Surrender.

Aerosmith: Mama Kin; Love In An Elevator; Jaded; Oh, Yeah; Living on the Edge; Movin’ Out; Walkin’ the Dog; Last Child; drum solo; Rag Doll; Boogie Man; Combination; Lover Alot; What It Takes; No More, No More; Come Together; Dude (Looks Like A Lady); Walk This Way. Encore: Dream On; Sweet Emotion.

|Timothy Finn, The Star

Comments

[STONES RULE!]

WOW!! really awesome pictures!!
PROPS TO THE PHOTOG!!

and I am being quite serious, those are great pix, and it seems a few more than normal.

Good job Joe.

[Geordan]

I threw my write up of this show out in the now busy "Rolling Stones shrug at exorbitant ticket prices" thread. Thanks for the pics, though! Perry probably needs to lose the silly Fu Manchu mustache, but it's his face. Knock yourself out, Joe......

[Bubba Brown]

Yeah, I was there too. I've been wanting to see AEROSMITH (again) for quite sometime now. I missed them in 2006 at Sandstone when they co-headlined with MOTLEY CRUE. I was very disappointed when they had to cancel in summer, 2009 at the Sprint Center when they were touring - playing the entire 'Toys In The Attic' album. So glad they DID NOT play "Angel" of "Janie's Got A Gun". Got burned out on those two songs long time ago. Great show, AEROSMITH! Also to CHEAP TRICK - that musically speaking was just as out-standing, I thought. Oh, to the KC Star - yep, nice review + great photos. Way to go! Bubba said it.

P.S. Can't believe only 9,000 attended.

[Kurt]

The main thing that matters that this was a good show. I read the Aerosmith review in Wichita and that show drew 11,000 at the Intrust Bank Arena. Wichita has about 500,000 and Kansas City has 2 million in its metro. I know the small crowd was due to the high ticket prices. There seems to be a trend with some shows not selling really well at the Sprint Center. TSOs 2 shows in 2011 drew 23,000 but, they only did 8,500 at the evening show on a Sunday. The matinee show drew 14,500 and the ticket prices were fairly low.

Let's see about the numbers of some previous shows. What these shows have in common is high ticket prices. This is why KC is probably being skipped by some tours lately.

Kiss - 10,000
Motley Crue - 8,000
Van Halen - 8,500
Sade - 7,000

[joeboo]

I chose not to go after losing a decent amount of money back in 2009 when they canceled their last concert @ Sprint, and the "convenience" fees were not refunded with the ticket price. I know that probably wasn't Aerosmith's decision at all(thanks Ticketmaster) but it left a sour taste in my mouth regardless.

[I like Aerosmith better than the Stones]

Aerosmith's last visit to Sandstone was one of my favorite shows, and I thought they were even better last night. Great performances, lots of energy in the arena despite the smallish crowd, and some of the best sound I've heard at Sprint (not quite as good as AC/DC).
I was offended by the high prices and not tempted to go until last week's discount offer that cut the price of some lower level seats by two-thirds. And we were able to move to an even better spot. In the end I thought the show was so good that I might not have minded paying the original ticket prices.

[Kurt]

Aerosmith used to be the only act that would sell out Sandstone with 18,000 regularly. Ticket prices were surely less a while ago also.

[Bubba Brown]

Kurt, are you positive about your numbers there? I could've sworn that when KISS was last here in winter, 2009 - the crowd size was reportedly approx. 7,000 and so was this year's VAN HALEN shindig. Yeah, 7,000 appears to be the 'magic' number for them old school / classic rock bands as such. I bet AEROSMITH might be back in a few years. When VH was here in 2007, it was a relatively smaller-than-expected crowd. Yet, the almighty VAN HALEN returned five years later. I do fully UNDERSTAND as to why many fans do NOT wish to dole out the big bucks to see these bands. When you have kid(s), a wife, an ex-wife, a mortgage, etc. you have HIGHER / much more important priorities. Too bad they didn't do for AEROSMITH what they did for TOM PETTY in 2010 - have nose-bleed seats for $25 a pop.

[CH]

Sounds like a good show and those are really nice photos. Kind of wish I could have gone, but just can't afford tickets right now. Have never seen Aerosmith and last time I saw Cheap Trick was 1982 at a headline show in Springfield. And I too wonder how long acts will keep coming here if you can't bring in more than 9,000 people. Too many bands seem to go to St. Louis, then OKC and Denver and skip here. Both big bands and ones that play in venues the size of the Midland, the Beaumont or even the Riot Room.

[Big Joe]

The Wichita show was amazing. I'm glad I paid the money to see this Legendary act up close. I can't believe they are in their 60's and can run around and be rock stars like that!

Regarding poor attendance, I wonder how many of those shows mentioned above were on a weeknight? For me, if a show is in the middle of the week, I just can't go. CSN in Wichita was another amazing show and I was able to go because it was a Saturday night. They were at Starlight on a weeknight.

[Kurt]

Aerosmith in Wichita was on a Sunday so, people will have to go to their jobs the next day. I'm guessing that they drew 11,000 to Kansas City's 9,000 since, Aerosmith probably haven't been to Wichita for a while.

These smaller secondary metros are getting new arenas and getting major touring acts now.

[Bubba Brown]

Big Joe, I hear you on AEROSMITH. The fact they're back with all five original members, is a good most of the reason I wanted to make SURE that I saw them on Wednesday. But mostly, we never know when they will be forced to (or choose) to quit touring. For five guys in their 60's - AEROSMITH defies the "you're too old to have any real fun" saying. After seeing them at the Sprint Center, I can honestly say they haven't lost a beat in the last 30-40 years. In the '90's I thought that AEROSMITH went corporate with the 'Pump' and 'Get A Grip' CD's but with 'Honkin' On Bobo' (no relative of mine) and 'Just Push Play', STEVE TYLER and crew had definitely returned in style to say the least. I still want to catch them again sometime - within the next two to maybe ten years if civilization (as we know it still exists) by 2022. Thank you SO much, guys!! Would just love it if they played the song "Spaced" off of 'Get Your Wings' sometime.