It was a Comfortable 60° at the 8:40pm ET showtime. The opener was Boston band, Extreme. Frankly they seemed like a band who was signed in the heavy-metal gold rush of the 80s without being properly vetted. They were a very interesting counterpoint to the airtight arena rock of Aerosmith.
Crowd Demographics- With the band pushing 75, an older fan base is to be expected. The Estimated average age of 49.5. Near 50/50 split Male/Female fans.
Refreshments– Blanco Tequila, various domestic beers, wedding cake.
We are greeted by the familiar voice of legendary comedian Bill burr who had recently played Fenway and recorded an opening message for the fans which got the crowd worked up into a lather. Bill talked about his first Aerosmith shows in ‘87 at Reynolds Coliseum on the Permanent Vacation tour. This seemed to be a low point in the orange man’s life and the soulful music of this great band lifted his spirit. From there it was a well curated highlight video of the band’s illustrious history. Then after 10 seconds of silence that felt like an hour, the familiar crescendo of Back in the Saddle, a fitting introduction to a blistering set it is clear that the boys in the band are peak form. The Achilles’ heel of shows which involve rockers in their 70s is often the voice of the lead singer. Elder players can shred the guitar as long as they have the strength. But passing wind through your vocal cords in your twilight years is exceedingly difficult, but Steven sounded crisp. The signature howl and shriek that makes Aerosmith songs unique also makes them extremely punishing to sing. It was clear that he had been eating his veggies and his throat was in prime form. It should be noted that drummer Joey Kramer did not join the band. While Joey’s signature style could never be replaced, John Douglas held the rhythm section down in his stead.
From there they came out swinging with Same Old Song and Dance, Rag Doll and Mama Kin. All sounding rich and robust. Cryin’ and Hangman Jury were followed by a seated Steven and Joe who performed the Seasonal Depression anthem, Seasons of Wither. Then back to rock mode for iconic hits Toys in the Attic, Livin’ on the Edge, and The Other Side. Even the corn ball, I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing sounded appropriate sandwiched between Love in the Elevator, Draw the Line and Dude looks like a lady. The set was a celebration of their prolific catalog for the true heads.
Dream on, Sweet Emotion and Walk this Way punctuated the end of the set. Dream on always seemed to capture the ambition, the magic, the rhythm and blues of the boys from 1325 Comm Ave. If this is our fucking city, then this is our fucking band. The greatest band, what a rare privilege it is to witness these men who are now considered to be geriatric, melt the faces of a record crowd of 39,000 fans. Any faded rocker can put a tour together and get out there for one last money grab- but to kick ass in your mid 70s, after the run of decadence that they have had, is just inspiring!
