Concert Review: Aerosmith, KISS, and Saliva - August 11, 2003

There really isn’t anything that compares to an outdoor concert on a hot summer night. There’s something magical in the sultry summer air. Especially as the sun settles and the anticipation of the night’s events rises. Thus, expectations were high and anticipation was nigh as I prepared for an amazing combination of acts in Holmdel, New Jersey at the PNC Bank Arts Center.

When KISS announced a tour with Aerosmith, I felt like a 12-year old boy looking at his first nudie magazine. I was overjoyed! Ecstatic! I couldn’t believe that this tour was actually happening. It was the concert of a lifetime that I could not wait to see. When I heard Saliva was the opening act, that sealed the deal. I anticipated that this was going to be one of the best concerts I ever enjoyed.

It would be the first time that I saw Saliva in concert. They were promoting their latest album, Back Into Your System which I thought was one of the greatest nu-metal albums ever released. I was a huge Saliva fan in the early 2000s and when I saw they would be opening for two of my favorite bands, I just knew that this concert was a once in a lifetime fanboy’s dream.

I was onboard with Saliva from the moment I heard Every Six Seconds and the monster single “Your Disease.” My love for Saliva in the early 2000s was similar to my love for Pop Evil today. I thought that they were the greatest and really felt they would be the next huge metal band. And I was able to see them develop. Watching a young band make a name for themselves is exciting because it provides the opportunity to say, “I knew them when.” Unfortunately, Saliva did not amount to the expectations I had for them. They had some huge hits and were a modestly known band, but they were never able to take their act to the next level. In 2012, singer Josey Scott left the band and I pretty much forgot about them after that.  Every so often I will pull out their discs and listen to some of my favorite songs, but other than that, I don’t give them much thought. Which is kind of sad. It happens sometimes. Some of the bands that you love today more than ever, are gone and forgotten by tomorrow.

The live performance that Saliva put on that night was absolutely incredible. Stunning may be the best word to use. I was a big fan of the band when I went into the venue, I was a superfan when I left the venue. Saliva was the perfect act to open for heavyweight classic artists KISS and Aerosmith. The opening act had to be a band that could bring a special performance to the stage and really charge the crowd, electrifying them for what they were going to witness the rest of the night. Saliva did just that.

Perfect song selection helped as well. Opening with “Click, Click, Boom” Saliva owned the stage and never relinquished control until their performance was over. The crowd was into it from song one and although the venue was less than half full when Saliva started the night, it was close to capacity when the last song of their set was played. And while their set was quick (just seven songs) it was powerful. And the last three songs were exquisite. The power ballad co-written with Nikki Sixx, “Rest In Pieces,” was magnificent. Hearing this amazing ballad live in concert filled me with joy and gave me goosebumps! That was followed by their two biggest hits, “Always” and “Your Disease.” What a way to end the opening set!

KISS was touring with the incarnation of the band that featured Tommy Thayer on guitar and Peter Criss on drums. I vaguely remember Ace saying something about how he was invited to join the band for this tour, but he was offended that KISS was opening for Aerosmith. He believed Aerosmith should have opened for them and KISS should have been last. And while I respect that sentiment, I always admired KISS for being willing to go on before Aerosmith and not making a big deal out of it. I thought it showed a maturity for the band that they would perform first and then let Aerosmith close the night. It showed they had removed their ego in that regard and helped further cement my love of the band.

KISS came out like a house on fire! They were exceptional as always and after a heart pounding performance by Saliva, KISS really made the crowd roar. The venue was packed by this point and breathing room on the lawn was a little hard to come by. I made the most of it though as I was witnessing my favorite band on stage. And while I loved their performance, the setlist choices were thin.

Anyone who’s been listening to my podcast (The Psycho Circus Podcast) knows how I feel about that setlist. It’s the same tired one! Although for the first night of the tour, this was okay. I wasn’t tired of it yet, because I had only seen it once. But I will be honest, if not for Aerosmith being on this tour, I would not have gone to three shows. Aerosmith mixes up their setlist, so each show is fresh. They make it worthwhile. KISS does not. And it was the lure of Aerosmith that had me attending three of these shows. KISS was definitely an added bonus, and a good one at that, but if it was just KISS with Salvia, I think one show would have been enough for me.

The classic KISS songs were all performed. And the only difference between this tour and the reunion tour was that Tommy Thayer was on guitar and the performance time was shorter (due to the double bill, each band had approximately 80 minutes of stage time). The highlights of their performance included “Let Me Go Rock N Roll,” which is a live favorite of mine, and “God of Thunder” which is one song I will never grow tired of in the live setting. The other choices in the set made sense. KISS wasn’t going to take any chances on a tour with Aerosmith. They had to play only their hits. Deep cuts were not going to happen as the band was almost in competition with Aerosmith for the fan cheers. So, I understand why we got the standard setlist. I was still disappointed, but understood the logic behind playing only these classic songs.

Peter Criss was still in the band, so we got to see him perform “Beth” just like he had for the reunion tour. It was always a nice touch to see Peter take center stage and sing his most well-known song. He always appeared so happy onstage singing to the fans and he was sure to tell them how much he loved them all at the end of the song.

Ace was missed, but Tommy Thayer did a superb job in his own right and he was a nice fill in. And while I wasn’t crazy about seeing Tommy in the Space Ace makeup, at that point, what was the band going to do? They certainly weren’t going to create a new character just for Tommy. Though, I’ve always felt that he should have worn Vinnie’s makeup and Eric Singer (when he came back to the band)) should have worn Eric Carr’s makeup. Leave the classic makeup to the original performers. But alas, that did not happen and Tommy become the new Space Ace.

KISS ended their portion of the night with the much expected “Rock And Roll All Nite.” Confetti blasted out onto the audience and KISS gave a rousing rendition of their signature rock and roll anthem. There was no other song that was going to close out this concert, because KISS had to end it with their best and most beloved tune. 

Aerosmith was one of my top five favorite bands for many years. Only recently did they got bumped from that coveted list and replaced with Dave Matthews Band. Considering that DMB gave KISS a run for their money at the top spot, it’s understandable that a band got bumped out of the top five for Dave Matthews Band. Unfortunately for Aerosmith, they were that band. They are still one of my favorites, but no longer in the coveted top five. There were a lot of factors that contributed to this decision, but that is a post for another day. On that warm summer night, Aerosmith was still in my top five and seeing them perform after KISS was a dream come true.

Aerosmith took the stage not long after KISS had walked off. I would say less than 30 minutes elapsed before they began. They came out with the classic “Mama Kin” and never slowed down from there. After witnessing the predictable setlist that KISS put together, it was a welcomed change of pace to see Aerosmith mixing it up. That was one of the reasons why I loved the band so much, you never knew what they were going to play when they took the stage. Every night was going to be something different than the night before. Sure, the staple hits were always going to be played (“Dream On,” “Sweet Emotion,” “Love In An Elevator,”), but Aerosmith didn’t shy away from other songs in their deep catalog. They weren’t afraid to dust off some deep cuts and perform some of the lesser known songs. That’s what made me want to see them multiple times on a tour.

This tour was no different. Unexpected classics like “Toys In The Attic,” “Nobody’s Fault,” and “Same Old Song And Dance” made this a very special evening. “Nobody’s Fault” was the real gem of the night. This deep cut from 1976’s Rocks was a song I loved for many years and to have the chance to hear it performed live was just another treat in a tremendous evening. The band played a near perfect rendition and while some fans were wondering what song it was, I was singing every word at the top of my lungs. Thank you, Aerosmith! Please teach KISS how to dust off some classic deep cuts.

Newer hits were also performed (“Jaded,” “Pink”) much to the delight of the crowd. The oddest part of Aerosmith’s performance came in the middle of the show. The band decided to play three tracks from their (as of that night) unreleased album Honkin’ On Bobo. The album wouldn’t come out for almost another year, but Aerosmith was performing songs from the record anyway. And while I commend the band for taking the chance, I think they did a bit too many. One or two songs (at most) would have been enough given their limited stage time. Remember, each band only had 80 minutes due to the double bill. So, Aerosmith’s decision to eat up 15 of those 80 minutes with unheard, brand new material that wouldn’t be released for another year was an odd one. That’s something they should have saved for when they had more time to perform.

The night ended with a blistering three pack of timeless classics. “Walk This Way,” “Sweet Emotion,” and “Train Kept A Rollin’” finished it off and left the crowd roaring for more. It was a spectacular way to close the night. And Aerosmith had done the unthinkable. They had come out after KISS and gave a performance that was worthy of the painted masters themselves.

I think these two bands touring together forced each one to step up their performance game, knowing that there was playful competition between them for bragging rights, if nothing else. It helped each band really give their all, which was a win for fans. Ultimately though, I think it helped Aerosmith the most. The three shows that I saw on this tour were the best three performances I’ve witnessed from Aerosmith. It was also the last time I saw the band perform live. And that’s probably for the best, because I got to end their concert performances on the highest of high notes.

SETLISTS

Saliva

Click Click Boom

Pride

Weight of the World

Holdin On

Rest In Pieces

Always

Your Disease

KISS

Detroit Rock City

Deuce

Shout It Out Loud

Do You Love Me

Let Me Go, Rock N Roll

Firehouse

I Love It Loud

I Want You

Bass Solo/God of Thunder

100,000 Years

Black Diamond

Beth

Love Gun

Rock And Roll All Nite

Aerosmith

Mama Kin

Toys in the Attic

Love in an Elevator

Pink

Jaded

What It Takes

I Never Loved A Girl (The Way I Love You)

Stop Messin’ Around

Baby Please Don’t Go

Dream On

Nobody’s Fault

Same Old Song and Dance

Cryin’

Walk This Way

Sweet Emotion

Train Kept A Rollin’

Check Out The Kaaboo Festival This September

This festival looks absolutely amazing! I may need to venture to the west coast in September.

Tickets are on sale now. Get some!

The Greatest Album Is...Pump

Every band that has been around for a while and released great records runs into this debate; what is their greatest album? The greatest album is…is a column dedicated to tackling that age old question. What is the greatest album recorded by Aerosmith? Join with us now as the question is answered and arguments are made that the greatest Aerosmith album is Pump.

25 years ago Aerosmith released what some believe is the greatest record of their career. The band had returned to their peak, all of them clean and sober, some for the first time in their professional career. Aerosmith had just completed one of the most successful comebacks in rock history and at the conclusion of their Permanent Vacation tour they found themselves back in the studio to begin work on Pump.

Pump is a pure delight to the ears. Rife with themes on sexual desires, addiction, and heartache, Steven Tyler’s lyrics were at their finest. His ability to craft words that synced perfectly with Joe Perry’s guitar riffs was never better and the poetic beauty can be heard on every song throughout the album. Aerosmith also added in horns and keyboards to many of the songs on Pump which only helped to elevate the music and breathe more life into the fine collection of songs that was assembled.

Hard rocking hits are plentiful on Pump. The record opens with the smashing “Young Lust,” a drum heavy, guitar filled, rock and roll festival. It is followed by one of the best songs Aerosmith ever recorded, “F.I.N.E.,” a sex filled carnival of fantastical desires that were the product of many a teenaged boy’s dream. The rock never really stops on Pump, as even the ballads are heavier and edgier than Aerosmith had previously done. As Brad Whitford explained in an interview regarding the album’s title, the band was pumped that they were all clean and sober for the first time. That energy is evident on each and every song.

Pump enjoyed huge success upon its release. The first single “Love In An Elevator” was a smash hit proving Aerosmith still had what it took to release innovative, enjoyable music. The big ballad of the record, “What It Takes,” was another hugely successful single for the band and one of the best ballads Aerosmith ever recorded. Rich in lyrics and music, “What It Takes” had a highly successful run on radio stations across America as well as regular rotation on MTV. Two versions of the video were released, one from The Making Of Pump and one that was the official video.

Pump also contains one small gem that has long since been overlooked and forgotten in Aerosmith’s vast catalog of terrific music. “Don’t Get Mad, Get Even,” is a blues tinged rocker filled with a plethora of musical instruments and vocal harmonies. The song slowly builds with Tyler singing the first verse over the stomping of Kramer’s bass drum before exploding in the chorus. The entire band kicks in at that point and lifts “Don’t Get Mad, Get Even” into the stratosphere of excellence. With so many exceptional songs on Pump, it is easy to see how this magnificent masterpiece got overlooked, but it’s a shame that the song never received the recognition it deserves. 

Song for song, Pump is Aerosmith’s greatest record. Arguments could be made for Toys In The Attic, but the guitar solos on Pump are richer, deeper, and more enjoyable, the lyrics are much more poetic and thought out, and the overall fun factor of the record is much, much higher. And while Toys In The Attic showed Aerosmith hitting their stride at the prime of their career, Pump had Aerosmith hitting their stride at the peak of their comeback. Older, wiser, and much more talented, the 1989 version of Aerosmith simply outdid the 1975 version of the band. With songs like “F.I.N.E.,” “Janie’s Got A Gun,” and “What It Takes,” Pump just can’t be bested by any other Aerosmith album.

The greatest Aerosmith album is….Pump.

Vital Statistics

Released: September 12, 1989

Produced by Bruce Fairbairn

RIAA Sales: 7x platinum

Peak Position on US Charts: 5

“Janie’s Got A Gun” won a Grammy in 1990 for Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal

Singles

Love In An Elevator

F.I.N.E.

Janie’s Got A Gun

Monkey On My Back

What It Takes

The Other Side

Track Listing

Young Lust

F.I.N.E.

Love In An Elevator

Monkey On My Back

Janie’s Got A Gun

The Other Side

My Girl

Don’t Get Mad, Get Even

Hoodoo/Voodoo Medicine Man

What It Takes

Band Members

Steven Tyler – Vocals

Joe Perry – Lead Guitar

Brad Whitford – Guitar

Tom Hamilton – Bass Guitar

Joey Kramer – Drums

Aerosmith - August 13, 2002

Aerosmith, Kid-Rock, and Run DMC. With that lineup, how could I not attend this concert? In 2002, Aerosmith announced that they would embark on a summer tour in continued support of Just Push Play. They were taking two other phenomenal groups on the road with them---Run DMC and Kid Rock. This was one concert where I definitely did not want to miss the opening act.

I don’t know how I was able to get them, but the seats my wife at the time (Nancy) and I sat in were incredible. They were approximately 15 rows from the stage on the left side of the amphitheater. These were some of the best seats I had ever sat in at the PNC Bank Arts Center. I just knew it was going to be a good night.

Run DMC came on stage first and performed to a pretty full house. It was obvious that a lot of the Aerosmith fans in attendance were fans of Run DMC as well. This concert took place a few months before Jam Master Jay’s death. It was one of the last concerts that Run DMC ever performed.

I had never seen Run DMC in concert before. I had never even seen a hip-hop/rap group live before. Growing up, I listened to a lot of Run DMC, Public Enemy, N.W.A., and other hip-hop artists of the times, but never attended their concerts. Getting a chance to see one of the legendary rap groups perform live before one of my all time favorite bands was a real treat.

Run DMC was a delight in the live setting. Jam Master Jay had an excellent DJ set up. With him spinning the jams in the background, Run and DMC strutted all over the stage, rapping the lyrics to most of their well known tunes like “My Adidas” and “It’s Tricky”. “Walk This Way” was not performed during their opening set for obvious reasons. When Run DMC left the stage, I was beyond happy. They gave a great performance and reminded New Jersey why they have always been considered the greatest hip-hop act in the history of rap.

I was really excited to see Kid Rock live for the first time. I had gotten into his music heavily the prior year and played Devil Without A Cause constantly. I was curious about which songs he would play in the limited amount of time he had to perform. I believe his total allotment was approximately 50 minutes.

Kid Rock was touring behind Cocky and the recent repackaging of his older material, The History Of Rock, which included the smash single, “American Bad Ass.” I don’t remember what song he opened with, but I do recall the highlights of his set pretty well. “Cowboy” was played as well as “Bawitdaba” and “Forever.” The aforementioned “American Bad Ass” was also played and performed with a ferocious intensity that really showed what Kid Rock could do on a stage.

During the performance of “Devil Without A Cause” a poster of Joe C fell from the rafters during the lines that he sang on the studio version of the song. His vocals were played via recording and then Kid Rock finished the song. It was a pretty cool moment and it was nice to remember Joe C, who was missed.

The one disappointment I had with Kid Rock’s set was his decision to do a medley of songs that included the mega hit, “Picture.” Since he was pressed for time as an opening act, Kid Rock strung five or six of his more known songs together for this medley. I was hoping to hear the full version of some of these tracks, especially “Picture,” but it was not to be. Time constraints would reject this.

After a great performance from Run DMC, and an amazing show from Kid Rock, Aerosmith took the stage in fine fashion. And by fine, I do mean F.I.N.E. fine. Opening with the best one-two combination in the history of rock, Aerosmith kicked off the night with “Young Lust” and followed it with “F.I.N.E.” just like it is on Pump. I was pumped. “F.I.N.E.” is perhaps my all time favorite Aerosmith song and I’ve always felt that “Young Lust” into “F.I.N.E.” was an excellent combination. Aerosmith should play these two together more often.

The set list for this evening was chock full of hits old and new to the delight of most fans. “Toys In The Attic,” “Rag Doll,” “Cryin’,” “Mama Kin,” and “Jaded” were all performed in only the way that Aerosmith can perform them. During this tour, Aerosmith was playing “The Theme From Spider-Man” which had been featured on the Spider-Man soundtrack which was released that summer. I thought it was a nice addition for them to play that song. They did an excellent version, and as far as I know, this is the only tour that “The Theme From Spider-Man” was ever played.

Joe Perry got to step up to the microphone for one song. He performed lead vocals for “Stop Messin’ Around,” which would eventually be included on the 2004 release Honkin’ On Bobo. While I love him as a guitarist, I was never a huge fan of Joe Perry the singer. Stick to what you are really good at, Joe. In your case, that would be guitar. Leave the vocals to Steven Tyler.

The encore was slightly different from other Aerosmith concerts I have attended, but the opening song of the encore was the moment of the evening. For the first song of the encore, Aerosmith came back on stage to the opening notes of “Walk This Way.” As anticipated, Run DMC followed them onstage to perform the song with them. And then an extra special guest walked out onstage as well. It was none other than Kid Rock.

Steven Tyler, Kid Rock, Daryl Mc Daniels, and Rev. Run Simmons were all on stage singing “Walk This Way” while Joe Perry and Brad Whitford wailed away on the guitar and Jam Master Jay scratched out the mix. In all of the concerts that I have attended throughout my life, this had to be the coolest moment I’ve ever witnessed live. It was definitely the best live version of “Walk This Way” I’ve ever heard.



Aerosmith thanked their special guests after a stellar performance of “Walk This Way” and then ended their night with two more fan favorites. “Love In An Elevator” and “Train Kept A Rollin’” were the final songs of the evening. While they didn’t even come close to matching the awesomeness of “Walk This Way,” they were still great performances. It was yet again another dominating Aerosmith concert. It was also a show I was glad to have shelled out the money for.

Setlist
Young Lust
F.I.N.E.
Toys In The Attic
Fever
Sweet Emotion
Crazy
Monkey On My Back
Rag Doll
Stop Messin’ Around
Mama Kin
I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing
Jaded
The Other Side
Theme From Spider Man
Cryin’
Dude Looks Like A Lady
Encore
Walk This Way
Love In An Elevator
Train Kept A Rollin’

Friday's Rockin' Roundup - 600th Post Edition

This very post marks a special milestone for The Rock And Roll Guru – 600 posts. Yes, this edition of Friday’s Rockin’ Roundup is my 600th post. That’s a lot of posts. It’s also a good way to announce that there are some changes coming. Big changes. Huge changes. Changes that will find The Rock And Roll Guru going in an entirely brand new direction. I am excited about these changes, and I hope that you will be too.

In the next week or two, I will be making an announcement here at The Guru that details exactly what these changes are and what is going to take place. Some of you faithful readers are going to love it and others may not particularly care for the direction we move in. However, like any good blog, website, or music magazine, evolution is inevitable. I hope that you will stay along for the entire ride. Details are coming soon.

Here’s what rocked this week:

A Cool Little Site That I Stumbled Upon
The name of the site is “I Own Every Record You’d Never Buy” and it’s a blog that strives to review all of the obscure music from the 1970s. It’s an interesting idea and a neat little site worth checking out. You will definitely learn a lot about music you not only never heard of, but probably don’t care to hear either. The author is even kind enough to provide links to a video or audio of at least one song from each album. If you love the obscure, this is a site to visit.

Pearl Jam Re-Issues Out This Week
In continuing the celebration of their 20th anniversary, Pearl Jam have released a re-issue box set of Vs. and Vitalogy that also includes a 1994 concert from Boston. The review by Anthony Kuzminski is a long one, but worth the read. Not only does it provide a nice history of the time when the albums were originally released, it also is a well written soliloquy to Pearl Jam and their second and third album releases. Vs. and VItalogy were two of the best albums Pearl Jam ever recorded and it’s nice to see the re-issued versions available as a package deal. The addition of the live concert from 1994 makes this a must own for any Pearl Jam fan.

Another Aerosmith Best Of
Seriously? Does the world really need yet another best of from Aerosmith? I think they have more greatest hits packages than they do studio albums. This is ridiculous!

Another Great Music Site Is Shutting Down
To be filed under the tag of “this really sucks,” Shockhound has announced that they will cease to exist as of May 15th. Shockhound is a great source for music news, information, and upcoming releases. It’s a shame to see that they will be disbanding. A lot of great sites have gone down in the past couple of years, and The Guru is sad to see this one go.

For more news, reviews, rants, raves, concert dates, tour packages, and occasional shout outs, you should follow me on twitter. www.twitter.com/ryovie

Aerosmith - November 15, 2001

In the months following 9/11, the concert scene was strange. A lot of people stopped attending shows as several citizens were afraid to venture outside of their house. I first noticed this at the Jane’s Addiction concert I attended in October of 2001. It was the first concert I saw post 9/11 and I did not like the empty seats that greeted the band. It was sad.

When Aerosmith showed up to rock the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey, I figured it would be a much different scene. Unfortunately, it wasn’t. While not empty by any stretch of the imagination, the concert was far from sold out. And that’s a real shame. The band was promoting one of their best albums ever (Just Push Play) and their concerts for that tour were receiving rave reviews. Still, not everyone turned up to see the show.

One of the most surreal things about attending this concert was the fact that I had just lost my job earlier that week. The company that I worked for was having vast financial issues and there were layoffs a-plenty. I had survived several rounds of cuts (thanks to my low salary), but as the company dwindled to less than 20 employees (from a high of 95), even I could no longer be sustained. After returning from a business trip that weekend, a group of us were called into the VPs office and handed an envelope. It was over. The company would close their doors for good about 6 months later.

None of that stopped me from going to see the Bad Boys of Boston. I already had the tickets, so what the heck? What else was I going to do with my time? I looked for Aerosmith to lift my spirits that evening and transport me away to a magical world where there were no worries. The band was more than happy to oblige.

Opening with Beyond Beautiful, the first cut from their new album, Aerosmith came out guns a-blazing and guitars a-crazing. From the moment they pounced onto the stage, I knew it was going to be a fantastic night. Aerosmith is best known for mixing up their setlists, trying to perform a different show every evening, so there was no telling what they would perform. Was it going to be all recent material? Would the band perform a set of classics? Could they reach deep into the archives to find that one rare gem that almost never saw the light of a live performance? That’s part of what makes an Aerosmith concert so special – there’s no telling what songs are going to be played.

The first real treat for me was Big Ten Inch Record. This is an Aerosmith tune that I have always adored and hearing it in concert made me grin like a school boy. The boogie-woogie beat slapped with the double entandre lyrics makes Big Ten Inch Record a fun song. The live version was no exception.

Since they were supporting a new album, it was expected that we would hear a lot of the new record that night. That was all right by me, because I loved their latest album. In addition to Beyond Beautiful, the band performed lead hit single Jaded, as well as Light Inside, Drop Dead Gorgeous, and the title track, Just Push Play.

While I was hoping to hear Avant Garden or one of the other new ballads from the disc, Aerosmith decided that only classic ballads would work on that evening. Dream On, Pink, I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing, Cryin’ and What It Takes were our ballads of the night. None of these songs received any complaints from me. Cryin’ and What It Takes were excellent in their live form and found me singing at the top of my lungs, to the point where I was crooning almost as loud as the band. I’m sure the other concert attendees around me didn’t particularly care for that, but I was so lost in the moment, I couldn’t help myself.

The main set ended with a classic double shot of Walk This Way and Sweet Emotion, which had the entire crowd up and rocking like there was no tomorrow. Everyone participated in the chorus sing-along and the band responded with a blistering rendition of the most classic Aerosmith song in their catalog. Sweet emotion, indeed!

The encore consisted of three great tracks: Livin’ On The Edge, What It Takes, and the perennially closer, Train Kept A Rollin’. The encore was as strong as the opener, and the energy levels were still sustained by the band as they closed out the night. While it was disappointing to not see a full house, for the fans who did venture to the show, it was an unbelievable treat.

The band did not turn in a half-assed performance just because of the attendance. They gave it their all, honoring those fans that did show up. And to that, I was grateful. For two hours, Aerosmith made me forget all my worries in life and just had me rocking the night away. It was a moment that would stay with me for weeks to come. Aerosmith blew us all away on that chilled November night and made me wish that I had seen more shows during the Just Push Play tour.

Setlist
Beyond Beautiful
Love In An Elevator
Jaded
Big Ten Inch Record
Pink
Mama Kin
Light Inside
Dream On
Eat The Rich
Drop Dead Gorgeous
Draw The Line
Lord Of The Thighs
Walking The Dog
Just Push Play
Cryin’
I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing
Walk This Way
Sweet Emotion
Encore
Livin’ On The Edge
What It Takes
Train Kept A Rollin’

Friday's Rockin' Roundup - County Fair Edition

This weekend I am going to the County Fair. That’s right, corn dogs, ice cream, beef jerky, and all the farm animals you can imagine. My niece and nephew are involved in a farm auction, so it provides me with an opportunity to show support for them, and allows me to spend time with family (something I never get enough of). It’s also the second to last hurrah of the summer (with Labor Day BBQs wrapping things up next week).

I love going to the fair. Maybe it has something to do with reading Charlotte’s Web so much as a child, but the County Fair is really exciting for me. There’s so much to do, and it is so much fun. Add in the additional time with family, and it becomes the perfect weekend – as long as I don’t eat too much.

Here’s what rocked this week:

The Latest From Vie’s Verses
Over at Hard Rock Hideout, my bi-weekly column, Vie’s Verses was published. This one speculates on whether this is the end of Aerosmith. Things are looking bleak for the band overall. This really could be their last dance.

Midas – Rock The Highway Voting Continues
The top 20 finalists have been selected in the Midas/Spin magazine best road song contest. Click on the link to listen to the songs and vote for your favorite. One of these bands is going to win a nice prize and help their career massively. You’ve got until next Friday (September 3rd) to get on and vote. Go help a rising star!

Spider-Man The Musical Is Starting
It is finally seeing the light of day. With words and music by U2’s Bono and The Edge, the Spider-Man musical is finally going to begin. Warm up performances have already started and the play officially opens on November 14, 2010. For tickets visit U2’s website (click the above link) or Ticketmaster.com.

Win A Chance To Meet Kiss
You could win the opportunity to meet Kiss live in person, or Aerosmith, Lady GaGa, or Brad Paisley. Not sure why you would choose those last two over Kiss or Aerosmith, but hey, to each their own. Click on the link above for contest rules and your chance to enter.

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Aerosmith - December 27, 1998

As I write these “concert memoirs” for The Rock And Roll Guru every once in a while I come across a concert that I can’t quite recall much about. Such is the case with the Aerosmith concert that I attended on December 27, 1998.

The Continental Airlines Arena in my beloved home state of New Jersey was where I would see Aerosmith live for the third time in my life. The first time I was not that impressed, and rather disappointed. The second time they were much better and renewed my faith in the band. That is why I chose to see them a third time, in December of 1998.

Still out on the road in support of Nine Lives, Aerosmith was holding themselves to a grueling tour schedule. Quite possibly one of the most ambitious tours the band ever embarked on, The Nine Lives tour lasted more than two years and took the band all over the globe. Aerosmith would be out on the road for another six months after this performance.

My wife (at the time) Nancy and I decided to see Aerosmith for a third time, two days after Christmas. I don’t remember if it was a Christmas present to each other, but I know that we went together. We went to a lot of concerts during that time frame in my life, as they were something we both thoroughly enjoyed.

I have no idea who opened that night. It obviously wasn’t someone memorable (like Jackyl) or I would recall the opening act. I can’t tell you what song they came out to, I can’t tell you what was in the encore, hell I can’t even tell you most of the songs they played. What I do know is this – Aerosmith kicked ass that night. How can I say that if I can’t recall a damned thing about the show? Because it was this concert that solidified me willing to see them live whenever they came to town in the future. That means it was a hell of a show!

What I remember most from this night is that the band played Lord of the Thighs live. Ever since buying Classics Live as the age of 15, I had loved that song. The version they do on that live record is amazing and to witness it live so many years later was the highlight of my time seeing Aerosmith in concert. I had no idea the band was going to pull that one out, and when I heard the opening notes, I went nuts. I high-fived the guy next to me and both of us screamed in each other’s face. This was classic Aerosmith at its finest. The performance was brilliant and it made the evening for me.

I also know that the two singles from the Armageddon soundtrack were played. I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing and What Kind Of Love Are You On were both performed live. Since then, the latter song doesn’t get played much at Aerosmith concerts and the former gets played too much. It would be nice to see Aerosmith rip out What Kind Of Love Are You On for their current tour.

So on a cold December night in New Jersey, Aerosmith came, saw, and kicked major ass. It’s just that I don’t recall much, or anything at all about the show. I would see the band again though, and that is a post for another time.