Rewind, Reviews And Reports
Kansas City Star, MO
October 19, 2006
Steven Tyler took full use of the platform that jutted into
the crowd as he and Aerosmith rocked the stage at Verizon.
(Dick Whipple, The Kansas City Star)
This was no co-headlined show. Nor was it a battle of two bands. Had it been, Motley Crue would have been smoked like a brisket at Jack Stack’s.
Tuesday night, Aerosmith and the Crue drew nearly 15,000 people to the Cell Phone Music Bowl in Bonner Springs, a huge number given the steep ticket prices: Lawn tickets went for $54, the best seats up front for $200.
Anyone who shelled out two Ben Franklins to see the Crue got shafted, unless they expected to endure inferior sound (like most opening bands, the Crue didn’t seem to get full use of the system) and accommodate a band that went through the motions most of the night.
If I’d earned a dollar for every time Vince Neil yelled “Make some (bleeping) noise!” I could have afforded a Motley Crue hoodie ($65). How about giving us something to yell about, Vince?
Watching you and Nikki Sixx hop around half-heartedly didn’t do it. And the sound was weak all night — no low end, the vocals were murky and Tommy Lee’s drums were way out in front. Can you hear me now? Yes, but the reception sucks.
There were several loud outbursts of recognition when the Crue played its hits. The sing-alongs during the power ballads (“Same Old Situation” and “Home Sweet Home”) were impressive; and there was plenty of fist-pumping and head-banging during “Dr. Feelgood” and “Looks That Kill.” But nearly all of the energy was coming from the crowd, not the stage.
Aerosmith changed that quickly (despite playing with a stand-in for bassist Tom Hamilton, who is recovering from throat cancer). Granted, they had a much fuller sound, and they had access to the long platform that ran out into the high-dollar seats. Steven Tyler and Joe Perry made good use of that all night.
This seemingly was Aerosmith’s fifth appearance here in eight years or fourth in seven. Whatever. No matter. Each time it shows up, it rocks the hell out of the place, and the crowd goes nuts all night, without once getting ordered to make some freaking noise.
Aerosmith opened with “Toys in the Attic” — so much for foreplay. From there, it bounced around its 36-year catalog, from classic-rock staples like “Dream On” and “Sweet Emotion” to later hits like “Crazy.” The band also plugged yet another Aerosmith greatest-hits collection by playing the brand-new single “Devil’s Got a New Disguise.” That one paled in comparison to similar rock-blues exercises like “Walkin’ the Dog” and the cover of “Baby Please Don’t Go.”
Tyler and Perry are both in their late 50s, but long clean and sober, they have evolved beyond rock stardom. They are also entertainers. At the end of “Draw the Line,” Perry stood at the end of the platform, bare-chested (because he has the pecs and abs for it), beating his guitar with his shirt.
And Tyler showed all night why he rivals Mick Jagger, whether he was honking on his blues harp, strutting and dancing around suggestively or coercing a few women up front (with help from the videographers) into giving the rest of the crowd a little mammo-cam.
The show lasted a hair over 75 minutes, which seems like a light work day given the ticket prices. But by then more than three hours had passed since Motley Crue appeared and became the perfect act to follow.
October 19, 2006
Steven Tyler took full use of the platform that jutted into
the crowd as he and Aerosmith rocked the stage at Verizon.
(Dick Whipple, The Kansas City Star)
This was no co-headlined show. Nor was it a battle of two bands. Had it been, Motley Crue would have been smoked like a brisket at Jack Stack’s.
Tuesday night, Aerosmith and the Crue drew nearly 15,000 people to the Cell Phone Music Bowl in Bonner Springs, a huge number given the steep ticket prices: Lawn tickets went for $54, the best seats up front for $200.
Anyone who shelled out two Ben Franklins to see the Crue got shafted, unless they expected to endure inferior sound (like most opening bands, the Crue didn’t seem to get full use of the system) and accommodate a band that went through the motions most of the night.
If I’d earned a dollar for every time Vince Neil yelled “Make some (bleeping) noise!” I could have afforded a Motley Crue hoodie ($65). How about giving us something to yell about, Vince?
Watching you and Nikki Sixx hop around half-heartedly didn’t do it. And the sound was weak all night — no low end, the vocals were murky and Tommy Lee’s drums were way out in front. Can you hear me now? Yes, but the reception sucks.
There were several loud outbursts of recognition when the Crue played its hits. The sing-alongs during the power ballads (“Same Old Situation” and “Home Sweet Home”) were impressive; and there was plenty of fist-pumping and head-banging during “Dr. Feelgood” and “Looks That Kill.” But nearly all of the energy was coming from the crowd, not the stage.
Aerosmith changed that quickly (despite playing with a stand-in for bassist Tom Hamilton, who is recovering from throat cancer). Granted, they had a much fuller sound, and they had access to the long platform that ran out into the high-dollar seats. Steven Tyler and Joe Perry made good use of that all night.
This seemingly was Aerosmith’s fifth appearance here in eight years or fourth in seven. Whatever. No matter. Each time it shows up, it rocks the hell out of the place, and the crowd goes nuts all night, without once getting ordered to make some freaking noise.
Aerosmith opened with “Toys in the Attic” — so much for foreplay. From there, it bounced around its 36-year catalog, from classic-rock staples like “Dream On” and “Sweet Emotion” to later hits like “Crazy.” The band also plugged yet another Aerosmith greatest-hits collection by playing the brand-new single “Devil’s Got a New Disguise.” That one paled in comparison to similar rock-blues exercises like “Walkin’ the Dog” and the cover of “Baby Please Don’t Go.”
Tyler and Perry are both in their late 50s, but long clean and sober, they have evolved beyond rock stardom. They are also entertainers. At the end of “Draw the Line,” Perry stood at the end of the platform, bare-chested (because he has the pecs and abs for it), beating his guitar with his shirt.
And Tyler showed all night why he rivals Mick Jagger, whether he was honking on his blues harp, strutting and dancing around suggestively or coercing a few women up front (with help from the videographers) into giving the rest of the crowd a little mammo-cam.
The show lasted a hair over 75 minutes, which seems like a light work day given the ticket prices. But by then more than three hours had passed since Motley Crue appeared and became the perfect act to follow.
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