Aerosmith, Crüe back in the saddle - again
Minneapolis Star Tribune, MN
December 8, 2006
Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler moved in close to sing with fans as he performed with his band at the Target Center on Thursday night. Mötley Crüe joined the classic band for another comeback.
(Photo by Carlos Gonzalez , Star Tribune)
Of all the '70s and '80s bands you wouldn't expect to still be around in 2006, Thursday's Target Center co-headliners Aerosmith and Mötley Crüe might come to mind first.
Two of the most decadent bands in rock history, they have long since made their rehab-assisted comebacks. The 10,000 fans on hand saw all the founding members except Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton, who is recovering from throat-cancer treatment.
Since their comebacks, though, these bands keep coming back again and again on tour. That's why they paired up, to keep fans interested. For much the same reason, we also teamed up to cover it. Here's our back-and-forth, with the profanities lifted out -- unlike the F-bombs Tommy Lee dropped incessantly.
J.B.: This was the Crüe's fourth Twin Cities' concert in the past two years. We needed another Crüe show like Kid Rock and Pam Anderson need another wedding.
C.R.: After seeing the Crüe two months ago at Myth nightclub, I agree it was hard to get excited. That gig was more straight-ahead and not such a circus-like spectacle, which this one quickly became as they opened with a pyro-filled "Dr. Feelgood" and brought out caged strippers for "Wild Side."
J.B.: They had as much pyro as Kiss did opening for Aerosmith three years ago at Target Center. I thought the way-drunk dude in front of us in the Nickelback T put on a better show than the Crüe. I loved his Chris Farley-like dancing, and his air-drum solo was the best I've ever witnessed -- in perfect cadence with Tommy Lee.
C.R.: At least Tommy isn't still spinning around upside down in the high-tech, gravity- and death-defying drum kits he used to own. That's one positive outcome of him doing fewer drugs nowadays.
J.B.: Anyway you look at it, the Crüe was as leaden as ever. At the ripe old age of 45, Vince Neil displayed a Meat Loaf-like physique, and he looked to be in worse shape than Bob Seger last week. And Seger's got 16 years on Vince. Plus, Mr. Sunset Strip kept ripping the crowd for not being loud enough.
C.R.: Vince is just bitter he can't sing anymore, as he painfully proved in the always over-powered ballad "Home Sweet Home."
My favorite comment came from bassist Nikki Sixx, noting this was their last U.S. date. "With us, who knows when we'll be back," he said. My guess is we'll be seeing more than enough of these guys in a year or so, when the movie of their semi-autobiography "The Dirt" opens.
J.B.: As soon as Aerosmith hit the stage, Steven Tyler showed more moves, more charisma and more fun in the first song than Vince did in 67 minutes. And heck, Tyler is 58 and as energetic and exciting as ever.
C.R.: I could've left after the opener "Toys in the Attic" and been happy -- happier than I was after sitting through the next batch of dim-witted songs, like "Rag Doll,"Love in an Elevator" and especially "What It Takes." They played way too many of their MTV-era hits early in the show.
J.B.: Hey, you came of age in the MTV era! "What It Takes" rocked like few arena ballads do. And I thought "Rag Doll" was cool the way Tyler connected with the crowd, singing mouth to mouth with a woman or two. I loved the big smiles and open-mouthed awe on the faces of the women who stood along the runway riveted by his every move and sweet emotion.
C.R.: OK, Mr. '70s. At least we can agree that the walloping one-two punch of "Sweet Emotion" and "Draw the Line" -- and the knockout encore of "Walk This Way" -- was one of the best finishes at a concert this year.
Jon Bream • 612-673-1719 • Chris Riemenschneider • 612-673-4658 • popmusic@startribune.com
Photo Gallery: (here)
December 8, 2006
Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler moved in close to sing with fans as he performed with his band at the Target Center on Thursday night. Mötley Crüe joined the classic band for another comeback.
(Photo by Carlos Gonzalez , Star Tribune)
Of all the '70s and '80s bands you wouldn't expect to still be around in 2006, Thursday's Target Center co-headliners Aerosmith and Mötley Crüe might come to mind first.
Two of the most decadent bands in rock history, they have long since made their rehab-assisted comebacks. The 10,000 fans on hand saw all the founding members except Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton, who is recovering from throat-cancer treatment.
Since their comebacks, though, these bands keep coming back again and again on tour. That's why they paired up, to keep fans interested. For much the same reason, we also teamed up to cover it. Here's our back-and-forth, with the profanities lifted out -- unlike the F-bombs Tommy Lee dropped incessantly.
J.B.: This was the Crüe's fourth Twin Cities' concert in the past two years. We needed another Crüe show like Kid Rock and Pam Anderson need another wedding.
C.R.: After seeing the Crüe two months ago at Myth nightclub, I agree it was hard to get excited. That gig was more straight-ahead and not such a circus-like spectacle, which this one quickly became as they opened with a pyro-filled "Dr. Feelgood" and brought out caged strippers for "Wild Side."
J.B.: They had as much pyro as Kiss did opening for Aerosmith three years ago at Target Center. I thought the way-drunk dude in front of us in the Nickelback T put on a better show than the Crüe. I loved his Chris Farley-like dancing, and his air-drum solo was the best I've ever witnessed -- in perfect cadence with Tommy Lee.
C.R.: At least Tommy isn't still spinning around upside down in the high-tech, gravity- and death-defying drum kits he used to own. That's one positive outcome of him doing fewer drugs nowadays.
J.B.: Anyway you look at it, the Crüe was as leaden as ever. At the ripe old age of 45, Vince Neil displayed a Meat Loaf-like physique, and he looked to be in worse shape than Bob Seger last week. And Seger's got 16 years on Vince. Plus, Mr. Sunset Strip kept ripping the crowd for not being loud enough.
C.R.: Vince is just bitter he can't sing anymore, as he painfully proved in the always over-powered ballad "Home Sweet Home."
My favorite comment came from bassist Nikki Sixx, noting this was their last U.S. date. "With us, who knows when we'll be back," he said. My guess is we'll be seeing more than enough of these guys in a year or so, when the movie of their semi-autobiography "The Dirt" opens.
J.B.: As soon as Aerosmith hit the stage, Steven Tyler showed more moves, more charisma and more fun in the first song than Vince did in 67 minutes. And heck, Tyler is 58 and as energetic and exciting as ever.
C.R.: I could've left after the opener "Toys in the Attic" and been happy -- happier than I was after sitting through the next batch of dim-witted songs, like "Rag Doll,"Love in an Elevator" and especially "What It Takes." They played way too many of their MTV-era hits early in the show.
J.B.: Hey, you came of age in the MTV era! "What It Takes" rocked like few arena ballads do. And I thought "Rag Doll" was cool the way Tyler connected with the crowd, singing mouth to mouth with a woman or two. I loved the big smiles and open-mouthed awe on the faces of the women who stood along the runway riveted by his every move and sweet emotion.
C.R.: OK, Mr. '70s. At least we can agree that the walloping one-two punch of "Sweet Emotion" and "Draw the Line" -- and the knockout encore of "Walk This Way" -- was one of the best finishes at a concert this year.
Jon Bream • 612-673-1719 • Chris Riemenschneider • 612-673-4658 • popmusic@startribune.com
Photo Gallery: (here)
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