Aerosmith isn't a Motley bunch
The Leader-Post, Regina, Canada
December 14, 2006
CALGARY -- It was hard not to wonder if slightly long-in-the-tooth arena rockers Aerosmith were still a formidable live band, or it just seemed so because they followed Motley Crue during the pairing's double headline bill at the Pengrowth Saddledome on Monday night.
Billed as the Route Of All Evil tour, Motley's harshest evil is on that of unplugged ears. Wailing like a wounded moose, Vince Neil remains one of the lousiest live singers in rock, and his cohorts Nikki Sixx, Mick Mars and the infamous Tommy Lee (the fourth and fifth member of the band) remain the loosest live band in '80s metal. Still one has to marvel: After all, never has anyone gone so far for so long with so little.
For those of you who attended the group's headlining show at the Brandt Centre earlier this year . . . it wasn't an off night. The Crue is nothing if not consistent in their supreme lousiness. On the last night of two years on the road. the group's finale was more welcome than Cher's final show of her third Farewell tour.
Aerosmith?
Different deal altogether. The Beantown heroes led by the former toxic twins of rock and roll, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, are a real rock band -- a musical abnormality during the latter days of calendar year 2006.
Aerosmith can't sell any records anymore and some might even say they haven't written a great song since they've been clean and sober (not such a great endorsement when it comes to the creative process), but they can still fill a stadium like a day off -- and with good reason.
Monday evening's show and, indeed, this entire tour has become a lesson in perseverance. Tyler has recovered from throat trouble which led to the group's last tour being cancelled. Perry has recovered from a concussion after getting beaned in the head by a camera during a show last month in Las Vegas, and bassist Tom Hamilton is recovering at home from throat cancer while David Hull fills his oversized shoes admirably on this tour.
And there they are . . . still rockin'!
As someone who began the evening as a skeptical observer, it was difficult to remain inconspicuous while air-guitar-ing my way through the rip-roaring set opener "Toys In The Attic." Absolutely killer!
Sometimes it seems like there's no such thing as showmanship in rock and roll anymore and truly great frontmen are few and far between. To a lesser extent, Tyler and Perry are the American equivalent to Jagger and Richards -- and they've been at it almost as long. Plus, Perry is coherent.
Tyler commands the stage in a natural comfort zone that seems more addictive than any drug he may have consumed during his time as one of rock and roll's ultimate bad boys.
He danced and pranced, pouted and preened up and down the catwalks of a well-lit but clean stage, working his trademark scarf-covered microphone stand and belting out the rock classics as well as the radio pablum and dreaded power ballads. You have to play to those who came and paid, but Tyler can even rock the most overwrought radio sap.
The group hit all the right notes during crowd favourites such as "Love In An Elevator" and "Cryin' " but was at its best during bluesy stompers in the form of "Walkin' The Dog" and especially "Baby Please Don't Go."
You knew even better was yet to come, but "Sweet Emotion," "Dream On" (my own personal highlight) and "Walk This Way" were an early Christmas gift for the 17,000 rabid fans in attendance.
Sometimes you can go back -- if only for a little while.
December 14, 2006
CALGARY -- It was hard not to wonder if slightly long-in-the-tooth arena rockers Aerosmith were still a formidable live band, or it just seemed so because they followed Motley Crue during the pairing's double headline bill at the Pengrowth Saddledome on Monday night.
Billed as the Route Of All Evil tour, Motley's harshest evil is on that of unplugged ears. Wailing like a wounded moose, Vince Neil remains one of the lousiest live singers in rock, and his cohorts Nikki Sixx, Mick Mars and the infamous Tommy Lee (the fourth and fifth member of the band) remain the loosest live band in '80s metal. Still one has to marvel: After all, never has anyone gone so far for so long with so little.
For those of you who attended the group's headlining show at the Brandt Centre earlier this year . . . it wasn't an off night. The Crue is nothing if not consistent in their supreme lousiness. On the last night of two years on the road. the group's finale was more welcome than Cher's final show of her third Farewell tour.
Aerosmith?
Different deal altogether. The Beantown heroes led by the former toxic twins of rock and roll, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, are a real rock band -- a musical abnormality during the latter days of calendar year 2006.
Aerosmith can't sell any records anymore and some might even say they haven't written a great song since they've been clean and sober (not such a great endorsement when it comes to the creative process), but they can still fill a stadium like a day off -- and with good reason.
Monday evening's show and, indeed, this entire tour has become a lesson in perseverance. Tyler has recovered from throat trouble which led to the group's last tour being cancelled. Perry has recovered from a concussion after getting beaned in the head by a camera during a show last month in Las Vegas, and bassist Tom Hamilton is recovering at home from throat cancer while David Hull fills his oversized shoes admirably on this tour.
And there they are . . . still rockin'!
As someone who began the evening as a skeptical observer, it was difficult to remain inconspicuous while air-guitar-ing my way through the rip-roaring set opener "Toys In The Attic." Absolutely killer!
Sometimes it seems like there's no such thing as showmanship in rock and roll anymore and truly great frontmen are few and far between. To a lesser extent, Tyler and Perry are the American equivalent to Jagger and Richards -- and they've been at it almost as long. Plus, Perry is coherent.
Tyler commands the stage in a natural comfort zone that seems more addictive than any drug he may have consumed during his time as one of rock and roll's ultimate bad boys.
He danced and pranced, pouted and preened up and down the catwalks of a well-lit but clean stage, working his trademark scarf-covered microphone stand and belting out the rock classics as well as the radio pablum and dreaded power ballads. You have to play to those who came and paid, but Tyler can even rock the most overwrought radio sap.
The group hit all the right notes during crowd favourites such as "Love In An Elevator" and "Cryin' " but was at its best during bluesy stompers in the form of "Walkin' The Dog" and especially "Baby Please Don't Go."
You knew even better was yet to come, but "Sweet Emotion," "Dream On" (my own personal highlight) and "Walk This Way" were an early Christmas gift for the 17,000 rabid fans in attendance.
Sometimes you can go back -- if only for a little while.
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