Aerosmith Kick Off Peace Out Farewell Tour with Epic Show in Philadelphia

The band’s latest tour follows the absence of original drummer Joey Kramer and Steven Tyler’s addiction treatment

Aerosmith comes to terms with the bang.

The rock band kicked off their Peace Out Farewell Tour in Philadelphia on Saturday at the Wells Fargo Center. During the concert, the group consisting of Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Tom Hamilton and Brad Whitford brought high energy and fan service to the arena, playing a long string of hits and reflecting on their career spanning more than 50 decades.

Just before the concert, which marked the Grammy winners’ 40th concert in Philadelphia, a large screen that descended over the triangular stage showed retrospective footage of their history, from interviews with Run DMC, Slash and Mark Wahlberg to appearances on Wayne’s World and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Aerosmith opening the Peace Out tour in Philadelphia.

Aaron Perry

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Tyler, 75, who was dressed in a long, silver-striped jacket, sleeveless shirt, black-brimmed hat and black and red pants with eyes printed on the back, gave a dynamic performance as he strutted across the stage with a microphone stand in hand.

His stamina never wavered, he performed more than 16 songs throughout the set, including “Sweet Emotion,” “Livin’ on the Edge,” “Cryin'” and “I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing,” before ended with “Toys in the Attic”, during which giant balloons descended from the ceiling.

While the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer belted out his hits, they also took a few moments to share anecdotes from their illustrious past.

Aerosmith Peace Out Tour.

Aaron Perry

Perry, 72, spoke about the significance of one of the guitars he played on tour. He said it belonged to the late Jeff Beck, who played guitar for the English band The Yardbirds and who died aged 78 in January. He told the crowd that Beck’s wife, Sandra Beck, told him, “Why don’t you take one of his guitars? It will keep Jeff’s memory alive.”

Tyler also talked about how the group wrote their iconic song “Walk This Way.” Sitting with Perry on chairs at the edge of the stage, he said the guitarist dozed off that day — pantomiming that he was smoking marijuana — and started playing something, even though he was in a daze. “He starts playing a few phrases and I start singing — and the rest is history,” Tyler said.

Aerosmith Peace Out tour opener in Philadelphia.

Aaron Perry

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Returning to the stage for the encore, Tyler, who changed into a silky shirt and a Hawaiian lei, referenced the wildfires in Maui and sang “Dream On” from a white baby grand piano at the edge of the stage. Then, for the final song, they sang “Walk This Way,” as confetti blew through the Wells Fargo Center.

“It’s good to be back in Philly,” shouted the frontman before exiting the stage.

The last performance of the rock legends continues until the beginning of 2024, and is scheduled to visit 40 North American cities. The show also features The Black Crowes as special guests.

The tour comes as original drummer Joey Kramer has stepped down from performing with the group.

Aerosmith Peace Out tour opener in Philadelphia.

Aaron Perry

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Kramer, 73, first announced he was taking a “temporary leave” in March 2022 and decided to stay on at the band’s Deuces Are Wild residency in Las Vegas. Shortly after the announcement, his wife Linda, to whom he had been married for 13 years, died at the age of 55 in June 2022.

Aerosmith shared a statement about his absence when they first announced the farewell shows. In a press release, they said: “While Joey Kramer remains a beloved founding member of Aerosmith, he has unfortunately made the decision to postpone his currently planned tour dates in order to focus his full attention on his family and health. Joey’s unmistakable and legendary presence behind the drum set will be sorely missed.”

Drummer John Douglas has replaced the original Aerosmith member for the time being.

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Peace Out also follows Tyler’s recent addiction treatment. After revealing that the “Sweet Emotion” singer had returned from foot surgery, the band canceled eight shows of its May 2022 Deuces Are Wild residency in Las Vegas.

“As many of you know, our beloved brother Steven has been working on his sobriety for years,” the band announced at the time. “After having foot surgery to prepare for the stage and needing pain relief during the process, his illness recently returned and he voluntarily entered a treatment program to focus on his health and recovery.”

The band finally went on to play Vegas shows at the Dolby Live Theater at Park MGM from September to November 2022.

Peace Out marks Aerosmith’s longest running concert series and the first official tour since Aero-Vederci Baby! Tour in 2017 and 2018.

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Source: HIS Education