I went to see Aerosmith last night. I know, some of you will laugh and tell you that you are wrong. Aerosmith was amazing. Without a doubt it was one of the best concerts I have seen. It was the type of show that reminds you what rock is about. It was like riding a vibrating music cloud for two hours and I loved it.Going to the concert also meant that I could add one more band to my "Stadium List". The Stadium List is a collection of bands that have been known to rock stadium-sized venues. The bands on my list come from the era when stadium shows were on the rise. The list to date includes:
Madonna - January 1991
Rolling Stones - December 1994
U2 - June 1997
Bon Jovi - July 2009
AC DC - August 2009
Aerosmith - August 17, 2010!
I had missed two previous opportunities to see Aerosmith so when the tickets were announced for the Toronto show I was on them fast. Even more amazing to get to see the show at all because of the mad rumors flying around this winter about Steven Tyler leaving the band. But it looks like the universe was on my side and the show was meant to be. And what a show.
It's amazing how well Steven Tyler has kept his voice and, at 62, he continues to be a charismatic rockstar. He even recovered well from a (unintentional) stage dive! Joe Perry brought the old school guitar god to the stage with skill and humor. He even had a section when he battled his own Guitar Hero persona. Once again the band shows how to remain relevant and accessible to a new generation while still maintaining their position as artists.
Yes, Aerosmith are artists and the concert showed me how much of that is lacking in current music trends. The staging was not overly elaborate and there were no crazy costumes. The band played a solid collection of hits with incredible verve and even made the in-between sections dynamic (you know, those moments when the singer needs a break? Or they play something "new and different"?) There is a reason these guys have become rock icons.
In the end it was exactly as I could have hoped. While our seats were up in the far bleachers we had a marvelous view of the full stage. The light rigging was expansive and we couldn't get any decent photos on the iphone because the lights were TOO bright and swirling everywhere. The entire experience made me think about the staying power of certain bands. Aerosmith released their first album the year I was born. My mother listened to them in the early years and I was part of the 90s youth that supported their resurgence. If I look at my "Stadium List" I see bands that have played for decades and have been able to attact an audience across generations.
Who do we have now that our kids will get to see?
Who will be playing in 2030 and we will be able to laugh at our children and say "Yeah, I saw them. They're good."
1 comment:
Okay, I am completely jealous right now. I have tried to see them several times now. Twice they came right around my due date for both my kids. So a no go on seeing them. Then when I was free and clear Steven Tyler wrecked his knee at another show. Then they cancelled due to throat issues and again due to rehab. Not that I am tracking this like an obessed fan or anything. Now they are coming again and I am excited, it is sold out though. I do however have a legal way of getting last minute tickets, but the tickets are $200.00 a piece. That is a pretty expensive concert even by my stadium standards. I like your list by the way. My son and Kevin went to see ACDC in 2009 in our outdoor stadium and it had a thunder and lightening show throught most of it. Ironically the coolest parts were through Hells Bells and Thunderstruck. I don't think he will ever forget it. He also went to see Iron Maiden this past summer. It is pretty sad that my 12 year olds stadium concert tally is about half of what mine is right now, but at least I know he has a long way to go to catch up to his father.
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