ATLANTIC CITY, NJ—With summer officially winding down, folks who decided to spend Labor Day weekend in Atlantic City might have made plans to see one of the best shows of the summer. Aerosmith was the headliner and Slash and Myles Kennedy And The Conspirators was the opener. Rock and roll was on the menu.
Slash and Kennedy were good from the start on “You’re A Lie,” but things seemed to elevate when they played the Guns N’ Roses cover, “Nightrain.” Kennedy really opened up his voice and Slash’s solo showed off his speed.
Another GNR favorite, “You Could Be Mine” was as smooth as silk but an original song, “World On Fire,” had an interesting guitar intro and solid vocals. The band was good and they closed out the show with “Sweet Child O’Mine,” “Slither” (Velvet Revolver), and GNR hit, “Paradise City.”
Aerosmith seem ageless and their stage setup included a long catwalk, side corners for onstage fans and perches for the band members, plus the best lighting and biggest HD jumbotron you could ever imagine.
When the show opened up with “Train Kept A-Rollin’,” Steven Tyler and Joe Perry were at the end of the catwalk much to the delight of fans with seats closely and the rest of the band was back on the stage.
“Eat With The Rich,” “Love In An Elevator” and “Cryin’” got the crowd going. There was never a dull moment in this show and the crowd had fans from the ’70s and many of their sons and daughters.
“Livin’ On The Edge” was solid but “Kings And Queens” was extraordinary. On that tune, lead guitarist Brad Whitford killed it on his solo. On “Jaded,” Tyler, who was rocking some amazing tribal tattoos on his arm, checked his watch to see how long he held a note. His birth certificate might say 66 years, but he seems much younger when performing.
“Same Old Song And Dance,” “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” and “Come Together” stood out, but “Walk This Way” took the show to a new level. Joey Kramer’s drumming really stood out on that one.
To say the band made an impact on the first encore, “Dream On,” was an understatement. Complete with smoke, Tyler came up alone, at the end of the catwalk, and he was playing his white piano as it was rising from the floor. He started that song and then Perry and the rest of the band took over. Tom Hamilton’s bass playing was terrific but the ever-changing LED display on his instrument was something to behold. Perry was walking up steps next to the piano and then on top, and when he exited, Tyler was on top of the piano singing and whipping around his mic stand.
The band closed out with “Sweet Emotion.” Everybody was jamming at the end of the catwalk, save Kramer, and everywhere else. The videographer had trouble keeping up with the veteran band. Perry had a solo that might rank as one of the best of all time. He was leaning against some 1970s-looking speakers, stains included, as he cranked out the notes with gusto. Then he proceeded to take of his vest and whip his guitar with it. Heat was rising off his head and the guitar fell down. He left the stage to get another guitar.
When the song ended after all the confetti fell and forced smoke shot through the air, Tyler and Perry thanked the crowd—something you almost never see. A lot of f-bombs were dropped by the lead singer during the show, but he said this was the best show of the tour up to this point.
The whole show was very interactive, people on the side stage sung on mic with Tyler and he kissed a few girls in the audience. If you want to see a rock show that kicks ass, then this should be at the top of your list.
