Steven Tyler and the boys pushed it to the edge Friday night with a no-holds-barred, smoke-”em-if-you-got-”em, everybody-must-party show that rocked Konocti Field Amphitheater like it”s never been rocked before!
Five thousand screaming fans welcomed Aerosmith to the stage at 8:21 p.m. for a full two-hour, interactive, ear-blistering, sold-out performance that rocked straight to the bone.
Tyler, Joe Perry (guitar), Brad Whitford (guitar), Tom Hamilton (bass) and Joey Kramer (drums) hit the stage with their 1989 No. 1 single, “Love in an Elevator” getting the crowd pumped up from the gate. Tyler in his tight, sexy, rocker pants that still drive the girls crazy and Perry in his signature sailor”s hat were livin” it up and lightin” it up on the stage with the rest of the boys falling in suit behind.
Without even stopping to breathe, Aerosmith blazed into the first track off of its second album, “Get Your Wings;” but the “Same Old Song and Dance” wasn”t what the crowd was getting Friday night at Konocti. Not a glimpse of the rock-?til-you-drop concert escaped unseen. Along with Konocti Amphitheater”s standard monitors on each side of the stage, a giant wide screen monitor was positioned behind the performers. The two cameramen on stage exhausted themselves as they scrambled to catch every move made with every note delivered during the performance.
The volume of the crowd tipped the scales when actress Alicia Silverstone flashed on the big screen and that ever so familiar riff echoed from the Aerosmith guitars signifying the pending delivery of one of the band”s most acclaimed songs, “Cryin.” The video, which features Silverstone rebelling from a rocky relationship, earned three MTV video awards in 1994 including Best Video of the Year, the Viewer”s Choice award and the video music award for Best Group Video. When the song was over, Tyler handed over his harmonica to a lucky fan sitting in the second row.
Tyler”s interaction with the audience was amazing. He made sure that everybody from the front row to the last row, high above in the bleachers, was having fun and engaged in the party Aerosmith so easily ignites. Tyler had no trouble bridging the gap between fans, age 7 to 70, though some of the younger, less experienced fans rocked themselves to sleep before the night was through.
After turning the crowd into a frenzy of head-banging maniacs with “Eat the Rich” (off of the 1993-released album “Get A Grip”), Kramer shared his love with his fans and tossed a pair of drumsticks out into the melee of people. The pace then dropped a notch and the band led into “I Don”t Want to Miss a Thing,” from the “Armageddon” soundtrack and movie that starred Tyler”s first-born daughter, Liv.
Tyler”s second-born little girl, Mia, was in the audience at Konocti. He introduced her to his fans when they finished up on “Jaded,” giving a shout out for her upcoming book. He said that Mia requested the next song. “She said ?Daddy if you play anything for those people in Kelseyville, play this one”,” he explained. The song ? Mia”s favorite as well as this reporter”s ? was No. 1 on the charts in 1990. “What it Takes” was released in 1989 on “Pump,” an album that went seven-times platinum.
Tyler”s child was not the only offspring present for the show. Fans got an extra treat when Tyler introduced Graham Whitford, son of guitarist Brad Whitford. “The rock doesn”t fall too far from the tree,” he said as the 16-year-old guitarist joined the band on stage. Young Whitford then engaged in a guitar duo with his father in a song that the senior Whitfield composed the riff for in 1976, “Last Child.”
A blue haze enveloped the stage and Tyler positioned himself in the center on his knees. Suitably, with his trusty harmonica, he led into a song from the 2004 album “Honkin” on Bobo,” called “Baby, Please Don”t Go.”
Perry then grabbed his acoustic guitar and the band then took it back a bit to 1987 and its ninth studio album, “Permanent Vacation,” singing “Woa boy, don”t you lie on the track!” ? a familiar lyric of “Hangman Jury.”
The set continued with “Seasons of Wither” from the “Get Your Wings” album, which released in 1974. Then Tyler said “Let”s take it back to 1976″ and the band played the timeless Aerosmith classic “Dream On,” ? the band”s first single to top the charts. Although the song first debuted in 1973, it wasn”t until 1976 that it reached No. 6 on the Pop Singles chart.
The set rounded out with five more songs including “S.O.S. Too Bad” from “Get Your Wings;” 1993”s No. 1 Mainstream Rock Track and Grammy award-winning song “Livin” on the Edge;” “Stop Messin” Around” off of “Honkin” on Bobo;” third album hit “Sweet Emotion;” and the title track from 1977”s “Draw the Line.”
During “Sweet Emotion,” Perry livened things up by playing his guitar remotely through the antenna on his sound box. He looked like a magician waving his hands above and around the antenna. His creativity shone in “Draw the Line” during which he beat his guitar with his shirt, sending metallic confetti flying with every slap. Then he played it with Kramer”s drumsticks.
Aerosmith”s encore Friday night was preceded by a cartoon video depicting the devil taking a joy ride in a muscle car. The devil was rocking out listening to Aerosmith tunes when he came upon the exit for Kelseyville. The band then returned for one more song and closed the night out with “Walk This Way.”
Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearelakeobserver.com.
