Only Slash and Duff McKagan were previously slated to perform
After previously announcing Slash and Duff McKagan as special guests, Aerosmith have now confirmed that the full lineup Guns N’ Roses will now take the stage for their comeback concerts in Los Angeles later this month.
“Aerosmith & Friends just got a little louder,” the band said in a statement. “Excited to share that our special friends, Guns N’ Roses, will be joining us for these iconic nights at the Bowl!”
Check out the updated lineup poster below, plus a link to grab tickets.
Aerosmith and Guns N’ Roses share a long history that dates back to the summer of 1988, when Guns N’ Roses joined Aerosmith as the opening act on their Permanent Vacation Tour. At the time, Aerosmith was enjoying a major career resurgence behind its 1987 album Permanent Vacation, while Guns N’ Roses was rapidly becoming one of the biggest bands in rock following the release of its debut album, Appetite for Destruction. The two groups toured together from July 20 through September 15, 1988, performing at arenas and amphitheaters across North America, including Giants Stadium in New Jersey, where footage of Guns N’ Roses performing was used in the music video for “Paradise City.” Aerosmith had been a major influence on Guns N’ Roses, particularly Slash, whose blues-driven guitar style was heavily inspired by Joe Perry. Despite their musical similarities, the bands were living very different lifestyles, as Aerosmith had recently embraced sobriety while Guns N’ Roses was still notorious for its hard partying. Their run together concluded on September 15 in Costa Mesa, California, when Axl Rose and Slash joined Aerosmith onstage for “Mama Kin,” a song Guns N’ Roses had previously covered.
More than 25 years later, the musicians reunited on the road in 2014 when Aerosmith launched its Let Rock Rule Tour, featuring Slash with Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators as the opening act. The North American trek ran from July 10 through September 12, with Slash occasionally joining Aerosmith onstage to perform “Mama Kin.” The tour reinforced the longstanding friendship and mutual admiration between the musicians, particularly Slash and Joe Perry. Although Aerosmith and Guns N’ Roses never embarked on another full tour together with their classic lineups, their relationship has endured for nearly four decades. That connection is set to continue later this month when Aerosmith performs two special concerts at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on October 29 and November 1, with Slash and Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan among the announced guests. The performances will celebrate a musical relationship that began when Aerosmith helped introduce Guns N’ Roses to arena audiences in 1988, bringing together two generations of rock icons whose influence continues to resonate throughout the genre.
Out of all the big-time special guests, perhaps the most welcomed surprise is the return of drummer Joey Kramer to the Aerosmith lineup. Kramer retired from the road just before the band announced their final trek, but is now featured in the band’s new promo photo for their upcoming gigs. Given the fact that this is a two-show event, and not a full-fledged tour out on the road, it’s no surprise that Joey has come out of retirement to share the stage with his Aerosmith bandmates one last time.
While these two exclusive sets are surely going to be jam-packed with some of the band’s biggest hits, there is still the chance that Aerosmith could surprise us. Despite performing for over five decades, there’s still quite a few songs that the band has never played live. Maybe they’ll pull one or two songs from this list out of the Attic and let them see the lights of a stage for the firs time – and the last time.
General tickets go on sale this Saturday, October 10 at 10am PDT. Citi cardmembers will have access to pre-sale tickets beginning today, Thursday October 8 until Friday October 9 at 10am PDT through the Citi Entertainment program. Additional pre-sales will run throughout the week.
The shows will also offer a variety of different VIP upgrades and experiences for fans to take their concert experience to the next level. Upgrades vary but include access to the pre-show Aerosmith VIP Lounge, limited edition Aerosmith jacket, specially designed VIP-exclusive T-shirt, early entry into the venue & more. VIP upgrade contents vary based on the offer selected.
Tickets will be available HERE