The star-studded lineup was full of some late surprises
After more than three years away from performing a full concert together, legendary rock band Aerosmith made a spectacular return to the stage Thursday night (October 29) at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. Billed as California, Dream On: Aerosmith & Friends, the historic evening brought together an extraordinary collection of rock royalty, including Guns N’ Roses, The Black Crowes, Heart, Billy Idol, Sammy Hagar, Warren Haynes, and several surprise guests. What unfolded was far more than an ordinary comeback concert. It was a celebration of Aerosmith’s remarkable 55-year legacy, culminating in an emotional reunion of the band’s five classic members and a performance that many fans feared they might never see again.
The significance of the evening was impossible to overlook. Aerosmith had been forced to abandon their Peace Outfarewell tour in September 2023 after frontman Steven Tyler suffered a serious vocal injury, including a fractured larynx. In August 2024, the band announced its retirement from touring, raising serious questions about whether the legendary Boston rockers would ever perform together again. Thursday’s concert answered that question emphatically. Tyler reunited with guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford, bassist Tom Hamilton, and eventually founding drummer Joey Kramer, delivering an unforgettable finale to an evening filled with Aerosmith classics, unexpected collaborations, and emotional moments.
Comedian Bill Burr served as host for the evening, while legendary producer Don Was oversaw the musical proceedings. A formidable house band featuring musicians including Nuno Bettencourt, Kenny Aronoff, Chad Smith, Andrew Watt, and Mike Inez provided backing for several of the guest performances. The opening portion of the show functioned as a tribute to Aerosmith’s influence, with each performer putting their own distinctive stamp on selections from the band’s extensive catalog.
Perhaps the biggest surprise was Dave Grohl’s appearance behind the drums for Aerosmith’s first five songs. Although Grohl is best known today as the frontman of Foo Fighters, his history as Nirvana’s drummer made him a particularly fitting choice to power Aerosmith’s comeback. His thunderous drumming provided the foundation for the band’s opening run through “Toys in the Attic,” “Back in the Saddle,” and “Sweet Emotion.” Tyler even joked about Grohl’s eagerness to participate, recounting how the musician had called him insisting he wanted to be involved, only to jokingly suggest he would rather serve as a roadie.
Another standout moment came during “Dream On.” Tyler’s ability to perform the demanding ballad carried particular significance given the vocal injury that had brought Aerosmith’s farewell tour to a premature end. Seated at a white grand piano before eventually standing atop it, Tyler delivered a dramatic rendition of the song, with swirling fog adding to the atmosphere. His performance was an encouraging indication that, despite the challenges of recent years, he could still summon the vocal power and theatrical presence that made him one of rock’s most recognizable frontmen.
Johnny Depp’s surprise appearance for “Train Kept A-Rollin'” added another memorable chapter to the evening. Already familiar with Joe Perry through their work together in Hollywood Vampires, Depp joined the guitarists for a spirited performance of a song that has remained central to Aerosmith’s live history for decades.
However, the most emotional moment came during the closing number, “Walk This Way.” Before the finale, Tyler acknowledged the band’s remarkable history together, reflecting on more than five decades alongside Perry, Whitford, Hamilton, and Kramer. When Kramer emerged to take his place behind the drum kit, it marked his first live appearance with Aerosmith since February 2020. With assistance from John Douglas, the drummer rejoined his bandmates for the band’s signature funk-rock anthem, providing a symbolic reunion of Aerosmith’s classic lineup. As confetti filled the Hollywood Bowl and fireworks illuminated the sky, the moment felt like a fitting conclusion to one of the most significant nights in the band’s recent history.
Guns N’ Roses also delivered one of the evening’s most compelling performances. Rather than relying on the familiar Aerosmith song “Mama Kin,” which Guns N’ Roses famously covered early in their career, Axl Rose and company selected three deeper cuts that they had not previously performed live as a band. Their versions of “Nobody’s Fault,” “Last Child,” and “Seasons of Wither” demonstrated the profound influence Aerosmith had on their development. The relationship between the bands stretches back decades, including Aerosmith’s 1988 Permanent Vacation tour, when Guns N’ Roses served as an opening act during its rapid rise to international stardom. After the tribute portion of the set, the band unleashed “Welcome to the Jungle” and “Paradise City,” providing a thunderous lead-in to Aerosmith’s return.
The Black Crowes were equally appropriate participants, having opened for Aerosmith on the ill-fated Peace Out tour in 2023. Their five-song set emphasized the blues-rock foundations that connect the two bands, particularly with the selections “Combination,” “No More No More,” and “Chip Away the Stone.” Meanwhile, Heart’s rendition of “Janie’s Got a Gun,” Sammy Hagar’s explosive take on “Draw the Line,” and Billy Idol’s performance of “Livin’ on the Edge” illustrated the extraordinary range of artists influenced by Aerosmith’s music.
In the end, California, Dream On: Aerosmith & Friends was more than a concert. It was a celebration of survival, friendship, influence, and one of the most enduring catalogs in rock history. For a band whose future appeared uncertain following Steven Tyler’s injury and the cancellation of its farewell tour, returning to the stage with such an extraordinary lineup of friends and collaborators represented a remarkable achievement. Aerosmith’s own six-song performance may have been relatively brief, but it delivered nearly everything fans could have hoped for: the unmistakable guitar interplay of Joe Perry and Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton’s foundational bass work, Tyler’s theatrical vocals, a surprise appearance by Johnny Depp, Dave Grohl behind the drums, and, most importantly, the long-awaited return of Joey Kramer.
Whether these Hollywood Bowl performances ultimately represent Aerosmith’s final chapter or the beginning of another unexpected phase remains to be seen. The band is scheduled to return to the venue on Sunday, November 1, for the second installment of the celebration. For now, Thursday night’s performance stands as a significant milestone: a reunion that once seemed unlikely, an all-star tribute to one of America’s greatest rock bands, and a reminder of why Aerosmith’s music continues to resonate more than half a century after the group first came together.
“Before we say goodnight, I just wanna say what a ride it’s been with my brothers,” Steven Tyler said at the end of the set. “Joe, Tom, Brad, and Joey – Fifty-five fuckin’ years, and we’re the same fuckin’ band that started Fifty-five-and-a-half fuckin’ years ago!”
SETLIST OUTLINE
House Band (Rotating)
- Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme) — Guitar
- Andrew Watt — Guitar
- Don Was — Bass/Musical Director
- Mike Inez (Alice In Chains) — Bass
- Kenny Aronoff — Drums
- Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers) — Drums
1. “Make It” — Sully Erna (Godsmack)
2. “Lightning Strikes” — Sully Erna (Godsmack)
3. “Lord of the Thighs” — Warren Haynes (Gov’t Mule, The Allman Brothers Band)
4. “Walkin’ the Dog” — Warren Haynes
5. “Livin’ on the Edge” — Billy Idol and Steve Stevens
6. “Draw the Line” — Sammy Hagar
7. “Helter Skelter” — Sammy Hagar
8. “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)” — Heart
9. “Janie’s Got a Gun” — Heart
10. “Rag Doll” — Eric Church
11. “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” — Eric Church
12. “Let the Music Do the Talking” — The Black Crowes
13. “Write Me a Letter” — The Black Crowes
14. “Combination” — The Black Crowes
15. “No More No More” — The Black Crowes
16. “Chip Away the Stone” — The Black Crowes
17. “Nobody’s Fault” — Guns N’ Roses
18. “Last Child” — Guns N’ Roses
19. “Seasons of Wither” — Guns N’ Roses
20. “Welcome to the Jungle” — Guns N’ Roses
21. “Paradise City” — Guns N’ Roses
Aerosmith
- Steven Tyler — Vocals
- Joe Perry — Guitar
- Brad Whitford — Guitar
- Tom Hamilton — Bass
- Joey Kramer — Drums
- Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana) — Additional Drums
- John Douglas — Additional Drums
22. “Toys in the Attic” — Aerosmith
23. “Back in the Saddle” — Aerosmith
24. “Sweet Emotion” — Aerosmith
25. “Dream On” — Aerosmith
26. “Train Kept A-Rollin'” — Aerosmith
27. “Walk This Way” — Aerosmith
