8B - The Michigan Daily WeekerM Magazine - Thursday, February 12, 1998
Tyler, Aerosmith
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The Michigan Daily Weekeni Mag;
'Walk
This
Way
at Palace spectacle
In a style that seemed to exemplify
images of '70s rock 'n' roll bands
playing stadium concerts that blew
both the minds and the ears of their
fans, Aerosmith completely rocked
the near-capacity crowd at the Palace
of Auburn Hills on Tuesday night.
It's somewhat ironic that the band
opened its show with the title track
from its latest album, "9 Lives." In
many ways, the song seemed to sum
up the band's long and complicated
career. After fizzling out in the late
'70s because of members' prolonged
drug use, the band returned to the
spotlight in 1987 with the album
"Permanent Vacation," which was
then followed by the multiplatinum
sellers "Pump" and "Get A Grip."
In the 10 years since "Permanent
Vacation"'s release, the band that
defined glam rock in the '70s sur-
vived hard rock musicians' transition
from make-up, hair spray and spandex
to baggy jeans and nappy hair. But
despite this change, this band hasn't
altered its look or playing style.
Aerosmith has also prolonged, and
perhaps redefined, the genre of music
videos starring sexy young models,
great diversity of
Aerosmi th 's
audiences. Last
night, there was-
definitely a solid Aerosmith
showing on the The Palace of
part of thir- Auburn Hills
tysomethings Feb. 10, 1998
trying to relive
the concerts of
their youth.
There was also
an older, more.
conservative
crowd. But what
really seemed to
demonstrate the band's long-lasting
appeal, perhaps more so than the
enthusiasm of older generations, were
the hordes of screaming teenagers -
a type of crowd that always seems to
hover around a band with recent com-
mercial success. Aerosmith fulfilled
audience members' desires by playing
not only the old-school songs that
defined its sound, but mixed these t
with the new hits that have helped to
reinvent and prolong the band's career.
After a dramatic opening, the band
kicked into high gear with a rousingt
rendition of "Love in an Elevator." I
This produced a tremendous uproarl
from the audience members, who 1
shook their fists in unison with the
downbeat of the drums. During the t
first half of the show, Aerosmith pri-
marily performed songs spawned 1
from its late-'80s second coming,
which included the upbeat "Livin' on
the Edge" and "Rag Doll," as well asi
the power balled "Angel," during
which the Palace was engulfed by a i
sea of cigarette lighters.
The band's powerful stage presence
was clear from the beginning of the
show. Steve Tyler's onstage antics,<
along with the trademark scarves 1
around his phallic microphone, were 1
truly a spectacle. His vivid persona,
combined with guitarist Joe Perry'st
hard-edged guitar riffs, helped the 1
band own the stage. A pyrotechnic t
laser-light show also increased the
intensity of the band's performance.i
A long blues riff in the middlerof the
set preceded the second half of the"
show. In this half, Aerosmith playedI
three signature tunes from its early
years -- "Back in the Saddle," "Walk z
This Way" and the legendary track
"Dream On." Maybe the words of the
this song are true for Aerosmith: Since
the release of this song the years have
gone by "like dusk to dawn." But that
hasn't stopped the band from being
able to bring down the house with this
tune. Upon reaching the final climactic
chorus, the light fixtures erupted in a he still received a standing ovation.
fury of orange sparks, filling the arena When Nugent left the stage,
with light and smoke. Aerosmith once again slowed it down
In this half of the set, the band and performed "What it Takes" before
impressively intertwined older songs another multitude of lighters. To close
with some of its newer material, out the show, the band played "Sweet
including its most recent hit, "Pink," Emotion," another signature tune that
which garnered just as much approval has become a feel-good rock anthem.
from the audience as did the older Aerosmith's concert was perhaps
songs. The band than closed out the the ideal rock 'n' roll show. The band
set with "Dude Looks Like a Lady." achieved its desired measure of suc-
Aerosmith then left the stage amid the cess: a filled stadium crowd on its feet
howls of a crowd begging for more. for the whole night, held captive by
After a brief interlude the band every note. While the band shows
returned to the stage, and in what was similarities to predecessors such as
perhaps the biggest surprise of the the Rolling Stones, The Who and Led
night, Ted Nugent joined the band on Zeppelin, the band members produced
stage. Together they performed a rous- a show that was entirely their own.
ing rendition of the blues classic Having survived the pitfalls that usu-
"Walk the Dog." Despite the numer- ally bring rock bands to their knees,
ous years that have elapsed since Aerosmith proved that it truly does
Nugent was at theapeak c Fas careo , have 9:,ives.>
foot reptile.
Tyler streaks
ages to perform
heroin.
Clockwise from top left:
* Steven Tyler of Aerosmith perfoi
* Joe Perry (foreground) and the r
show at the Palace.
* Tyler thrusts his hips at everythii
by onstage. Despite
as if this was still tl
Photos by Warre