Warmaker's Aerosmith Fenway Park Review - 2022
Oct 8, 2022 20:17:54 GMT -5
AeroCooper, jj, and 12 more like this
Post by warmaker on Oct 8, 2022 20:17:54 GMT -5
(scroll to the very end for a 3-point summary)
Well, all right! I know I am late to the party as usual and the moment is probably gone now, nobody cares anymore, and this is going to be way too long, but I wanted to take some time and get a perspective. Especially so, that for me it was much more than just another Aerosmith concert. I am not American, so it was more of a journey, for both my body (I had to fly from Greenland to Iceland to Boston, damnit! ) and my mind (I went to Boston, Aerosmith hometown for their 50th Anniversary show! How amazing is this?!).
And then I got absolutely swallowed by work and couldn't get a quiet moment to write this down. But here goes...
First of all, and I need to say it right off the bat and I can't stress this enough: if you would just think of that - it was basically an unearthly experience. I mean, come on! Aerosmith concert in Boston for their 50th anniversary! (I know, 52nd, but anyway) It doesn't get any cooler than that!
Everything checks out in this sentence:
✓ Aerosmith
✓ concert
✓ in Boston
✓ 50th Anniversary
I think only a handful of their shows (and I care little about other bands' shows, but still don't think there would be many to compete) could possibly be as iconic, important, exciting and unique. Woodstock '94, NYE show in Osaka '99, Unplugged, MTV Icon come to mind, so it really doesn't get any better! So if I come across as a malcontent or a whiner at some points, I want to be crystal clear that this is the foundation for my whole "review". The whole endeavor has been mind-blowing and I will definitely always cherish this memory.
So, I've been checking out the Red Sox ticket page almost EVERY DAY FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS. I didn't have enough seniority in the fan-club (which, at this point, is a joke and a money grab) to purchase the tickets in the first hour when they went on sale in... 2019? And they were gone right away anyhow. So I kept looking and checking eBay or StubHub to see if anybody was selling. And every once in a while somebody would, but the price tag was just insane. $1,200 for a ticket? No way... I was also checking flights and how that would work with my work schedule etc etc, but I still didn't have the damn ticket. I was actually considering buying some cheap sector seat, but that's just so very not my style that I never did And so I almost gave up as it was only a few days left before the show and I still had no pit tickets.
Enter excitedelaine . At this point I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to Elaine who had a GA ticket, but eventually decided to go for a sector seat instead and offered to sell me her pit ticket for a regular price that she paid for it! That was so very kind. You are a star, Elaine. Without her offering me her ticket, none of this would have happened. It was a catalyst.
Aaaaaaand that was Tuesday evening Good thing is, I already had the flights worked out (remember kids: "plans are nothing, planning is everything") and just needed to actually book them and then get some place to rest my head. WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH HOTEL PRICES IN BOSTON?!?!!! There was basically nothing below $300 a night, and I was staying three nights. Not even AirBnB. Luckily, the HI hostel had a few beds left, but they were still $100 a night in a dorm. Jeez! At least it is sitting nicely in the city center (well, more or less). Wednesday early afternoon I landed in Boston. Hell yeah! It quickly turned out that due to some railway schedule disruptions, the city bike system is free to use. So I cycled around the city and I got to tell you - Boston is great! It might not be very high on the tourist destinations for Europeans but it's very very pleasant, not at all overwhelming city and well worth spending a few days there.
Anyway, after checking in and taking a breather, I cycled to Fenway. Just to see what's cookin', how's the venue layout, perhaps talk to some techs or maybe I would even see the boys. I also met with excitedelaine and then, when I finally got the ticket in hand, I felt it's really happening
I met some fellow fans hanging out around the venue, even a friend from Italy who, like me, came only for the show. It was a very nice surprise! But as there was not much going on really, I decided to visit 1325 Commonwealth Avenue, which was just a short ride away. I was kind of hoping there would be something happening there. You know, maybe a special mailbox where fans could throw in their wishes or greetings or last-minute setlist requests. Or somebody from the crew greeting fans and, I don't know, handing out guitar picks or some small souvenirs (I don't think many people went there anyway). But there was absolutely nothing of that kind (or any other), so I was slightly disappointed (although not really surprised, I guess), and instead I just enjoyed the shivers down my spine from being there for a while and then cycled back to the venue. When I got there, I saw five black SUVs and already knew what was it all about. We were waiting at the curb with a few other people when one of the chiefs of security came to us and asked us to please wait here and if the guys will wave and invite us over we can approach them, but otherwise they would like us not to get too close. It turns out they are just all very scared of covid still or perhaps they were told to be cautious by the management or somebody else. Steven, Joe, Brad and Tom were all there and actually left shortly after. The wouldn't have us come over, but waved and smiled at us (on a side note - it seems that M&G were held at a distance too). There was no Joey though, which got everybody down a little... even though it was kinda expected. But you know how hope can linger on...
Show day!
I reached the gates at 8:40 and was second in line. This other girl got there at 5AM - you gotta respect that!. I actually thought I would be already too late and far in line, but perhaps it's just different in Europe Anyway, we waited, chatted, took turns in running to a toilet or just around the venue, scouting etc etc etc. The line grew, although really slowly. More people started showing up, food trucks, more equipment rolling in... excitement grew.
At some point we were joined by AeroLisa (nice meeting you!) accompanied by her boyfriend. Even though he was not going to the concert, he still showed up to keep her company and provide food and other support! That's really cool of him
Again, I kinda hoped somebody from the crew would stop by, take a photo of die-hard fans that would be waiting for 10 or 12 hours in scorching sun (damn, it was HOT that day. And the GA gate was on the south side, so absolutely no shade whatsoever), have a chat. Damn, why not take the first 8 or 10 people that showed up there for a backstage venue tour? What would that cost anybody?! Nothing. How much would it mean to the fans? A lot. What message would it send? You can answer that yourselves...
Then, around 4PM I guess, a "tall guy, red hair, Aerosmith shirt with a photo of the band from the first album" stopped by to say hello. It was no other than aeronyc ! Hi again, man! It was so cool to meet yet another online friend/Aerosmith fan in real life. We were chatting and enjoying the good time, when suddenly, shortly before 5PM when the gates were supposed to open (for the regular crowd, the VIPs got in earlier), some guy approached us (those waiting in front of the gate) and said he got some spare pit tickets with VIP access to give away and asked if anybody was interested. And the funniest thing ever is... almost nobody was I have no idea what happened, but I think we were all just so surprised and baffled that we didn't really understand what was going on. Actually I think initially only aeronyc grabbed it and was gone in a flash, as the VIP tour already started
We were all like "WTF did just happen?"... And then I called this guy over and asked if I could have one VIP pass too. And I got it! Hey man, if you're reading this, I owe you big time!!!
I rushed inside, nobody even checked my bag, and it was all a little chaotic, as I didn't really know what did I actually get and what could I do with it
But we were told to go and wait around sector 40, as there would be a kind of M&G or more like Q&A with Tom. That sounded cool, but there were actually a lot of people and I was determined to be in the front row of the pit, so I decided to skip it. I went down to the area below the stalls and through one of the passages on to the field. Absolutely undisturbed by anybody. I walked around a little, went to check the PIT (I was told they are not letting people in just yet) and then I realized... I am the only fan there. The rest was the event staff/security. Screw it. I was just hanging around the platform where Tom was supposed to do the Q&A, looking up at all the people sitting and waiting for him and I was kinda like "alright, let's wait and see what happens".
I actually saw that Aaron (he was up on the platform) noticed me and smirked, but I can't really tell if he was more like "WTF you moron, get tf outta here" or "Well, he's a bold one"
And as I turn around, I can see Tom walking across the field towards the stage. I didn't want to trigger anybody, so I only shouted to him "Hey Tom, how's it going?". And even though I think he was also a little bit like "Hold on, who's this guy and what he's doing here?", but Tom, being Tom - always really nice and cool - smiled and said he's good. Then we fistbumped and he continued to his Q&A (if anybody has a video of it, I'd love to have it!). So I actually got a M&G while everybody else got Q&A
Sure enough, shortly after that came some head of security and told me that I actually shouldn't be here. But he was also very cool and chill, so I left quietly After I got removed from the field XD I watched the rest of the Q&A with Tom from the tunnel and then hanged out in the area under the stands (what's it called?) and then I see Buck Johnson with his wife and another couple strolling around. He is a very nice guy and very approachable, so I said hi and asked for a photo. He was very kind and agreed, even though he was heading for some lunch (don't they have their private catering?!). A few minutes later there's Steven riding in the back of a golf cart, but was deep in a conversation with his bodyguard and didn't pay attention to us calling out after him But the general feeling was a little bit like a circus - wherever I turned there was something going on!
After a short wait, the staff was given the green light and they let us through on the field. As I approached my long awaited pit, I saw something that really did not look right. I noticed that during my earlier visit to the field , but wasn't really sure it would stay that way. They put a pit... inside the pit. A really small one, right in front of the catwalk. And nobody knew what was this for! It would turn out soon enough though, that it was there so they can put some bimbos in front of everybody else! I hate to judge, but.. that was pretty obvious. Like the "angels" bullshit in 2017. We got GA Pit C, blue wristbands, they got GA Pit B green ones. And maybe they were true fans and were enjoying the show profoundly. I don't really know. And I don't care. You don't do that.
Sometime halfway through the concert, the staff realised there were not enough of them to make it look good (packed), so they just filled it up with regular fans (still only females though). On top of everything, the railings were not fixed and were moving, which was both dangerous and created mess and confusion. And so there went my 3 years of hunting for pit ticket and a whole day of waiting in front of the gates just to be in the first row. Just because there needed to be bimbos up front. You don't do that to your loyal fans. You just don't.
Not sure you remember, but I first posted here (after many years of just lurking) after being forcefully removed from the first row at Steven's solo show in London in 2018, because they only wanted chicks in the first row. I wish I would know who got this idea (promoter, management, Steven, the band) this time (and in London too, actually), but I'll probably die not knowing this...
Extreme does absolutely nothing for me, so I am going to skip them altogether. I didn't even know Nuno is in that Band I know some people had fun though and I am really happy for them.
Good thing is, we finally got to meet with tomass during the break time. We couldn't work it out earlier and I was afraid we won't get to meet in person. It was a close call as he got stuck getting a beer and letting go of the ones he already had and the show was about to start. But we did manage and as tomass mentioned in his post - we also "had a debriefing of the show for a few minutes like true Aerosmith nerds do" Great meeting you in person, brother!
And then, around 20:30, the band begins to play...
I'M BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK! Fuck me, did they sound pretty damn good! I know that Steven messed up badly Dream On lyrics, but I didn't really mind it that much. I can sure appreciate the shows that dot the i's and cross the t's, but give me raw, live and unpredictable rock any day! They also all seemed to be quite enjoying themselves. It was especially visible with Brad who was smiling a lot and then Fenway filled up to the brim truly helped to build up absolutely amazing atmosphere.
Alright, Steven didn't pull all the high notes. And you know what? That's actually fine with me. I obviously miss his signature "Dream Oooo-o-o-o-o-on!", but I get it that he just can't do it anymore. And I actually prefer him not doing this, then faking it with background vocal little helpers
The set-list was rather short given the occasion and generally underwhelming. I very much agree with aeronyc :
"Setlist was underwhelming. It candidly felt like the Vegas show (same videos) with the setlist [...]. Limited interaction with the audience. No real speech. Kramer went totally unmentioned other than Tyler naming “our drummer for tonight”
For a 50 year celebration, they should have thrown in 10 more songs. Sit down if you need to. The audience came for you, not Extreme"
I guess that pretty much sums it up for me...
I don't remember particularities about each song, only about some, so I'll add some general remarks.
I am not even going to mention leaving Full Circle out. I know it sounded bad in Bangore, but I wanted it anyway! Bad "Full Circle" is like cold pizza. It's still a pizza, for fuck's sake!
When the music stopped and I did a quick recap of what's been missing, I realized that it's gonna be yet another night with “The Big 3” closing the set. If I could choose, I'd definitely not do that. I'd spread them over the main set and close with something extraordinary. This reinforced the feeling that it is yet another regular show for them.
"The Green Monstah" thing was pretty damn cool, even though I wish I didn't hear people throughout the day talk about how they did that in 2010. I'd love the surprise. By the way - Steven is really terrible with names. The improvised act was that he sneakily climbs up to the Green Monter, climbs the piano and the spotlight operators can't locate him even though he calls them out through the mic. He then has to call "Yo Cosmo!" to the light engineer (Charles B. "Cosmo" Wilson) who puts the spotlight right on him. This was super cool, I admit, but Steven.... had "COSMO" written on his arm so he didn't forget And he's worked with them for God knows how many years Yep, that's Steven
And then just like that it was over and I was left like... wait, no... already?! I wish it would go on. They definitely still have most of their magic, no doubt about it. And that's not even considering their age, because if you do, then they are fucking machines! Absolutely unstoppable!
Two things I didn't like about the stage setup (apart from the disgraceful bimbo-pit) are: why is the stage so damn high and who put this fucking stupid-ass ventilator so that it blocks 60% of the view on stage?!?! That's probably why I didn't see Tom trip and fall. Sweet Street Jesus, this could have been done so much better Just get the whole stage 30-40 cm lower (that's 12-16 inch for you, imperial folks ) and level the ventilator with the stage floor!
I think the sound was a little off the first 2 or 3 songs, but then they got it sorted. However, the drums were obnoxiously over everything else in the mix during WTW. Not sure what happened.
Speaking of which... the drummer. Well, he's not Joey. I know that nobody ever will be Joey, but it can't be overlooked that the whole performance and camaraderie really suffered due to his absence. And it was also simply sad, not to see him there with the gang. I am very sorry for him.
I was told that apart from losing his wife prematurely, he also faced serious health issues himself recently and probably won't be joining the band before the end of the year.
But then EVEN MORE SO, he deserved a recognition! But there was no word about Joey throughout the whole thing. Is there some really, really bad blood between them? Is this some stupid legal obligation? No idea, but what I see is a very sad result. After all, they didn't celebrate their 50th Anniversary together.
I wish they would mention him and say something like "Joey, get well brother, we hope to rock with you again very soon". Nothing, zero, null, nada...
And now they sell $1000 jersey "signed by the band", but without Joey's signature? (well spot tomhamilton ) What the fuck? Is he not a band member anymore or what?
In general, the interaction with the audience was mediocre at best. No real speech or anything. Fine, it was perhaps their usual level of interaction, but they should have taken a while to appreciate and celebrate the moment and the very reason why we were all there! TO MAKE THIS CONCERT REALLY SPECIAL! As it should be...
The same with fireworks - they were great! Absolutely! The whole Fenway bright as day, almost 39k people (https://kslx.com/aerosmith-plays-record-breaking-50th-anniversary-concert-at-bostons-fenway-park/), but why wouldn't the band stay on stage for a while longer?! At least for a moment? Share it with the fans, the triumph of making it through 50 years! Celebrate together, share some smiles,some handshakes. It was supposed to be a real celebration! At least in my mind. And felt like yet another show in a series... And that was actually the most disappointing about this concert - it would be quite fine and normal on any other "usual" show. But this was not your usual show! I don't know, maybe I just got my expectations way too high? But then again - wouldn't you all agree that, given the occasion, it was justified?
Which reminds me - I was both surprised and disappointed to see no banners, posters, nothing. There is very little of it in Boston in general, which is fantastic! There's nothing worse than an otherwise beautiful town drowning under ads and billboards (trust me, I know), but there were SOME throughout the city, but no sign of Aerosmith whatsoever! Not even at the venue itself! The only thing was the small plane flying above the ballpark with the banner. And I admit that was REALLY nice touch! I definitely did not see this one coming.
What I am really happy about is that I met 4 friends from the forum, which was totally awesome and amazing! tomass , aeronyc , AeroLisa , excitedelaine - I'm super glad I got to meet all of you! It would have been an amazing endeavor in itself, but meeting all of you just made it so much more complete and personal! Here's to y'all!
I actually met one more friend, but him I would never ever expect to meet then and there. A buddy of mine from Mexico, that I met in Germany while we were both studying there in 2010, saw my Instagram post tagged with #boston and messaged me immediately "Hey man, are you in Boston now?! I got here yesterday on a business trip with my company". Can you imagine that?! That was one in a million! It was super touching to see him again so unexpectedly and after all this time.
And there you go, folks! As you can see it's a big bag of very mixed feelings and....
Aww shit.. nobody's gonna read all of this anyway
So TL;DR or long story short:
I only wish they would put some more effort, just a tiny little bit extra, to make it feel like something really special and a once-in-a-lifetime thing. A true celebration of a big achievement. But they didn't... at least I never felt it.
It was surely a great, great show, because, after all, it was Aerosmith concert, but it did not feel special.
1. The celebration and my whole trip is 11/10. Absolutely amazing circumstances, great, unbelievable anniversary. Saw beautiful Boston, met fantastic new people and old friends!
2. The concert itself was 6-7/10. Quite fine, but just too casual... and that's the point. It was regular, while it should have been VERY SPECIAL!
3. The attitude towards the fans, PR, marketing, promotion etc. was (and still is) 0/10. It would be -1 for not giving a fuck and disrespecting their fans, but the plane with the banner was a great touch!
And you can't average these three scores! They are just separate entities.
Well, all right! I know I am late to the party as usual and the moment is probably gone now, nobody cares anymore, and this is going to be way too long, but I wanted to take some time and get a perspective. Especially so, that for me it was much more than just another Aerosmith concert. I am not American, so it was more of a journey, for both my body (I had to fly from Greenland to Iceland to Boston, damnit! ) and my mind (I went to Boston, Aerosmith hometown for their 50th Anniversary show! How amazing is this?!).
And then I got absolutely swallowed by work and couldn't get a quiet moment to write this down. But here goes...
First of all, and I need to say it right off the bat and I can't stress this enough: if you would just think of that - it was basically an unearthly experience. I mean, come on! Aerosmith concert in Boston for their 50th anniversary! (I know, 52nd, but anyway) It doesn't get any cooler than that!
Everything checks out in this sentence:
✓ Aerosmith
✓ concert
✓ in Boston
✓ 50th Anniversary
I think only a handful of their shows (and I care little about other bands' shows, but still don't think there would be many to compete) could possibly be as iconic, important, exciting and unique. Woodstock '94, NYE show in Osaka '99, Unplugged, MTV Icon come to mind, so it really doesn't get any better! So if I come across as a malcontent or a whiner at some points, I want to be crystal clear that this is the foundation for my whole "review". The whole endeavor has been mind-blowing and I will definitely always cherish this memory.
So, I've been checking out the Red Sox ticket page almost EVERY DAY FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS. I didn't have enough seniority in the fan-club (which, at this point, is a joke and a money grab) to purchase the tickets in the first hour when they went on sale in... 2019? And they were gone right away anyhow. So I kept looking and checking eBay or StubHub to see if anybody was selling. And every once in a while somebody would, but the price tag was just insane. $1,200 for a ticket? No way... I was also checking flights and how that would work with my work schedule etc etc, but I still didn't have the damn ticket. I was actually considering buying some cheap sector seat, but that's just so very not my style that I never did And so I almost gave up as it was only a few days left before the show and I still had no pit tickets.
Enter excitedelaine . At this point I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to Elaine who had a GA ticket, but eventually decided to go for a sector seat instead and offered to sell me her pit ticket for a regular price that she paid for it! That was so very kind. You are a star, Elaine. Without her offering me her ticket, none of this would have happened. It was a catalyst.
Aaaaaaand that was Tuesday evening Good thing is, I already had the flights worked out (remember kids: "plans are nothing, planning is everything") and just needed to actually book them and then get some place to rest my head. WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH HOTEL PRICES IN BOSTON?!?!!! There was basically nothing below $300 a night, and I was staying three nights. Not even AirBnB. Luckily, the HI hostel had a few beds left, but they were still $100 a night in a dorm. Jeez! At least it is sitting nicely in the city center (well, more or less). Wednesday early afternoon I landed in Boston. Hell yeah! It quickly turned out that due to some railway schedule disruptions, the city bike system is free to use. So I cycled around the city and I got to tell you - Boston is great! It might not be very high on the tourist destinations for Europeans but it's very very pleasant, not at all overwhelming city and well worth spending a few days there.
Anyway, after checking in and taking a breather, I cycled to Fenway. Just to see what's cookin', how's the venue layout, perhaps talk to some techs or maybe I would even see the boys. I also met with excitedelaine and then, when I finally got the ticket in hand, I felt it's really happening
I met some fellow fans hanging out around the venue, even a friend from Italy who, like me, came only for the show. It was a very nice surprise! But as there was not much going on really, I decided to visit 1325 Commonwealth Avenue, which was just a short ride away. I was kind of hoping there would be something happening there. You know, maybe a special mailbox where fans could throw in their wishes or greetings or last-minute setlist requests. Or somebody from the crew greeting fans and, I don't know, handing out guitar picks or some small souvenirs (I don't think many people went there anyway). But there was absolutely nothing of that kind (or any other), so I was slightly disappointed (although not really surprised, I guess), and instead I just enjoyed the shivers down my spine from being there for a while and then cycled back to the venue. When I got there, I saw five black SUVs and already knew what was it all about. We were waiting at the curb with a few other people when one of the chiefs of security came to us and asked us to please wait here and if the guys will wave and invite us over we can approach them, but otherwise they would like us not to get too close. It turns out they are just all very scared of covid still or perhaps they were told to be cautious by the management or somebody else. Steven, Joe, Brad and Tom were all there and actually left shortly after. The wouldn't have us come over, but waved and smiled at us (on a side note - it seems that M&G were held at a distance too). There was no Joey though, which got everybody down a little... even though it was kinda expected. But you know how hope can linger on...
Show day!
I reached the gates at 8:40 and was second in line. This other girl got there at 5AM - you gotta respect that!. I actually thought I would be already too late and far in line, but perhaps it's just different in Europe Anyway, we waited, chatted, took turns in running to a toilet or just around the venue, scouting etc etc etc. The line grew, although really slowly. More people started showing up, food trucks, more equipment rolling in... excitement grew.
At some point we were joined by AeroLisa (nice meeting you!) accompanied by her boyfriend. Even though he was not going to the concert, he still showed up to keep her company and provide food and other support! That's really cool of him
Again, I kinda hoped somebody from the crew would stop by, take a photo of die-hard fans that would be waiting for 10 or 12 hours in scorching sun (damn, it was HOT that day. And the GA gate was on the south side, so absolutely no shade whatsoever), have a chat. Damn, why not take the first 8 or 10 people that showed up there for a backstage venue tour? What would that cost anybody?! Nothing. How much would it mean to the fans? A lot. What message would it send? You can answer that yourselves...
Then, around 4PM I guess, a "tall guy, red hair, Aerosmith shirt with a photo of the band from the first album" stopped by to say hello. It was no other than aeronyc ! Hi again, man! It was so cool to meet yet another online friend/Aerosmith fan in real life. We were chatting and enjoying the good time, when suddenly, shortly before 5PM when the gates were supposed to open (for the regular crowd, the VIPs got in earlier), some guy approached us (those waiting in front of the gate) and said he got some spare pit tickets with VIP access to give away and asked if anybody was interested. And the funniest thing ever is... almost nobody was I have no idea what happened, but I think we were all just so surprised and baffled that we didn't really understand what was going on. Actually I think initially only aeronyc grabbed it and was gone in a flash, as the VIP tour already started
We were all like "WTF did just happen?"... And then I called this guy over and asked if I could have one VIP pass too. And I got it! Hey man, if you're reading this, I owe you big time!!!
I rushed inside, nobody even checked my bag, and it was all a little chaotic, as I didn't really know what did I actually get and what could I do with it
But we were told to go and wait around sector 40, as there would be a kind of M&G or more like Q&A with Tom. That sounded cool, but there were actually a lot of people and I was determined to be in the front row of the pit, so I decided to skip it. I went down to the area below the stalls and through one of the passages on to the field. Absolutely undisturbed by anybody. I walked around a little, went to check the PIT (I was told they are not letting people in just yet) and then I realized... I am the only fan there. The rest was the event staff/security. Screw it. I was just hanging around the platform where Tom was supposed to do the Q&A, looking up at all the people sitting and waiting for him and I was kinda like "alright, let's wait and see what happens".
I actually saw that Aaron (he was up on the platform) noticed me and smirked, but I can't really tell if he was more like "WTF you moron, get tf outta here" or "Well, he's a bold one"
And as I turn around, I can see Tom walking across the field towards the stage. I didn't want to trigger anybody, so I only shouted to him "Hey Tom, how's it going?". And even though I think he was also a little bit like "Hold on, who's this guy and what he's doing here?", but Tom, being Tom - always really nice and cool - smiled and said he's good. Then we fistbumped and he continued to his Q&A (if anybody has a video of it, I'd love to have it!). So I actually got a M&G while everybody else got Q&A
Sure enough, shortly after that came some head of security and told me that I actually shouldn't be here. But he was also very cool and chill, so I left quietly After I got removed from the field XD I watched the rest of the Q&A with Tom from the tunnel and then hanged out in the area under the stands (what's it called?) and then I see Buck Johnson with his wife and another couple strolling around. He is a very nice guy and very approachable, so I said hi and asked for a photo. He was very kind and agreed, even though he was heading for some lunch (don't they have their private catering?!). A few minutes later there's Steven riding in the back of a golf cart, but was deep in a conversation with his bodyguard and didn't pay attention to us calling out after him But the general feeling was a little bit like a circus - wherever I turned there was something going on!
After a short wait, the staff was given the green light and they let us through on the field. As I approached my long awaited pit, I saw something that really did not look right. I noticed that during my earlier visit to the field , but wasn't really sure it would stay that way. They put a pit... inside the pit. A really small one, right in front of the catwalk. And nobody knew what was this for! It would turn out soon enough though, that it was there so they can put some bimbos in front of everybody else! I hate to judge, but.. that was pretty obvious. Like the "angels" bullshit in 2017. We got GA Pit C, blue wristbands, they got GA Pit B green ones. And maybe they were true fans and were enjoying the show profoundly. I don't really know. And I don't care. You don't do that.
Sometime halfway through the concert, the staff realised there were not enough of them to make it look good (packed), so they just filled it up with regular fans (still only females though). On top of everything, the railings were not fixed and were moving, which was both dangerous and created mess and confusion. And so there went my 3 years of hunting for pit ticket and a whole day of waiting in front of the gates just to be in the first row. Just because there needed to be bimbos up front. You don't do that to your loyal fans. You just don't.
Not sure you remember, but I first posted here (after many years of just lurking) after being forcefully removed from the first row at Steven's solo show in London in 2018, because they only wanted chicks in the first row. I wish I would know who got this idea (promoter, management, Steven, the band) this time (and in London too, actually), but I'll probably die not knowing this...
Extreme does absolutely nothing for me, so I am going to skip them altogether. I didn't even know Nuno is in that Band I know some people had fun though and I am really happy for them.
Good thing is, we finally got to meet with tomass during the break time. We couldn't work it out earlier and I was afraid we won't get to meet in person. It was a close call as he got stuck getting a beer and letting go of the ones he already had and the show was about to start. But we did manage and as tomass mentioned in his post - we also "had a debriefing of the show for a few minutes like true Aerosmith nerds do" Great meeting you in person, brother!
And then, around 20:30, the band begins to play...
I'M BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK! Fuck me, did they sound pretty damn good! I know that Steven messed up badly Dream On lyrics, but I didn't really mind it that much. I can sure appreciate the shows that dot the i's and cross the t's, but give me raw, live and unpredictable rock any day! They also all seemed to be quite enjoying themselves. It was especially visible with Brad who was smiling a lot and then Fenway filled up to the brim truly helped to build up absolutely amazing atmosphere.
Alright, Steven didn't pull all the high notes. And you know what? That's actually fine with me. I obviously miss his signature "Dream Oooo-o-o-o-o-on!", but I get it that he just can't do it anymore. And I actually prefer him not doing this, then faking it with background vocal little helpers
The set-list was rather short given the occasion and generally underwhelming. I very much agree with aeronyc :
"Setlist was underwhelming. It candidly felt like the Vegas show (same videos) with the setlist [...]. Limited interaction with the audience. No real speech. Kramer went totally unmentioned other than Tyler naming “our drummer for tonight”
For a 50 year celebration, they should have thrown in 10 more songs. Sit down if you need to. The audience came for you, not Extreme"
I guess that pretty much sums it up for me...
I don't remember particularities about each song, only about some, so I'll add some general remarks.
I am not even going to mention leaving Full Circle out. I know it sounded bad in Bangore, but I wanted it anyway! Bad "Full Circle" is like cold pizza. It's still a pizza, for fuck's sake!
- Back in the Saddle - I admit, this is one hell of an opener! It get's everyone off their asses right away, no questions asked. In my perfect world, however, I would imagine them opening with "Good evening people, welcome to the show!" on this occasion. Fitting, ain't it?
- Same Old Song and Dance - Great, great song. I've heard it in 2007 on all three shows, but I was really happy to get it now again.
- Rag Doll - The song is great and catchy, I love it. Everybody (?) does. But I've heard it so many times I would wish they would Chip away the stone instead.
- Mama Kin - not really a deep cut, as teased, but I think it is very proper to play it . And it is really catchy too!
- Remember (Walking In the Sand) - This one, on the other hand, I think could be considered a deep cut. However, I wish I could hear Amazing live instead.
- Stop Messin Round - good song, but please, drop it already, Joe. Contrary to what some say, you DO have some great songs to choose from
- Cryin - waste of time at that point. I would really gladly swap it for almost anything (except Come Together). Why didn't they Think about it?
- Hangman Jury - Great song and the stage arrangement for it is really cool. But I've seen that already quite a few times and it won't beat the 2007 performances. I'd gladly trade it for something else. I wish they would Make It happen.
- Seasons Of Wither - I know some people would give their kidney for this song, but it just doesn't fit for me. Too slow. And I've heard it too many times. How about Last Child instead?
- Toys in the Attic - let me quote @ tomass "Can’t say it is every a surprise when they play this song but I wasn’t expecting it and it fucking ripped."
- Edge - Classic, but again - not a must for me. At least not anymore after hearing it on every show. How about King & Queens instead?
- The Other Side - I adore the album version and the music video. It was my small dream to hear it live! The big one was, obviously, Full Circle.
- IDWMAT - Alright, I could really do without it, even though it is a pretty good song. Not to mention their most popular among regular audience. So nobody in their right mind could expect them not to play it. But if I may dream, I could do with YSMC instead.
- Elevator - Exactly the same sentiment as Edge. 9 Lives anyone?
- Draw The Line - This is a fucking killer song! How can anybody not love it is beyond me.
- Dude - Completes the trio with Edge and Elevator. Nobody's Fault maybe?
When the music stopped and I did a quick recap of what's been missing, I realized that it's gonna be yet another night with “The Big 3” closing the set. If I could choose, I'd definitely not do that. I'd spread them over the main set and close with something extraordinary. This reinforced the feeling that it is yet another regular show for them.
"The Green Monstah" thing was pretty damn cool, even though I wish I didn't hear people throughout the day talk about how they did that in 2010. I'd love the surprise. By the way - Steven is really terrible with names. The improvised act was that he sneakily climbs up to the Green Monter, climbs the piano and the spotlight operators can't locate him even though he calls them out through the mic. He then has to call "Yo Cosmo!" to the light engineer (Charles B. "Cosmo" Wilson) who puts the spotlight right on him. This was super cool, I admit, but Steven.... had "COSMO" written on his arm so he didn't forget And he's worked with them for God knows how many years Yep, that's Steven
- Dream On - yep, Steven fucked this one up. I wish he wouldn't, as this is arguably their best song and if there's one song that's as iconic as they are - it's this one. But, hey! It's live, raw, untamed rock!
- Sweet Emotion - long and twisted intro by Tom was really nice. They should definitely do it more often And have you seen his guitar?! It's out of this world!
- Walk This Way - Classic, obviously. Although not that very desired, especially where there are so many great songs waiting their turn. Also, by now WTW means that the show is over, so the emotional association is negative. I think if they closed with Full Circle I could lay down and die a complete man right then and there
And then just like that it was over and I was left like... wait, no... already?! I wish it would go on. They definitely still have most of their magic, no doubt about it. And that's not even considering their age, because if you do, then they are fucking machines! Absolutely unstoppable!
Two things I didn't like about the stage setup (apart from the disgraceful bimbo-pit) are: why is the stage so damn high and who put this fucking stupid-ass ventilator so that it blocks 60% of the view on stage?!?! That's probably why I didn't see Tom trip and fall. Sweet Street Jesus, this could have been done so much better Just get the whole stage 30-40 cm lower (that's 12-16 inch for you, imperial folks ) and level the ventilator with the stage floor!
I think the sound was a little off the first 2 or 3 songs, but then they got it sorted. However, the drums were obnoxiously over everything else in the mix during WTW. Not sure what happened.
Speaking of which... the drummer. Well, he's not Joey. I know that nobody ever will be Joey, but it can't be overlooked that the whole performance and camaraderie really suffered due to his absence. And it was also simply sad, not to see him there with the gang. I am very sorry for him.
I was told that apart from losing his wife prematurely, he also faced serious health issues himself recently and probably won't be joining the band before the end of the year.
But then EVEN MORE SO, he deserved a recognition! But there was no word about Joey throughout the whole thing. Is there some really, really bad blood between them? Is this some stupid legal obligation? No idea, but what I see is a very sad result. After all, they didn't celebrate their 50th Anniversary together.
I wish they would mention him and say something like "Joey, get well brother, we hope to rock with you again very soon". Nothing, zero, null, nada...
And now they sell $1000 jersey "signed by the band", but without Joey's signature? (well spot tomhamilton ) What the fuck? Is he not a band member anymore or what?
In general, the interaction with the audience was mediocre at best. No real speech or anything. Fine, it was perhaps their usual level of interaction, but they should have taken a while to appreciate and celebrate the moment and the very reason why we were all there! TO MAKE THIS CONCERT REALLY SPECIAL! As it should be...
The same with fireworks - they were great! Absolutely! The whole Fenway bright as day, almost 39k people (https://kslx.com/aerosmith-plays-record-breaking-50th-anniversary-concert-at-bostons-fenway-park/), but why wouldn't the band stay on stage for a while longer?! At least for a moment? Share it with the fans, the triumph of making it through 50 years! Celebrate together, share some smiles,some handshakes. It was supposed to be a real celebration! At least in my mind. And felt like yet another show in a series... And that was actually the most disappointing about this concert - it would be quite fine and normal on any other "usual" show. But this was not your usual show! I don't know, maybe I just got my expectations way too high? But then again - wouldn't you all agree that, given the occasion, it was justified?
Which reminds me - I was both surprised and disappointed to see no banners, posters, nothing. There is very little of it in Boston in general, which is fantastic! There's nothing worse than an otherwise beautiful town drowning under ads and billboards (trust me, I know), but there were SOME throughout the city, but no sign of Aerosmith whatsoever! Not even at the venue itself! The only thing was the small plane flying above the ballpark with the banner. And I admit that was REALLY nice touch! I definitely did not see this one coming.
What I am really happy about is that I met 4 friends from the forum, which was totally awesome and amazing! tomass , aeronyc , AeroLisa , excitedelaine - I'm super glad I got to meet all of you! It would have been an amazing endeavor in itself, but meeting all of you just made it so much more complete and personal! Here's to y'all!
I actually met one more friend, but him I would never ever expect to meet then and there. A buddy of mine from Mexico, that I met in Germany while we were both studying there in 2010, saw my Instagram post tagged with #boston and messaged me immediately "Hey man, are you in Boston now?! I got here yesterday on a business trip with my company". Can you imagine that?! That was one in a million! It was super touching to see him again so unexpectedly and after all this time.
And there you go, folks! As you can see it's a big bag of very mixed feelings and....
Aww shit.. nobody's gonna read all of this anyway
So TL;DR or long story short:
I only wish they would put some more effort, just a tiny little bit extra, to make it feel like something really special and a once-in-a-lifetime thing. A true celebration of a big achievement. But they didn't... at least I never felt it.
It was surely a great, great show, because, after all, it was Aerosmith concert, but it did not feel special.
1. The celebration and my whole trip is 11/10. Absolutely amazing circumstances, great, unbelievable anniversary. Saw beautiful Boston, met fantastic new people and old friends!
2. The concert itself was 6-7/10. Quite fine, but just too casual... and that's the point. It was regular, while it should have been VERY SPECIAL!
3. The attitude towards the fans, PR, marketing, promotion etc. was (and still is) 0/10. It would be -1 for not giving a fuck and disrespecting their fans, but the plane with the banner was a great touch!
And you can't average these three scores! They are just separate entities.