Aerosmith & Friends concluded Sunday night at the Hollywood Bowl, after two unforgettable sold-out shows celebrating their unmatched history, explosive live performances and enduring legacy of America’s Greatest Rock Band. Presented by Live Nation-Hewitt Silva and produced by 724 Management and Blackbird Presents, the October 29 and November 1 concerts brought Aerosmith back to the stage for a rare, career-spanning celebration in Los Angeles.
Across both nights, Aerosmith delivered the raw energy, chemistry and stage presence that have made the band one of rock & roll’s most enduring forces. Fans at the Hollywood Bowl witnessed a sweeping celebration of the band’s extraordinary career and timeless catalog, with generations of artists and fans coming together for a pair of high-octane shows.
The two-night event featured an electrifying lineup of artists and special guests including Guns N’ Roses, The Black Crowes, RUN DMC, Heart, Andrew Watt, Billy Idol, Chad Smith, Eric Church, Grace Potter, Jerry Cantrell, Lzzy Hale, Marcus King, Mike Inez, Nuno Bettencourt, Pat Monahan, Richie Kotzen, Sammy Hagar, Steve Stevens, Sully Erna, Tom Morello, Warren Haynes, Adam Wakeman, Audley Freed, Don Was, Kenny Aronoff, Bill Burr and more. Night one saw Liv Tyler and Alicia Silverstone, who starred in the band’s iconic music video for ‘Crazy’, reunite to introduce Aerosmith before they took to the stage.
Opening with a blistering performance of ‘Toys in the Attic’ featuring special guest Dave Grohl on drums, the set also delivered epic performances of ‘Back in the Saddle’, ‘Sweet Emotion’, and ‘Dream On’ . Actor and Hollywood Vampires’ Johnny Depp joined the band for a surprise appearance later in the set, taking lead guitar alongside Joe Perry to perform ‘Train Kept a Rollin.’
One of the evening’s most memorable moments came as Tyler paid tribute to his longtime bandmates before welcoming original drummer Joey Kramer back to the stage. “Before we say goodnight, I just want to say what a ride it’s been with my brothers — Joe, Tom, Brad and Joey,” Tyler told the crowd. Making his first appearance with Aerosmith since 2020, Kramer joined Tyler, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford and Tom Hamilton, performing alongside drummer John Douglas for a triumphant rendition of ‘Walk This Way’ that brought all five band members together onstage.
Night two saw a host of new guests including Lzzy Hale, Tom Morello, Pat Monahan, Grace Potter, Marcus King and Richie Kotzen perform songs from the Aerosmith catalogue, with RUN DMC joining Aerosmith on stage for a showstopping, thunderous performance of ‘Walk This Way’. Kramer returned to the stage for the second night, once again joining his bandmates on drums for the landmark collaboration. The celebration was anchored by Don Was as Music Director, with an All-Star Band that included Phil X, Kari Kimmel, Windy Wagner, Lois Mahalia, Buck Johnson, Suzie McNeil and Seth Stachowski.
Aerosmith’s return to the stage drew rave reviews from critics. VARIETY reported that the band “sounded in completely top form” during a “spectacular” set, concluding that “it was all you could have hoped for from the Aerosmith of 2026, and maybe even a little better than that.” ROLLING STONE praised their “phenomenal” sound and called Aerosmith “a national rock ‘n’ roll treasure,” while the LOS ANGELES TIMES described the performance as “crisp yet bludgeoning.” The Boston Globe wrote that they “roared back to life onstage” with a “fiery” set, and THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER observed that “Tyler and company did indeed rock the place hard.” The LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNALnoted that “the band is as fierce as ever,” while ULTIMATE CLASSIC ROCK hailed “a victorious comeback performance,” writing that Aerosmith “absolutely triumphed in their return to the spotlight.”
Tyler’s vocals drew particular praise. The ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER wrote that “Tyler sounded great from the get-go,” USA TODAY described him “cranking his signature rock shrieks up to 11,” and the LOS ANGELES TIMES noted that he “nailed the shrieking high notes in ‘Dream On.'” The acclaim came just days after Rolling Stone ranked Tyler’s climactic “Dream On” scream No. 1 on its October 27 list of “The 31 Best Screams in Music History,” praising it as “a ceiling-smashing high-pitched belt of freedom and determination.”
Aerosmith’s catalog once again proved its lasting hold on audiences across rock, pop, hip-hop and blues. Across the two nights, the band and its guests gave fans a rare opportunity to experience once-in-a-lifetime performances at the iconic Hollywood Bowl.
Aerosmith are four-time GRAMMY Award winners, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees and MusiCares Person of the Year honorees. With more than five decades of boundary-breaking music behind them, the band remains a defining influence on generations of artists and fans worldwide. California, Dream On: Aerosmith & Friends celebrated that extraordinary journey and the lasting impact that has made Aerosmith one of the most important and enduring bands in music history.
About Aerosmith
Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Aerosmith have sold more than 150 million albums worldwide, earned four GRAMMY Awards and played to more than 100 million fans across every livable continent. One of only four American rock bands to surpass 90 million RIAA album sales and one of just two with 25 RIAA gold and platinum albums, Aerosmith hold the record for the most total RIAA certifications by an American group, with 32 albums reaching the Billboard 200 and 28 songs appearing on the Billboard Hot 100. Their signature single “Dream On” has surpassed 5 billion streams and earned a place in the GRAMMY Hall of Fame, while the band’s latest Top 10 debut extended a Billboard 200 streak across six consecutive decades, matched by only one other band, The Rolling Stones. With nearly 30 million monthly Spotify listeners and growing, Aerosmith continue to reach new generations of fans around the world. For more information, visit
By: Bass Magazine