The wry, theatrical rockers of Aerosmith are embarking on their final tour — without founding member Joey Kramer.
“PEACE OUT! After 50 years, 10 world tours, and playing for over 100 million fans… It’s time for one last go!” the iconic rock band announced Monday, sharing details for the Peace Out farewell tour that will walk this way to California this winter.
The band’s faux “breaking news” reveal came Monday by way of an apocalyptic video announcement featuring comedian Bill Burr, musicians Slash, Dolly Parton, Eminem, Kelly Clarkson, Ringo Starr and actor Terry Crews expressing their disbelief over the group’s final outing.
“It’s true, all I can say is, ‘Peace Out,’” frontman Steven Tyler quipped in the video. “And if you think we’re joking, dream on.”
The Black Crowes will join Tyler, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford and Tom Hamilton on the 40-date North American arena tour, which begins in Philadelphia on Sept. 2 and wraps on Jan. 26 in Montreal, Quebec. However, their estranged drummer, who took a leave of absence in 2022, will still not be joining them on the road.
“While Joey Kramer remains a beloved founding member of Aerosmith, he has regrettably made the decision to sit out the currently scheduled touring dates to focus his full attention on his family and health. Joey’s unmistakable and legendary presence behind the drum kit will be sorely missed,” the band said in a Monday statement.
The “Dream On” and “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” hitmakers will play three shows in California in December, beginning with a Dec. 1 show in San Francisco, a Dec. 4 show in San Jose and a Dec. 7 show at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles.
From there, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers will go to Arizona then back to the East Coast to perform a special hometown show in Boston on New Year’s Eve. They’ll also play Madison Square Garden in New York City on Jan. 19. Tickets go on sale Friday on Ticketmaster.com.
“Every night will celebrate the five decades of Aerosmith’s groundbreaking hits as they celebrate 50 years as America’s greatest rock band,” tour producer Live Nation added in a statement. “In addition, THX will bring their THX Certified Live! high-fidelity experience on the road, calibrating each arena with leading-edge technology so fans don’t miss a beat of Aerosmith’s classic rock tunes in quality audio.”
In a joint statement, the band insisted, “it’s not goodbye it’s PEACE OUT!” and promised fans “the best show of our lives.”
The outfit has had one of the most impressive comeback stories in rock history. Aerosmith had a sensational early run of hits including “Dream On” and “Walk This Way” in the ’70s. But the group virtually disappeared as a pop-rock force in the early ’80s due to declining sales and excessive alcohol and drug use.
But their longevity has been striking: The band cleaned up its act and crossed over in a fashion with a feature on rap group Run-D.M.C.’s remake of “Walk This Way” in 1986, signaling a return to the top and the beginnings of the subgenre rap-rock. Aerosmith continued endearing themselves to a new generation of fans with the hits “Dude (Looks Like a Lady),” “Love in an Elevator” and the band’s first No. 1, “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” from the 1998 film “Armageddon.”
In 2019, the four-time Grammy Award-winning band launched its Deuces Are Wild residency at the Park MGM in Las Vegas featuring a 90-minute setlist. However, in December, the rockers canceled the remainder of their extended dates because Tyler was “feeling unwell and unable to perform,” ultimately needing “more time to rest” on doctor’s orders. But the ailing 75-year-old frontman, whose illness was undisclosed, seemed to bounce back for Monday’s announcement.
The rocker is also currently embroiled in a legal dispute with a woman who alleged that he sexually assaulted her as a teen in the 1970s. He has denied the claims.
Aerosmith’s Peace Out 2023 tour dates:
Sept. 2 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
Sept. 6 – Pittsburgh, PA – PPG Paints Arena
Sept. 9 – Belmont Park, NY – UBS Arena
Sept. 12 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
Sept. 15 – Chicago, IL – United Center
Sept. 18 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
Sept. 21 – Cleveland, OH – Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
Sept. 24 – Raleigh, NC – PNC Arena
Sept. 27 – Washington, D.C. – Capital One Arena
Oct. 11 – Tampa, FL – Amalie Arena
Oct. 14 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena
Oct. 17 – Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center
Oct. 20 – Sunrise, FL – FLA Live Arena
Oct. 23 – Austin, TX – Moody Center
Oct. 26 – St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center
Oct. 29 – Indianapolis, IN – Gainbridge Fieldhouse
Nov. 1 – San Antonio, TX – AT&T Arena
Nov. 4 – Tulsa, OK – BOK Center
Nov. 7 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
Nov. 10 – Omaha, NE – CHI Health Center
Nov. 13 – St. Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center
Nov. 16 – Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center
Nov. 19 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
Nov. 22 – Salt Lake City, UT – Vivint Arena
Nov. 25 – Portland, OR – Moda Center
Nov. 28 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
Dec. 1 – San Francisco, CA – Chase Center
Dec. 4 – San Jose, CA – SAP Center
Dec. 7 – Los Angeles, CA – The Kia Forum
Dec. 10 – Phoenix, AZ – Footprint Center
Dec. 28 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center
Dec. 31 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
Jan. 4 – Cincinnati, OH – Heritage Bank Arena
Jan. 7 – Louisville, KY – KFC Yum! Center
Jan. 10 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
Jan. 13 – Knoxville, TN – Thompson-Boling Arena
Jan. 16 – Buffalo, NY – KeyBank Center
Jan. 19 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
Jan. 23 – Columbus, OH – Schottenstein Center
Jan. 26 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre
This story originally appeared on LA Times
