By: Isaac Wray –
Steven Tyler performing at at the Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver on July 10, 2016. (Photo: Isaac Wray/Aesthetic Magazine)
Scarves, more scarves, wind blown hair, and a voice that can so gracefully hit a raspy melodic pitch that could shatter your grandma’s favorite china; Steven Tyler. He hit the stage of the Orpheum Theatre at 8:15pm on July 10th, and kept us all on our toes wondering what hit he would play next right up until he left the stage for the final time. Even before he hit his first note he pulled out a shotgun, and with one powerful slug, he shot down the rumors of his leaving Aerosmith with a well defined, “bullshit.”
Opening with the 1975 Aerosmith hit, “Sweet Emotion”, Tyler took his fans on a journey through his four decade-long career, that would draw up nostalgic memories for some, and become the building block for great memories to for others. At 68 years old, Tyler still knows how to rock and put on a show that you won’t soon forget. Simply put, he is the definition of young at heart. Part way through the show he even proclaimed, “15 year old boy in a 60 year old body . . . Sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll! Because no great story ever started with anybody eating salad. Am I fucking right, or what?”
He performed a pair of Beatles hits “Come Together”, and “I’m Down”, as well as paying tribute to Janis Joplin, with the hit “Mercedes Benz”. Before leading into the Joplin hit he foreshadowed the song by describing her iconic 70’s style and saying, “I heard it on the radio and went ‘who the fuck is that?’ She was as good as it gets.”
Fans spilled into the aisles and were doing a much more mild version of the head banging that they would have done a few decades earlier, but yet there was still a strong electric vibe throughout the whole venue, even as he played a few of his new countrified songs. His transition to country may be a slightly confusing one, but as he said, “the line between country and rock is slowly becoming a blurred one.” “Love Is Your Name,” is the first single of the new album being released this coming Friday, along with, “We’re All Somebody From Somewhere.” Two very stereotypically named and feeling country songs, but never the less they will have you wanting to get your stomp and clap on.
Tyler highlighted the show with “Dream On” and “Walk This Way,” whilst proudly showing off how great his butt looked – or how great he thought it looked – in his trademark skinny jeans and even gave a few of the front row fans the pleasure of seeing his four-pack abs. He concluded his thrilling roller coaster of a concert with “Jamie’s Got A Gun” and “Train Kept A-Rollin” from the Get Your Wings record.
68 years old and the man still has it.
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