:Aerosmith/ZZ Top Tour

{{Infobox concert

| concert_tour_name = Aerosmith/ZZ Top Tour

| image =

| artist = Aerosmith and ZZ Top

| location = North America

| start_date = June 10, 2009

| end_date = August 5, 2009

| number_of_legs = 1

| number_of_shows = {{unbulleted list|Scheduled:|42 + 3 (post-tour)|Played:|15 + 4 (post-tour)}}

| Misc = {{Extra tour chronology

| Group = Aerosmith

| Type = tour

| Last tour = Aerosmith World Tour 2007
(2007)

| This tour = Aerosmith/ZZ Top Tour
(2009)

| Next tour = Cocked, Locked, Ready to Rock Tour
(2010)

}}

{{Extra tour chronology

| Group = ZZ Top

| Type = tour

| Last tour = European Tour 2009
(2009)

| This tour = Aerosmith/ZZ Top Tour
(2009)

| Next tour = Necessity Is a Mother Tour
(2009)

}}}}

The Aerosmith/ZZ Top Tour, sometimes referred to as the A to Z Tour or Guitar Hero: Aerosmith Tour, was a concert tour headlined by American hard rock bands Aerosmith and ZZ Top. The tour, presented by Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, took place in the summer of 2009 until it had to be cancelled unexpectedly due to shoulder injuries sustained by Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler.

For the first seven dates of the tour, Aerosmith played the entire Toys in the Attic album at every show, with the exception of the last track, "You See Me Crying". On June 26, 2009, while in Wantagh, New York's Jones Beach Theater, Aerosmith played "You See Me Crying", for the first time in the band's history; it was also the first time on the tour that every song on Toys in the Attic was played. Additionally, this tour marked the first time that the band performed "Round and Round" live.

Other notable highlights of the show included guitarist Joe Perry singing lead vocals on "Combination", a deep-cut from the Rocks album, and playing against the animated version of himself in the Guitar Hero: Aerosmith video game. The tour also featured a select one or two fans at each show playing a song from Guitar Hero: Aerosmith live on-stage before the concert.Mesfin Fekuda, "[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120824865/aerosmith-keeping-in-touch-with-young/ Aerosmith keeping in touch with young fans]", The Lima News (June 12, 2009), p. D8.

ZZ Top was the co-headlining act for the tour, with 3 Doors Down opening the first two shows in Maryland Heights, Missouri and East Troy, Wisconsin, and Dropkick Murphys opening the Mansfield, Massachusetts show, as ZZ Top could not perform for the first three shows due to prior commitments. Several dates were canceled mid-tour after Steven Tyler injured his leg in Uncasville, Connecticut. Additionally, guitarist Brad Whitford and bassist Tom Hamilton had to sit out several of the dates due to injuries or surgeries; Whitford and Hamilton had substitutes perform in their places. Saving Abel opened for Aerosmith at their August 5 show in Sturgis, South Dakota, but Aerosmith cancelled the rest of the tour after Tyler fell off the stage in Sturgis. The band played three more shows in October and November after Tyler recovered, while ZZ Top booked alternate tour dates and venues and remained on tour alone for much of the rest of the year.

History

=Background=

Steven Tyler announced on VH1 Classic Radio on September 4, 2008, that Aerosmith intended to enter the studio at the end of September 2008 to complete the band's 15th studio album. Tyler also confirmed that the band planned to begin a new US tour in June 2009, in support of the as-yet-untitled album. This tour was supposed to be preceded by a concert in Venezuela on February 1, 2009.{{cite web|title=Aerosmith to play in Venezuela|publisher=Aero Force One|url=http://www.aeroforceone.com/index.cfm/pk/view/cd/NAA/cdid/1053779/pid/302766|access-date=November 16, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081204052135/http://www.aeroforceone.com/index.cfm/pk/view/cd/NAA/cdid/1053779/pid/302766|archive-date=December 4, 2008 |url-status=live}} However, on January 15, 2009, Tyler said the band would be unable to play the gig because of a second knee injury of guitarist Joe Perry. In mid-February 2009, it was announced that the album would be produced by the famed Brendan O'Brien and that the album would likely be recorded live, like their earlier records. Although the band had hoped to finish the album before the tour started in June 2009,{{cite web|url=http://www.aeroforceone.com/index.cfm/pk/view/cd/NAA/cdid/1087191/pid/1085355|title=Brendan and Disney – Tom Checks In|publisher=AeroForceOne|date=February 18, 2009|access-date=July 2, 2010}} Perry said that the group "realized there wasn't any chance of getting [the album] finished before we hit the road for the summer". The tour featured ZZ Top as the opening act for most of its performances.Graff, Gary. [https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/269042/aerosmith-to-tour-with-zz-top-new-album-delayed "Aerosmith to Tour with ZZ Top, New Album Delayed"]. billboard.com. April 4, 2009. The Aerosmith/ZZ Top Tour, presented by Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, was officially announced and the first dates released on April 8, 2009.{{cite web|url=http://www.aeroforceone.com/index.cfm/pk/view/cd/NAA/cdid/1099842/pid/302766|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090412133914/http://www.aeroforceone.com:80/index.cfm/pk/view/cd/NAA/cdid/1099842/pid/302766|archive-date=April 12, 2009|title=Aerosmith's 2009 Tour Dates and Tickets!|publisher=AeroForceOne|date=April 8, 2009|access-date=July 2, 2010}}

File:AEROSMITH - WORLD TOUR 2007- A.Le Coq ARENA, Tallinn.jpg, Estonia, on July 5, 2007]] The tour was slated to take the band across North America from June to September 2009.{{cite web|url=http://www.aeroforceone.com/index.cfm?pk=viewall&cd=MAE&pid=10784|title=2010 Aerosmith tour dates and tickets|publisher=AeroForceOne|date=June 17, 2010|access-date=July 2, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100621070800/http://www.aeroforceone.com/index.cfm?pk=viewall&cd=MAE&pid=10784|archive-date=June 21, 2010 |url-status=live}} The Aerosmith/ZZ Top Tour represented the first time that Aerosmith and ZZ Top had performed on the same stage in 33 years.Jim Pasinski, "[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120671627/aerosmith-zz-top-come-together/ Aerosmith, ZZ Top 'Come Together' At Mohegan Sun]", Meriden Record-Journal (July 2, 2009), p. M21.

=Tour and incidents=

The tour featured the band performing nearly all of the songs on their 1975 album Toys in the Attic during the first seven dates, and also featured Joe Perry sing lead vocals on the 1976 "Combination". The band was plagued with several health problems, over the course of the summer, however. Guitarist Brad Whitford had to sit out the first seven dates of the tour in order to recover from head surgery, after injuring his head getting out of his car. On June 28, 2009, at the band's seventh show of the tour at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, lead singer Steven Tyler injured his leg, which required seven shows to be postponed. A review of the Mohegan Sun show noted that Tyler "seemed frustrated by the sound and plagued by mic troubles, which caused him to disappear under the stage and miss his cues".

As soon as the band resumed the tour on July 15, Whitford returned to the fold. However, Tom Hamilton had to depart in order to recover from non-invasive surgery. David Hull filled in for Hamilton until he recovered. On August 5, 2009, at a concert in Sturgis, South Dakota, Tyler fell off the catwalk midway through the concert while dancing to entertain fans during a break in the show due to sound system failure.{{cite web|url=http://www.idiomag.com/peek/97032/aerosmith|title=Aerosmith Cancel US Tour|access-date=August 21, 2009|date=August 15, 2009|publisher=idiomag}} He was helped up by security staff and taken backstage, before guitarist Joe Perry told the audience the show was over. Tyler was airlifted to Rapid City Regional Hospital, where he received treatment for head and neck injuries and a broken shoulder. In the wake of Tyler's injuries, the band was forced to postpone five shows in Western Canada. On August 14, 2009, Aerosmith announced that they had decided to cancel the rest of their US tour dates with ZZ Top, due to Tyler's injuries.{{cite web|title=Aerosmith cancels tour due to Tyler injuries |last=Bream |first=Jon |work=Star Tribune |url=http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/music/53194297.html?elr=KArksc8P:Pc:UHDaaDyiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU |access-date=August 14, 2008 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606124717/http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/music/53194297.html?elr=KArksc8P%3APc%3AUHDaaDyiUiD3aPc%3A_Yyc%3AaUU |archive-date=June 6, 2011|df=mdy}}{{cite web|url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=125244 |title=AEROSMITH Cancels Remainder of Summer Tour|publisher=Roadrunnerrecords.com |date=August 14, 2009 |access-date=July 2, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090817211921/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=125244 |archive-date=August 17, 2009}} One of the cancelled dates was for 107.7 (KSAN) FM's tenth annual "Bone Bash" concert event, which was cancelled in its entirety."Aerosmith Tour? Dream On!", Oakland Tribune (August 15, 2009), p. 2.

=Post-cancellation developments=

Within days after Aerosmith's withdrawal, ZZ Top issued a press release stating in part that it would immediately begin setting new tour dates, for which "routing will take ZZ Top to many of the markets that had been on that cancelled tour's itinerary, giving fans a second chance, in a manner of speaking, to see the band after all".{{Cite web|url=https://bravewords.com/news/zz-top-sets-own-tour-in-wake-of-aerosmith-cancellation |title=ZZ Top Sets Own Tour In Wake Of Aerosmith Cancellation|date=August 15, 2009|website=bravewords.com}} ZZ Top "almost immediately began booking new gigs" entering into a "continuation tour" for the following several months.Tad Dickens, "[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120696138/zz-top-hard-at-work/ ZZ Top Hard at Work]", The Roanoke Times (September 10, 2009), p. Extra-4. ZZ Top also made up for the missed Bone Bash concert in 2010, playing the date as the headliner with .38 Special opening.Jim Harrington, "[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120822025/geezer-rock-heaven-at-shoreline/ Geezer-rock heaven at Shoreline]", Oakland Tribune (August 27, 2010), p. T-18.

In the midst of the tour, Perry completed work on his fifth solo album, Have Guitar, Will Travel and drummer Joey Kramer released his autobiography, Hit Hard. Perry's solo album was released on October 6, 2009.{{cite web|title=Hit Hard – Joey Kramer – Paperback|work=HarperCollins|url=http://www.harpercollins.com/9780061566622/hit-hard|access-date=January 6, 2015}}{{cite web|title=Have Guitar Will Travel – Joe Perry|author=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|work=Allmusic|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/have-guitar-will-travel-mw0000831001|access-date=January 6, 2015}} with one source noting that "it was the cancellation of the Aerosmith's tour because of lead singer Steven Tyler's stage accident that propelled Perry to finish his fifth solo effort".John Carucci, "[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120823484/perry-makes-most-of-aerosmith-hiatus/ Perry makes most of Aerosmith hiatus with solo CD]", Tallahassee Democrat (Octonber 9, 2009), p. 24D.

In October, with Tyler having recovered from his injuries, Aeorsmith returned to performing with a previously-schedule private appearance for Oracle in San Francisco. Two shows were then played in Hawaii, one in Maui and one in Honolulu, with the show in Maui being played as part of a legal settlement after the band was sued for cancelling a performance there in 2007. In early November, the band played a concert in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, at the Grand Prix.{{cite magazine|title=Beyoncé, Aerosmith To Rev Up Abu Dhabi|magazine=Pollstar|url=http://www.pollstar.com/news_article.aspx?ID=691378|access-date=January 6, 2015}}

Relations between Tyler and Perry soured in wake of Tyler falling off the stage in Sturgis and reached a fever pitch in November when a heavily publicized feud erupted in which Tyler was supposedly going to leave the band and be replaced by another singer. On November 9, 2009, the media reported that Tyler had no contact with the other members of Aerosmith and that they were unsure if he was still in the band.{{cite news |url = https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/nov/09/aerosmith-guitarist-steven-tyler |work = The Guardian |location = London |title = Aerosmith guitarist: Steven Tyler has quit the band |first = Sean |last = Michaels |date = November 9, 2009 |access-date = May 24, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140114040115/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/nov/09/aerosmith-guitarist-steven-tyler |archive-date = January 14, 2014 |df = mdy-all }} On November 10, 2009, Joe Perry confirmed Tyler had quit Aerosmith to pursue a solo career and was unsure whether the move was indefinite. No replacement was announced. Despite rumors of leaving the band, and notwithstanding Perry's comment as reported earlier the same day, Tyler joined the Joe Perry Project onstage November 10, 2009, at the Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza and performed "Walk This Way". According to sources at the event, Tyler assured the crowd that despite rumors to the contrary, he is "not quitting Aerosmith".{{cite web |url = http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=130178 |title = Steven Tyler: I Am Not Leaving Aerosmith! |publisher = Roadrunnerrecords.com |access-date = December 31, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091114052921/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=130178 |archive-date = November 14, 2009 |df = mdy-all }} Tensions cooled after Tyler returned from rehab, where he was seeking treatment for an addiction to painkillers, and the band announced a world tour to take place in 2010, entitled the Cocked, Locked, Ready to Rock Tour. That tour would ultimately play in many locations that the band missed due to the cancellation of dates on 2009 tour.

Personnel

=Aerosmith=

Steven Tyler – lead vocals, harmonica, piano
Joe Perry – guitar, backing vocals, talkbox (on "Sweet Emotion"), pedal steel guitar (on "Rag Doll"), lead vocals (on "Combination")
Brad Whitford – guitar
Tom Hamilton – bass
Joey Kramer – drums, percussion

Additional personnel:

Russ Irwin – keyboards, backing vocals
Bobby Schneck – guitar (substituted for Brad Whitford, June 10 – June 28)
David Hull – bass (substituted for Tom Hamilton, July 15 – August 5)

=ZZ Top=

Billy Gibbons – vocals, guitar
Dusty Hill – bass, keyboards, vocals
Frank Beard – drums, percussion

Tour dates

Tour dates announced as of April 2009 included:{{cite web|url=http://www.aeroforceone.com/index.cfm?pk=viewall&cd=MAE&pid=10784 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090418193024/http://www.aeroforceone.com:80/index.cfm?pk=viewall&cd=MAE&pid=10784 |archive-date=April 18, 2009|title=Aerosmith's 2009 Tour Dates and Tickets!|work=aeroforceone.com}}

colspan="4"\| Post-tour shows
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" ! width="200"\| Date ! width="200"\| City ! width="150"\| Country ! width="300"\| Venue
June 10, 2009	Maryland Heights	rowspan="22"\|United States	Verizon Wireless Amphitheater (ZZ Top did not appear; 3 Doors Down was the opening act)
June 13, 2009	East Troy	Alpine Valley Music Theatre (ZZ Top did not appear; 3 Doors Down was the opening act)
June 16, 2009	Mansfield	Comcast Center (ZZ Top did not appear; Dropkick Murphys was the opening act)
June 21, 2009	Bristow	Nissan Pavilion
June 24, 2009	Burgettstown	Post-Gazette Pavilion
June 26, 2009	Wantagh	Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
June 28, 2009	Uncasville	Mohegan Sun Arena
July 1, 2009	Cincinnati	~~Riverbend Music Center~~ CANCELED
July 3, 2009	Hershey	~~Hersheypark Stadium~~ CANCELED
July 5, 2009	Virginia Beach	~~Verizon Wireless Amphitheater~~ CANCELED
July 7, 2009	Raleigh	~~The Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek~~ CANCELED
July 9, 2009	Charlotte	~~Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre~~ CANCELED
July 11, 2009	Tampa	~~Ford Amphitheatre~~ CANCELED
July 13, 2009	Sunrise	~~BankAtlantic Center~~ CANCELED
July 15, 2009	Atlanta	Lakewood Amphitheatre
July 17, 2009	The Woodlands	Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
July 19, 2009	Dallas	SuperPages.com Center
July 25, 2009	Paradise	MGM Grand Garden Arena
July 27, 2009	Phoenix	Cricket Wireless Pavilion
July 30, 2009	Tulsa	BOK Center
August 1, 2009	Greenwood Village	Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre
August 5, 2009	Sturgis	Buffalo Chip at Sturgis Bike Rally (ZZ Top did not appear; Saving Abel was the opening act;"Aerosmith, Guess Who to rock at rally", Argus-Leader (August 3, 2009), p. 2. show CANCELED mid-way when Tyler falls off stage)
August 7, 2009	Winnipeg	rowspan="5"\|Canada	~~Canad Inns Stadium~~ CANCELED
August 9, 2009	Regina	~~Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field~~ CANCELED
August 11, 2009	Edmonton	~~Commonwealth Stadium~~ CANCELED
August 13, 2009	Calgary	~~McMahon Stadium~~ CANCELED
August 15, 2009	Vancouver	~~BC Place Stadium~~ CANCELED
August 17, 2009	Auburn	rowspan="7"\|United States	~~White River Amphitheatre~~ CANCELED
August 19, 2009	Concord	~~Sleep Train Pavilion (Bone Bash 10)~~ CANCELED
August 21, 2009	Los Angeles	~~Staples Center~~ CANCELED
August 23, 2009	Irvine	~~Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre~~ CANCELED
August 28, 2009	Tinley Park	~~First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre~~ CANCELED
August 30, 2009	Noblesville	~~Verizon Wireless Music Center~~ CANCELED
September 1, 2009	Kansas City	~~Sprint Center~~ CANCELED
September 3, 2009	Toronto	rowspan="2"\|Canada	~~Air Canada Centre~~ CANCELED
September 5, 2009	Ottawa	~~Scotiabank Place~~ CANCELED
September 8, 2009	Saint Paul	rowspan="6"\|United States	~~Xcel Energy Center~~ CANCELED
September 10, 2009	Cuyahoga Falls	~~Blossom Music Center~~ CANCELED
September 12, 2009	Holmdel	~~PNC Bank Arts Center~~ CANCELED
September 14, 2009	New York City	~~Madison Square Garden~~ CANCELED
September 16, 2009	Auburn Hills	~~The Palace of Auburn Hills~~ CANCELED
September 18, 2009	Camden	~~Susquehanna Bank Center~~ CANCELED
October 14, 2009	San Francisco	rowspan="3"\|United States	Treasure Island (private show for Oracle)"Steven Tyler performs again", The Los Angeles Times (October 9, 2009), p. D2.
October 18, 2009	Honolulu	Blaisdell Center
October 20, 2009	Wailuku	War Memorial Stadium (rescheduled from 2007 as part of a legal settlement)"[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120823889/aerosmith-in-hawaii-for-court-ordered/ Aerosmith in Hawaii for court-ordered gigs]", The Boston Globe (October 20, 2009), p. B16.
November 1, 2009	Abu Dhabi	United Arab Emirates	Yas Marina Circuit (2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix)

ZZ Top continuation tour dates picked up after Aerosmith's departure included September 9 at South Bend, Indiana,"ZZ Top in special summer show", The South Bend Tribune (September 3, 2009), p. SS11. Roanoke, Virginia on September 11, and nine shows in Canadian cities between November 17 and December 1."[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120715829/zz-top-to-play-regina-for-real/ ZZ Top to play Regina, for real]", The Regina Leader-Post (November 4, 2009), p. B2.

Set

=ZZ Top Set list=

1. "Got Me Under Pressure"
2. "Waitin' for the Bus"
3. "Jesus Just Left Chicago"
4. "Pincushion"
5. "Cheap Sunglasses"
6. "I Need You Tonight"
7. "Heard It on the X"
8. "Just Got Paid"
9. "Gimme All Your Lovin'"
10. "Sharp Dressed Man"
11. "Legs"
12. "La Grange"
13. "Tush"

=Aerosmith performed songs=

Below is a list of songs played on the tour:{{cite web|url=http://vindaloo.web44.net/tour.php?s%3D200902010%26e%3D201000000%26t%3D3%26tour%3D30 |access-date=June 14, 2009 }}{{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}{{dead link|date=March 2023}}

class="wikitable sortable"

! Album

! Song

! Times

rowspan="3"| Aerosmith (1973)

| "Dream On"

| 11

"Mama Kin"

| 2

"Walkin' the Dog"

| 7

rowspan="3"| Get Your Wings (1974)