Joe Perry and Steven Tyler Backstage Proves Why They’re Indestructible
via Aerosmith / Youtube
Compiling the nightly setlist for Aerosmith’s Deuces Are Wild Las Vegas residency presents a tough challenge. Imagine squeezing 50 long years of great music – classic hits, fan-favorites, lesser-known tracks, and cherished covers – into a roughly 90-minute performance?
Not only that, all five original members are still part of the ensemble, each harboring their unique strategies for achieving this feat. But the rock-hard foundation of the band remains shatterproof in their songwriting tandem Steven Tyler and Joe Perry.
As shown in the video below, the badass duo broke into a discussion after jamming on a short solo by Perry on his iconic Bladerunner.
Joe with his black Bladerunner, Steven bobbing his head as they jam, and road manager John Bionelli carrying around a speaker to blast out Joe’s solo. Rockstar perfection.
Deuces Are Wild
In 2019, the band performed a string of shows for their Deuces Are Wild concert residency at the Park Theater in Las Vegas. The residency was extended until 2022 due to consistent demand.
The name of the residency was a reference to both Las Vegas’ casino gambling and Aerosmith’s 1994 single of the same name.
One of the bigger challenges the band faced was discussing the setlist of their performances. The band members had all kinds of ideas, and they wanted to standardize things while also spicing things up with creative extras.
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In an interview with Rolling Stone, Guitarist Brad Whitford comments on the process, explaining, “There’s a considerable amount of exchange, ranging from swift 30-second decisions to extended 10-minute discussions where everyone contributes their thoughts – ‘Let’s try this… how about that?'”
The close-up interview with Aeromisth was taken in between the residency performances. This residency was also the first in their 53-year-old career.
The band does enjoy the flexibility to rearrange songs for each show, resulting in certain tunes like “Movin’ Out” and “Draw the Line” being tested only a handful of times before being dropped, while timeless classics like “Dream On” and “Sweet Emotion” resurface consistently every night.
Deuces Are Wild lasted for 55 live dates from April 2019 to November 2022, most of them held at the Park Theater, accompanied by an additional nine shows across three MGM venues situated on the East Coast. This comprised three performances at the MGM National Harbor in Maryland, two at the Borgata in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and four at the MassMutual Center in Massachusetts.
Additionally, the band also participated in a festival in Minnesota in July 2019 and staged two shows in New England in September 2022.
What started as an 18-date series of concerts, the residency was stretched to an addition of 17 more Vegas concerts and the inclusion of nine East Coast shows. Then another 15 shows were added in 2020 due to the demand for more Aerosmith live performances.
Before their anticipated European tour in the summer of 2020, the band’s plans were disrupted by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, along with the tour being canceled, the residency dates were also postponed.
New concert dates for Aerosmith’s residency were unveiled on March 23, 2022, with performances spanning from September through December 2022. Unfortunately, the December dates faced cancellation due to lead singer Steven Tyler’s entry into rehab.
Tyler was reported experiencing relapse after having foot surgery to prepare for the upcoming shows. The frontman himself voluntarily checked himself into a rehab facility, though additional details were not provided.
Toxic Twins
The iconic partnership of Tyler and Perry was one of the most enduring and the most sellable in rock music history. The duo were known for their rampant use of drugs and booze, earning the nickname Toxic Twins.
Hey you all pic.twitter.com/IFXmg5Lkrn
— best of toxic twins (@toxictwinspost) August 26, 2019
Though they indulged in illicit substances during their heydays, these two musical powerhouses shaped not only the sound of Aerosmith but also transformed the American rock ‘n’ roll landscape.
From the very beginning, Tyler and Perry’s creative synergy has been electric. Their combined songwriting prowess has produced classic hits that continue to remain relevant to this day. With Tyler’s distinctive vocals that earned him the moniker “Demon of Screamin’” and Perry’s blazing guitar work, their chemistry brings a unique edge to the band’s music.
