Concert Review: Steven Tyler at PPAC
Sunday, September 11, 2016
Rock luminary Steven Tyler came to town last night, and Providence may take a while to recover. It’s not the first time to the capital city for the legendary leader of Aerosmith - Tyler noted the band played the “Civic Center” several times, and he showed off a tattoo he got at a long forgotten parlor back in the early 70’s. The concert at PPAC was billed as an “up close and personal” look at the artist and his songs, and Tyler eagerly delivered that and more to the near sell-out crowd.
Rock and Country
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTOn a set designed to look like an upscale juke joint, Tyler opened the PPAC show with the Aerosmith classic “Sweet Emotion.” The somewhat “countrified” version rocked hard, with the singer backed by Nashville’s outstanding Loving Mary Band. Another big hit, "Cryin" came next, a reminder that Tyler is a tour de force on stage.
Some were puzzled and others were delighted when Tyler announced he was working on a “country” record earlier this year. The result is an album recorded in Nashville behind a tight band with all the trappings of Music Row, but a sound not far from Tyler’s comfort zone in rock and roll.
What the audience experienced Saturday night was a basically a rock show with a few country tunes. For those who like the “unplugged” format, and appreciate new interpretations of some well-known classics, the show was as good, if not better, than a typical Aerosmith concert.
Influences
Throughout the evening, Tyler shared stories behind the songs including one about his musical influences. It’s no surprise that he mentioned The Kinks and The Rolling Stones, and then played a little Beatles medley which included “I’m Down,” “Oh Darling,” and “Come Together,” with pretty much the whole crowd accompanying. The “cover” part of the evening continued with the Janis Joplin classic “Piece of My Heart” (originally penned by Erma Franklin), and a lesser known Peter Green era Fleetwood Mac tune, “Rattlesnake Shake.”
Other show highlights included a high energy take on “Jaded,” and the lyrical “What it Takes,” two Aerosmith favorites that kept the crowd on their feet. The 70’s high school dance staple “Dream On” was another show stopper, the tune hasn’t lost any of its authority. The main set closed with “Walk This Way,” complete with a verse or two of Led Zep’s “Whole Lotta’ Love” thrown in for good measure. You can’t ask for much more.
New Material
Tyler shared a few tunes from his new album We're All Somebody Somewhere. “My Own Worst Enemy” is a nice rock ballad featuring mainly acoustic instruments heavy on accordion and mandolin. Lyrically, it echoes modern country but would also fit in nicely mid-set at an Aerosmith show.
“I could blame Jesus, I could blame momma
I could blame Brahma for all the bull that’s in my head
I could blame Seagram’s for all the whiskey
And for the tipsy that’s still here on my breath
And ain’t that why you left”
Several other new tunes like “Love is Your Name” and the album title song “We’re All Somebody from Somewhere” occupy that space between rock and country. Country music is not a totally foreign concept to Tyler - listen to “Pink” from Nine Lives, and tell me he wasn’t headed in that direction. That said, this was mainly a rock show.
Encore
The three song encore opened with a trance-like “Janie’s Got a Gun,” re-arranged in blues direction. A new ballad “Only Heaven” followed, and the band closed with an Aerosmith favorite “Train Kept A-Rollin.” The finale rocked hard, as it should.
The familiar Aerosmith tunes were well done, and at times, the show felt like an MTV “Unplugged” session. Tyler clearly hasn’t lost his youthful swagger - looking like Jack Sparrow, one wonders how they hell this 68-year-old can still hit those high notes. Amazing! And is it any surprise that this rock show seemed to have more women than men in attendence?
In our overly jaded culture, it’s easy to point out the trappings of celebrity. Tyler has become a major TV and movie star, well known around the world. What he does best however, is put on a damn fine rock show. In concert, he projects sincerity and enthusiasm; it feels a little like he’s kid on stage for the first time. Ain’t that what rock and roll is all about!
Ken Abrams reviews Roots, Rock and Blues for GoLocal. E-Mail him here.
Related Slideshow: Steven Tyler at PPAC
Steven Tyler brought down the house at PPAC and GoLocal Photographer Rick Farrell, Mojo Photography was there. Click through our slide show and join the fun!
