You can’t keep a good man down! With Aerosmith on a “permanent vacation”, Joe dialed up some trusted friends, packed his gear, and lit the fuse for another fiery tour with The Joe Perry Project.
The 8-date North American run in August sees Joe taking out Aerosmith bandmates Brad Whitford [guitar] and Buck Johnson [keyboards], along with The Black Crowes‘ Chris Robinson [vocals], and Stone Temple Pilots‘ Robert DeLeo [bass], and JPP‘s Jason Suter [drums]. Most of these musicians played with Joe at The Roxy in L.A. for the debut event of Joe’s 2018 release, Sweetzerland Manifesto. This is Joe’s third run of solo dates since 2022, when Gary Cherone [Extreme] was on vocals.
This sold-out show at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY, on August 27th wrapped up the band’s tour with a massive bang, unleashing a set that delivered exactly what fans expected: songs from Joe‘s solo career, Aerosmith classics/deep cuts, and hits from The Black Crowes and Stone Temple Pilots.
The band launched immediately into “Let the Music Do the Talking,” an opener that set the overall tone and pace for the show with Chris dancing, twirling, and strutting on stage. The band delivered greased lightning guitar playing, soulful vocals, punchy bass, and pounding drumming. The Joe Perry Project delivered in full.
Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Joe and Brad are legends among guitarists, with over 150 million Aerosmith albums sold worldwide. Their playing has always been rooted in the blues, which solidifies their chemistry. Fans were finally able to see these two legends up close and personal, watching them play songs note for note and chord for chord. Witnessing their signature chemistry and applied techniques on Aerosmith songs like “Mama Kin” and “My Fist Your Face” was awe-inspiring. It is reminiscent of a time when music was dangerous, unpredictable, and spontaneous!
Before the showtime, I asked Brad about revisiting these timeless Aerosmith songs. He replied, “There’s a certain energy that comes out of our music when we play it. I think it’s fun for the fans, too. You live a lot through your music, and that’s never going to change. I know that our music is going to stick around for a long time, and that’s nice to know. Maybe they’ll still be playing this shit when I’m not here. [laughter].”
For good measure, Joe added some tasteful slide guitar throughout the night, most notably on the honky-tonk versions of The Black Crowes‘ “Jealous Again” and “Twice as Hard,” giving the songs the dimension and spirit they had when they were initially written. Joe worked his foot pedals like a dancer, chasing that perfect mix of touch, tone, and fuzz. It was as if he was saying, “I’m Joe F*cking Perry, and you can’t ignore what I’m doing up here.”
With his bass slung low and his articulate right hand, Robert‘s playing was punchy and melodic. Yet, he still managed to weave intricate bass runs that complemented the song rather than merely anchoring it, as on STP‘s iconic “Interstate Love Song.” A powerhouse bassist with all ten fingers constantly flying with fury and grace.
Navigating through all the bluesiest rock songs across four different bands plus covers like Led Zeppelin‘s “Heartbreaker”, Chris proved once again why he’s one of rock’s most versatile singers and frontmen. A true blues powerhouse who could sing the phone book and make it sound soulful and heartfelt, especially on “Fortunate One,” which was a collaboration with him and Joe on Sweetzerland Manifesto MKII in 2023. Chris told the crowd he wrote the lyrics for that song in 15 minutes, with Joe chiming in, saying, “Anything longer would be a waste of time!” Whether in the front or the last row of the Capitol Theatre, Chris made you feel as if he was singing directly to you! It was a performance in the superstar realm.
As they tore through the evening, dismantling the venue’s foundation, the nearly two-hour set of 19 songs was a blur, with so much happening that it was hard to keep track of everything flashing before your eyes and ears, as Joe and the band rarely let the audience catch their breath.
With the final song of “Train Kept A-Rollin”, it’s hard to imagine a better, more satisfying encore to a glorious night. Given Joe‘s restless spirit and boundless energy, here’s hoping he adds more tours down the road, and that a few much-needed Aerosmith farewell shows are somewhere on the horizon.
