Touringis a huge part of any artist’s success;it isn’t always enough just to put out multi-platinum records if it means fans aren’t able to see those albums performed live.Whether it’s amusic festival, a surprise set ata local venue, or a sold-out show at an arena that holds thousands, live music just hits fans differently.
When an artist goes on tour, no matter how rewarding and gratifying it may be to see thousands of fans staring back at you on stage and singing your lyrics in a chorus led by you, it can take a lot out of you.Aerosmith is a band that knows this all too well, having spent the last 50 years touring.
In 2023, Aerosmith embarked on what was billed as their farewell tour, the Peace Out Tour, with support from the Black Crowes. The tour was set to last through 2025, but had to be cut short after Steven Tyler suffered a vocal injury.Recently, however, it’s come to light that the Peace Out Tour may not have been completely final.
Farewell Tours Are Rarely Final
Over the years, countless bands have announced and embarked on their farewell tour, meant to be a last hurrah of live shows before entering into retirement.Many artists have actually billed multiple tours as ‘farewell tours,‘including Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath, KISS, and The Who, whose initial farewell tour took place in 1982, but who arecurrently on tour in 2025.
Given how seldom a farewell tour is actually a final farewell in the world of music, especially with the setback at the beginning of the decade due to Covid,it’s very possible that Aerosmith’s farewell tour may not actually have been their final farewell.
Aerosmith Still Has Unfinished Business With Fans
When Aerosmith embarked on the Peace Out tour, it was supposed to last for roughly 18 months.There were initially 40 dates scheduled across the US and Canada,but just three shows in, Steven Tyler suffered an injury to his vocal cords that forced them to postpone the remaining tour dates.
Though they initially postponed the tour temporarily due to Tyler’s doctor ordering him not to sing for at least 30 days (Exclaim),his inability to fully heal from the injury left the band no choice but to cancel the remainder of the tour.While Tyler isn’t exactly getting any younger, their unfinished business certainly isn’t lost on Aerosmith.
A Comeback Wouldn’t Be Their First (Or Last) Surprise
According toMen’s Journal,Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry recently said, “I would bet that there’s an Aerosmith show left.“He continued, “I’ve been spending a lot of time with Steven [Tyler], and he just doesn’t want to tour and he can’t tour.” If Tyler is the primary factor holding them back, it seems Perry could be a voice of reason.
To date, Aerosmith’s last concert ever was the September 9th show of the Peace Out Tour in Elmont, New York, and even before the surprise of that being their last show, they closed it with yet another surprise: the outro of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” that played into a Happy Birthday chant for Perry (Junkyard Rock Stories).
When asked directly about a truly final farewell in the future, Perry reportedly said, “I’ll never say never,” leaving the possibility of a comeback show wide open. A potential comeback show would definitely be surprising, butit wouldn’t be the first time the Boston rockers have surprised their fans, and it seems like it may not be the last either.
