The Aerosmith Hollywood Bowl return happened Thursday night, Oct. 29, and the band’s original lineup ended it together. Founding drummer Joey Kramer joined Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford and Tom Hamilton for “Walk This Way,” his first performance with Aerosmith since Feb. 15, 2020. The first of two California Dream On: Aerosmith & Friends concerts was hosted by comedian Bill Burr. The second is set for Sunday, Nov. 1, at 6:15 p.m., a drive of a couple of hours up the 5 for San Diego fans.
Thursday’s show was the band’s first performance since the Peace Out farewell tour stopped in September 2023, and its first since announcing its retirement from touring in August 2024.
Aerosmith Hollywood Bowl: Joey Kramer Back Behind the Kit
According to Blabbermouth, Kramer, 76, last played with Aerosmith on Feb. 15, 2020, during the band’s Deuces Are Wild residency at Park MGM in Las Vegas. He has dealt with a series of health issues in recent years.
At the Bowl, Kramer took the drum seat for the closing song, “Walk This Way.” He played alongside his drum tech, John Douglas, who has filled in for Kramer on previous Aerosmith tours.
Before that final song, Tyler thanked everyone involved and saluted his bandmates. “Before we say goodnight, I just want to say what a ride it’s been with my brothers: Joe, Tom, Brad and Joey,” he told the crowd. “Fifty-five f***ing years, and we’re the same f***ing band that started fifty-five and a half years ago.”
Dave Grohl Drums Five Songs
Dave Grohl, the former Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters frontman, played drums on the first five songs of Aerosmith’s six-song set. After “Toys In The Attic,” Tyler told the crowd how that came about. “I get a phone call,” he said. “[Dave] goes, ‘Steven. The Bowl. I’ve got to get in.’ I said, ‘David, do you want to play the drums for Aerosmith?’ And he goes, ‘No, I want to roadie.'”
Johnny Depp, Perry’s bandmate in the Hollywood Vampires, joined the band on guitar for “The Train Kept A-Rollin’.”
Aerosmith Hollywood Bowl Setlist, Oct. 29
- Toys In The Attic (with Dave Grohl on drums)
- Back In The Saddle (with Dave Grohl)
- Sweet Emotion (with Dave Grohl)
- Dream On (with Dave Grohl)
- The Train Kept A-Rollin’ (with Dave Grohl and Johnny Depp)
- Walk This Way (with Joey Kramer and John Douglas on drums)
The setlist matches the one published by Loudwire, which also posted fan-filmed video from the night.
The Friends: Guns N’ Roses, Black Crowes, Sammy Hagar and More
The Aerosmith Hollywood Bowl night was built as a tribute, with guests playing Aerosmith songs before the band took the stage. A core house band backed many of them, including music director Don Was, Nuno Bettencourt, Kenny Aronoff, Chad Smith, Andrew Watt and Mike Inez. The setlist published by Blabbermouth ran 27 songs:
- Sully Erna of Godsmack opened with “Make It” and “Lightning Strikes.”
- Warren Haynes played “Lord Of The Thighs” and “Walkin’ The Dog.”
- Billy Idol and Steve Stevens played “Livin’ On The Edge.”
- Sammy Hagar sang “Draw The Line” and “Helter Skelter.”
- Heart played “Never Loved A Man” and “Janie’s Got A Gun.”
- Eric Church sang “Rag Doll” and “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing.”
- The Black Crowes played five songs, from “Let The Music Do The Talking” to “Chip Away The Stone.”
- Guns N’ Roses played “Nobody’s Fault,” “Last Child” and “Seasons Of Wither,” then “Welcome To The Jungle” and “Paradise City.”
Loudwire reported that the three Aerosmith covers were the first time Guns N’ Roses had played those songs live.
Aerosmith Hollywood Bowl Show No. 2: Sunday, Nov. 1
The second California Dream On: Aerosmith & Friends concert is Sunday, Nov. 1, at the Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave. Live Nation lists the start time as 6:15 p.m. The official event site says the lineup will vary by night, with final lineups announced at or near showtime and subject to change. A portion of the proceeds benefits Steven Tyler’s Janie’s Fund.
The shows were announced Oct. 7 by Live Nation-Hewitt Silva and Blackbird Presents. The announced roster also included Run DMC, Jerry Cantrell, Tom Morello, Marcus King and Pat Monahan of Train, none of whom appear on Thursday’s published setlist, so fans heading north Sunday should expect a different mix of guests.
How the Aerosmith Hollywood Bowl Shows Came Together
Aerosmith’s Peace Out tour stopped after a Sept. 9, 2023, show in Elmont, New York, when Tyler fractured his larynx. On Aug. 2, 2024, the band announced it was retiring from touring. Since then, Tyler has made occasional appearances, including Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath’s Back To The Beginning concert in Birmingham, England, on July 5, 2025, which reached theaters this week as covered in our Back to the Beginning film story. Tyler and Perry also released the five-song EP “One More Time” with Yungblud.
The Bowl dates don’t mark a return to touring. In April 2026, Perry told Billboard, “The band is still kind of definitely not in touring mode, but there are certainly other options, so we stay in touch.” No Aerosmith dates beyond the Aerosmith Hollywood Bowl weekend have been announced.
Aerosmith Hollywood Bowl FAQ
Aerosmith’s Original Five, Together Again in Los Angeles
On Oct. 29, the Aerosmith Hollywood Bowl concert put Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton and Joey Kramer on the same stage for the first time since February 2020, after a night of tributes from Guns N’ Roses, the Black Crowes, Sammy Hagar, Heart and more. Dave Grohl and Johnny Depp sat in, and Bill Burr hosted.
The second and final show is Sunday, Nov. 1, at 6:15 p.m., with a lineup that will vary from opening night and part of the proceeds going to Janie’s Fund.
