Review by Ralph Greco, Jr.
Having now experienced two of them (the first Styx a year ago, Aerosmith just recently), I can report that a rock band residency in Las Vegas is a unique animal indeed. The legendary American juggernaut that is Aerosmith shares the Park Theater at Park MGM on the Las Vegas strip with Lady Gaga and Cher, during the year and what the ‘Boys from Boston’ manage in their semi-permanent, sky-high priced ticketed show, “Deuces Wild Las Vegas Residency,” is a full assault of sound, lights, staging, catwalks, and inflatables.
I dare say very few if any touring bands could not manage this kind of two-hour concert if they were moving it from arena stage to arena stage across the country. The big screens running vertically from ceiling to floor, the pre-show circus-style performers of stilt walkers and contortionists, the extended A-shaped stage, those inflatables do certainly add a Vegas touch to the night.
On this particular evening, the last the band would play of their residency for a few months, Aerosmith presented some very ragged playing…even by their lose rock and roll warrior standards. Original drummer Joey Kramer was out with a hurt leg; while a competent replacement manned the skins, Steven Tyler and company were rallying round the drum riser more often than usual to make sure everybody was as locked together as possible.
Quite a few times during lead instrumental jams, the band seemed to meander, but truthfully, a looser Aerosmith is a much more rockin’ Aerosmith. These guys are seasoned pros, and it was fun to watch them have fun losing their way occasionally and finding their way back from a jam.
Starting with “Let the Music Do The Talking,” running round “Rag Doll,” “Sweet Emotion,” Joe Perry and Steven Tyler sitting way out at the center of that ‘A’ for “Hangman Jury,” and a rather perfect “Seasons Of Wither,” the band chugged along. Tyler still has lots of energy to canter across the stage, and his voice sounded damn good, especially considering the troubles he has had with it. The augmentation of the band’s keyboardist, backing vocalist, and a female backing vocalist was just insurance the band needs to make sure the singing is always hitting the mark.
The band included their sappy crowd-pleaser “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing,” followed by an overly loud, sloppy and completely wonderful “Rats in the Cellar.” None other than Johnny Depp joined the band, playing guitar on the raucous “Toys in the Attic” this was when the teddy bear, elephant, and other inflatables descended on us
The band returned for an encore that included the first half of Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song,” then Tyler manned a piano center stage starting with a piece of the Beatles’ “Golden Slumbers,” into “Dream On,” and he and Perry strutted up a catwalk that stretched from that A tip to the balcony for “Walk This Way.”
Although they are scheduled well into 2020 for this Deuces Wild – Las Vegas Residency, it’s anybody’s guess how much longer the mighty Aerosmith can do these shows. For now, we are lucky to have them, and if one has the bucks, this is a sight and sound barrage worth seeing.
