The Just Push Play Tour was a concert tour by
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of Steven Tyler (lead vocals), Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry (guitar), Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton (bass), Joey Kramer (drums) and Brad Whi ...
that took the band across North America and Japan. Supporting their 2001 album ''
Just Push Play
''Just Push Play'' is the thirteenth studio album by American rock band Aerosmith, co-produced by song collaborators Marti Frederiksen and Mark Hudson and was released in March 6, 2001. The album's first single, " Jaded", became a Top 10 hit in ...
'', it ran from June 2001 to February 2002.
The tour was successful, despite several cancellations due in part to the
September 11 terrorist attacks
The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial ...
. The tour earned $46.5 million from 56 shows in North America.
Background
The tour came on the heels of the band's platinum album ''
Just Push Play
''Just Push Play'' is the thirteenth studio album by American rock band Aerosmith, co-produced by song collaborators Marti Frederiksen and Mark Hudson and was released in March 6, 2001. The album's first single, " Jaded", became a Top 10 hit in ...
''. Aerosmith was riding a wave of popularity, having played the
Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Baltimore Ravens and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for ...
Halftime Show, been inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...
, and scored a Top 10 hit, all within the first half of the year.
Just prior to the start of the tour, the band performed a brief promo tour in
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
. They also performed at many radio festivals in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, including: "
River Rave", "
Zootopia
''Zootopia'' (titled ''Zootropolis'' in various regions) is a 2016 American computer-animated buddy cop action comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 55th Disney animated feature film, ...
" and the "
Kiss Concert".
Tyler sang the
National Anthem
A national anthem is a patriotic musical composition symbolizing and evoking eulogies of the history and traditions of a country or nation. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style. American, Central Asian, and European n ...
at the
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500, formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and commonly called the Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indi ...
, and the team sponsored a car in the race.
As a result, many shows sold out and the band added arena dates through the fall and winter, even after a successful summer amphitheater tour. "If we couldn't get an audience
..aving made a record we truly believe in, then I guess we probably would turn around and say, 'It's been fun, but see ya.' But I tell you this: we wouldn't go without a big fucking fight."
United We Stand
The band played the
United We Stand: What More Can I Give benefit concert at
RFK Stadium
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, commonly known as RFK Stadium and originally known as District of Columbia Stadium, is a defunct multi-purpose stadium in Washington, D.C. It is located about due east of the U.S. Capitol building, near the w ...
in Washington, D.C. on October 21, 2001, alongside
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
,
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whi ...
, and other pop stars. The band had been uncertain whether to play the show due to scheduling conflicts and made the decision almost at the last minute. They took the stage in the afternoon, played four songs, then flew to
Indianapolis
Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...
for a concert that same night.
Cancellations
In the wake of the
September 11 terrorist attacks
The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial ...
, the band canceled the three shows after that (Virginia Beach, Camden, New Jersey, and Columbia, Maryland); all on the
Eastern Seaboard, where the attacks had occurred. These shows were rescheduled. The band canceled a second show at Irvine, California earlier in the tour, due to a scheduling conflict with the filming of the video for "Sunshine."
Stage setup
The stage for the tour had a modern look, reflecting the aesthetic of ''Just Push Play'' and its cover. Most striking were the silver and white colors, as well as two curving staircases that met at a platform at the top. There, some of the most exciting moments took place, including the entrance of
Steven Tyler
Steven Victor Tallarico (born March 26, 1948), known professionally as Steven Tyler, is an American singer, best known as the lead singer of the Boston-based rock band Aerosmith, in which he also plays the harmonica, piano, and percussion. ...
and
Joe Perry at the beginning of the show, as well as Tyler singing the eerie lyrics that open "
Seasons of Wither
"Seasons of Wither" is a power ballad by American hard rock band Aerosmith. It was written by lead singer Steven Tyler and is five minutes and thirty-eight seconds in length. It was released in 1974 on the band's second album ''Get Your Wings'' ...
"
The band set up a second smaller stage in the rear of outdoor pavilions to play for those in the lawn section. During the middle of the show, the band members would walk under heavy security to this stage to do a three-song set.
Tyler jokingly referred to this tour as the "Back on the Grass Tour": a reference to this auxiliary stage and a jab at those who claimed Aerosmith was using drugs again. Tyler especially targeted former manager
Tim Collins, who had accused Aerosmith of relapsing before the band fired him in 1996. However, "Back On The Grass" was not an official name for the tour – just a joke Tyler repeated in interviews.
Song selection
The setlist featured as many as 25 songs. It varied show to show, as most Aerosmith setlists do, but usually included about half a dozen songs from ''Just Push Play'' as well a fair balance between their 70s classics and 80s and 90s hits.
Broadcasts and recordings
In January 2002, the band played ''
The Joint'', a 2,000 seat venue within the
Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
Hard Rock Cafe, Inc. is a British-based multinational chain of theme restaurants, memorabilia shops, casinos and museums founded in 1971 by Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton in London. In 1979, the cafe began covering its walls with rock and ro ...
. This show was recorded and parts of it were released as the band's fifth live album, a Dual Disc CD/DVD entitled ''Rockin' the Joint'', released in 2005.
Opening acts
*
Fuel
A fuel is any material that can be made to react with other substances so that it releases energy as thermal energy or to be used for work. The concept was originally applied solely to those materials capable of releasing chemical energy but ...
*
The Cult
The Cult are an English rock band formed in 1983 in Bradford, West Yorkshire. Before settling on their current name in January 1984, the band performed under the name Death Cult, which was an evolution of the name of lead singer Ian Astbury's ...
Setlist
The following setlist was obtained from the concert held on June 26, 2001, at the Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts in Mansfield, Massachusetts. It does not represent all concerts for the duration of the tour.
#"Beyond Beautiful"
#"
Love in an Elevator
"Love in an Elevator" is a song performed by American rock band Aerosmith, written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry. It was released in August 1989 as the lead single from their third album with Geffen Records, ''Pump'', released in September. It p ...
"
#"
Jaded
Jaded may refer to:
* ''Jaded'' (album), a 2003 album by To/Die/For
* ''Jaded'' (film), a 1998 film starring Carla Gugino
* ''Jaded'', a 2002 skateboard film from ''Thrasher Magazine''
Songs
* "Jaded" (Aerosmith song), 2000
* "Jaded" (Disclos ...
"
#"
Just Push Play
''Just Push Play'' is the thirteenth studio album by American rock band Aerosmith, co-produced by song collaborators Marti Frederiksen and Mark Hudson and was released in March 6, 2001. The album's first single, " Jaded", became a Top 10 hit in ...
"
#"Big Ten Inch Record"
#"
Fly Away from Here
"Fly Away from Here" is a 2001 power ballad by Aerosmith. It was the second single on their album, '' Just Push Play''. It was written by Aerosmith songwriters Marti Frederiksen and Todd Chapman. The song is a ballad about wanting to get away o ...
"
#"
Pink
Pink is the color of a namesake flower that is a pale tint of red. It was first used as a color name in the late 17th century. According to surveys in Europe and the United States, pink is the color most often associated with charm, politeness, ...
"
#"
Mama Kin
"Mama Kin" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith, which appears on their 1973 self-titled debut album. The song was written by lead singer Steven Tyler. It was a staple of Aerosmith concerts and appeared on several live albums.
Mus ...
"
#"
Same Old Song and Dance
"Same Old Song and Dance" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith, written by singer Steven Tyler and guitarist Joe Perry. Released on March 19, 1974, as the lead single from their second studio album, ''Get Your Wings'', it has remained ...
"
#"
Dream On"
#"
Toys in the Attic"
#"
Angel's Eye"
#"
Draw the Line"
#"Under My Skin"
#"
Seasons of Wither
"Seasons of Wither" is a power ballad by American hard rock band Aerosmith. It was written by lead singer Steven Tyler and is five minutes and thirty-eight seconds in length. It was released in 1974 on the band's second album ''Get Your Wings'' ...
"
#"
Cryin'
"Cryin'" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith. It was written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Taylor Rhodes. It was released by Geffen Records on June 20, 1993, as a single from their 11th studio album, ''Get a Grip''. The single rea ...
"
#"
I Don't Want to Miss a Thing
"I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" is a song performed by American hard rock band Aerosmith as the official theme song for the 1998 sci-fi disaster film ''Armageddon'', in which lead singer Steven Tyler's daughter Liv starred. It is one of four ...
"
#"
Walk This Way
"Walk This Way" is a song by the American rock band Aerosmith. Written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, the song was originally released as the second single from the album '' Toys in the Attic'' (1975). It peaked at number 10 on the ''Billboa ...
"
#"
Sweet Emotion
"Sweet Emotion" is a song by the American rock band Aerosmith from the band's third album '' Toys in the Attic''. It was released as a single on May 19, 1975. The song began a string of pop hits and large-scale mainstream success for the band t ...
"
Encore
#
"Livin' on the Edge
"Livin' on the Edge" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith. The song was written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Mark Hudson. It was released in February 1993 as the first single from the band's commercially successful album ''Get a Gr ...
"
#" What It Takes"
#"Train Kept A-Rollin'
"Train Kept A-Rollin'" (or "The Train Kept A-Rollin'") is a song first recorded by American jazz and rhythm and blues musician Tiny Bradshaw in 1951. Originally performed in the style of a jump blues, Bradshaw borrowed lyrics from an earlier son ...
"
Tour dates
;Festivals and other miscellaneous performances
:This concert was a part of "
Wango Tango"
;Cancellations and rescheduled shows
Box office score data
References
External links
Aerosmith official websiteJUST PUSH PLAY TOUR - AeroForceOne
{{Aerosmith
Aerosmith concert tours
2001 concert tours
2002 concert tours