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Steven Tyler sings in public for first time in 2 years. Is an Aerosmith reunion next?

Updated February 4, 2025 - 10:47 am

LOS ANGELES — The piano Steven Tyler played during Aerosmith’s “Deuces are Wild” residency in Las Vegas was up for auction at the Janie’s Fund gala, Grammys viewing party and rock show Sunday night.

I wanted to jump into the bidding myself and procure the instrument, store it and hope for the best. This might not be the time to retire any instruments. Tyler’s performance was at least a hint that there is still life in the great rock band from Boston, and maybe on the Strip.

The $140,000 winning bid was out of our range, sad for us but great for the charity. And we would learn an Aerosmith return to stage still has to be in play, given Tyler’s 30-minute burst to close the charity gala.

Tyler sang in public for the first time since a vocal injury in September 2023 parked the band’s “Peace Out” tour after just three dates. His voice concerns were more serious than originally thought, and this past August the band announced it was finished — touring, specifically.

But the announcement said nothing of one-offs, or brief residencies at such places as Dolby Live, the home of 55 “Deuces are Wild” performances.

Sorum soars

Tyler was introduced to palpable great response by ex-Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver drummer Matt Sorum, and the night’s music director. Tyler performed an acoustic cover of Extreme’s “More Than Words” with that band’s co-founder Nuno Bettencourt on guitar and Fleetwood Mac legend Mick Fleetwood on percussion, rocking a single bongo.

After Tyler sang a quick vocal warm-up, Bettencourt said into the mic, “Your voice is gone, my ass,” a table-setting comment for the entire set.

In duet much of the way but maintaining his trademark yowl, Tyler uncorked “Toys In The Attic” with Bettencourt. The Black Crowes’ Chris Robinson was an unbilled addition, swapping lines on “Sweet Emotion,” “Walk This Way” and Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love,” which shut down the event.

Country artist Lanie Wilson, her star on ascent, performed “Dream On” with Tyler, on the just-sold, plexiglass “dream piano.”

We like it, like it, like it

The takeaway is Tyler can still bring it, provided he has sufficient vocal rest between performances. He would not perform back-to-back shows even before the August ‘23 injury, in an effort to protect his voice. An adjusted schedule in Las Vegas would provide time for such vocal care.

Whatever his future, Tyler has rebounded impressively. His doctor originally said, “In addition to the damage to his vocal cords, he fractured his larynx, which requires ongoing care. He is receiving the best medical treatment available to ensure his recovery is swift, but given the nature of a fracture, he is being told patience is essential.”

Expanding the Aerosmith speculation, Tyler’s manager, Larry Rudolph, has moved back to Las Vegas. Rudolph brought the band in for its first run at Dolby Live from 2019-’22, and also negotiated the Britney Spears’ “Piece of Me” residency at Planet Hollywood from 2013-2017. He’s also the recently installed manager for Journey.

Rudolph said he felt Tyler’s performance was “spectacular,” but he qualified that it was not related to any plans to return the band to the stage.

Elsewhere in Sunday’s all-star jam, Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton hit the stage near the close, providing the iconic bass line in “Sweet Emotion.” But this was not the speculated (and in some pubs, reported) reunion of any other original Aerosmith member. Guitar hero Joe Perry was not in the room, though he gave a recorded description for a guitar that was auctioned for $140,000.

Pre-Tyler, the event’s headliners included Joan Jett, her set highlighted by a ferocious “Cherry Bomb”; and Billy Idol with guitar great (and Las Vegas resident) Steve Stevens for “Flesh For Fantasy” and “Rebel Yell.”

Comic Tiffany Haddish was the emcee, calling out such bids as “fifty dollars” when the bidding was actually $50,000. Haddish is making her debut at Encore Theater on June 27, an event not formally announced yet nonetheless reality.

Tyler’s performance energized an event that supports young women recovering from emotional abuse. This year’s Janie’s Fund also raised funds for the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, assisting in recovery from the region’s devastating wildfires.

Danny parts with Lincoln

A Las Vegas pop-culture figure and himself a rocker, Danny Koker, assisted the cause in a big way, donating his 1978 Lincoln Continental, 14,000 original miles and fully restored by Koker’s crew at Count’s Kustoms. The star of “Counting Cars” said the car is divinely driven, with a purpose to do some good. It sold for $300,000, the highest bid of any live-auction item.

“This car came to me about years ago, as a factory original with only 14,000 original miles on it,” Koker said. “It was absolutely shot. Oh my lord, we went to work on it. This was one of my personal cars for about the past five years.”

Longtime Vegas entertainment professional and Janie’s Fund volunteer Ken Ciancimino called Koker on Tyler’s behalf. Koker then floored it, for real, and donated the car to the charity. Vegas was further repped by rock-music broadcast great Eddie Trunk, and Dollar Loan Center founder Chuck Brennan.

“Thank you for joining me in this mission of my heart,” Tyler said from the stage prior to the event, thanking Sorum for taking on the onerous task and mentioning his bandmates. “I’m also grateful to my Aerosmith brothers who have been with me since the beginning. Joe, Brad (Whitford), Joey (Kramer) and Tom.”

Tyler gave voice to that band’s legacy, while leaving the door open for an encore.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.

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