1988.08.17 - Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, USA

Aerosmith shows power, confidence at Merriweather

By J. D. Considine
Pop Music Critic of The Sun

It usually doesn’t bode well for a concert — any concert - to find at show time that not only hasn’t the opening act arrived yet. but that the headliner’s plane was still at the airport. In Newark. Yet though that was the case at the Merriweather Post Pavilion last night when Guns N Roses opened for Aerosmith, the show ended up a stunner in spite of it all. proving that it takes more than bad logistics to spoil a good concert.

Guns 'n Roses had barely hit the stage before the tone was set for its performance. Although the emcee introduced the band as being “Straight from LA," it sounded as if he’d said they were “Straight from hell." Maybe they were; they certainly seemed at home in the sweaty August swelter. But more to the point, the group played with the desperate determination of a band that was damned, and proud of it.

Tough, bluesy and crude, its approach was at once ragged and razor sharp, inspired and profane.

It was a tough act to follow, but Aerosmith wasted no time showing that even a good imitation is no match for the real thing. Where Guns 'n Roses drew its strength from Rose and Slash, Aerosmith presented a five-man unified front. As much as Tyler or guitarist Joe Perry may have seemed to dominate the show at points, their work was shored up by equally strong contributions from the rest of the band.

Where that paid off best was the groove tunes, boogey-based workouts like “Walk This Way," “Rag Doll” and “Sweet Emotion.” Credit deep musical roots for part of that — Aerosmith seemed more at home copping the delta blues of "Hangman Jury" than the Guns did aping Aerosmith — but mostly it was the power and confidence of a great band in its prime.

Whether relying on oldies like “Dream On" or grinding out recent hits like "Angel," Aerosmith proved that it is one of rock's true originals.