Thanks to everyone who submitted their Joe Perry Tour story - all the entries were rockin'!
Congrats to our winners: Paul J., Charlie F., and Myra B.!
First Place Winner: Paul J.
I was extremely disappointed due to the cancellation of last year's Aerosmith tour but the fact that the Joe Perry Project was coming round again more than made up for it. Rewind, I saw the JPP back in 1983/84 at a tiny dive in Las Vegas, NV; I got a chance to meet Joe and "handle" his guitars after sound check. As a guitarist and huge Joe Perry fan, I was in heaven! Joe has been my #1 guitar guy since I started playing back in 1977.
Fast forward, Nov 2009, the Joe Perry Project is appearing at the House Of Blues Anaheim and I've got a guitar I want to give to Joe. It's a cool old Supro Belmont, somewhat similar to the Supro he plays although mine is much cooler as it's finished in some weird 60's style red Mother of Toilet Seat! Guitar in hand, I go to the venue. I walk around back and the employees must've thought I was with one of the bands so they opened the door and I walked right in!
Now I'm backstage, the band minus Joe is playing their sound check, and I'm a bit nervous. I'm not even supposed to be backstage, I've got no pass and I'm standing around feeling like a complete tool. I work up the nerve and approach Joe's roadie and tell him "I've got a guitar to give to Joe" so he tells me to just hang out, Joe will be here later. After an agonizing few hours, Joe finally walks into the venue; he's surrounded by a small entourage and playing the left handed strat he's been using since '78 or so; it's sanded down to bare wood, sporting a tele neck, and I HELD THAT GUITAR WHEN I MET HIM IN '83/84!!! They walked right past me and I couldn't even say a word; it's Joe Perry, come on! Ten minutes later or so, they walk past me again and this time I say "....excuse me Joe, I've got a guitar I want to give to you..." he stops dead in his tracks, along with the entire entourage. "Oh yeah? Really? Well, I tell you what, just hang out there, I'll be back in a bit." OK, sure I said as if I had anything else to do or anywhere else to be! A few minutes later he comes walking by again and as he passes me he says "I haven't forgot about you!" Take your time I tell him nonchalantly. I'm a few feet from the green room where the band is hanging out; during the opening act, Joe has his band in the green room, warming up, playing some blues. I'm thinking to myself "here's a multi-platinum icon; he could just hang out and wait to go on but no, he's warming up his band." That really impressed me.
They leave the green room and he comes up to me and says "OK young man, let's see what you've got there!" I open the case and reveal the guitar; he says "WOW! That's cool!" I tell him I've been playing guitar for 30 years, you've been my #1 guy the entire time; you've had a huge influence on my playing and songwriting and you've also been a very positive role model regarding my sobriety." He took a step back and said "wow, thanks man!" then he turned to Paul the guitar player and said "see what happens when you don't spend all your money on booze and chicks!" Joe laughed, the band laughed, I laughed, we all laughed, it was great! Joe is checking out the guitar and he points to the pickup and says "those things sound great!" to which I replied "they sure do!" I ask him if I can get a photo with him and he says sure, we'll do it right before I go on. Then he asks "do you have backstage passes and tickets?" Uh oh, I'm busted....uh, no, I don't I tell him. He turns to his tour manager and says "hook him up with passes and tickets, ok? Take care of him!" I tell him thanks a lot and away they go. I get my picture with him just before they took the stage; literally, the band is onstage, lights are down, and the tour manager is taking the picture of Mr. Joe Perry and I! I ask if I can get a shot of Joe and the guitar but his manager interjects "Joe, you've got to get onstage NOW!" so Joe says "don't worry, we'll do it after the show." Joe walks to the stage, I leave the backstage area, and they launch into the first song Let The Music Do The Talking.
The concert was phenomenal but what impressed me the most was how relaxed and at ease Joe was in the role of front man. He cracked a few jokes; when introducing Sight For Sore Eyes he tells the crowd "uh, people tell me that we used to play this song back in the day but....(rather sheepishly) I really don't remember!" The crowd loved it! He also told a story of how he wanted to book the band to play a cruise ship "I mean, you're out at sea, being fed every day, playing all night, what's not to love?! But they want me to play this one song and I'm not sure I want to....have a listen for yourself, and you decide." The band launches into this reggae/calypso groove and within a few bars I recognize the chord progression; they're playing Dream On! I had never heard that song played that way and it was absolutely amazing! The rest of the show was top notch, the band was top notch, Joe was top notch, it was an epic night. Joe treated me with respect and dignity, he was a class act all the way and that's my Joe Perry experience.
Runner Up: Charlie F.
In the summer of 2009, July 9th to be exact, I was scheduled to see Aerosmith live in Tampa, Florida. Unfortunately, Steven Tyler had suffered recent injuries leaving me tune-less for the summer!!!
Nevertheless, I had a back-up plan: I'd see Joe Perry live! But when? I soon found out....Joe Perry was coming to Gold Strike Casino in Tunica, Mississippi on March 27th! Yes! Only 30 minutes away! I bought tickets the first day they were on sale for my dad and me.
The day of the concert, I was ecstatic all day long. I couldn't wait! We went down to Tunica around six o'clock and got a bite to eat in some fancy restaurant, but I couldn't even pay attention to food....I was too jittery. Joe's my guitar idol!
We went in to the venue (my first time there) and I was excited to see how personal it was going to be! Joe was practically four feet from me when he came onstage. Hagen turned out to be phenomenal, too! Extra bonus!
The band started by ripping into "Let The Music Do The Talking." I almost died, I was so excited to see the guys tear it up so close to me! Joe played a solo that is too intense for a record version! They followed with "Walking The Dog," "Toys in the Attic," and "Long Way To Go." It was fun to hear a song from the new record HGWT. I really was impressed by Hagen's vocals. That guy has range!
But then, during "Slingshot," the impossible happened: I fought my way close enough to the front to reach out and touch Joe's guitar during his second solo! No way! He smiled and kept on playing. "Dream On," "East Coast West Coast," and "Head Kicked In Tonight," were the next couple of songs. It was interesting to see the JPP reggae version of "Dream On," as I liked hearing the B side version on the internet. Miles better live! I also liked hearing the old JPP stuff, sounded exactly like the vinyl records I have!
"Wooden Ships" and "Rockin' Train" had probably the best solos of the night! They tore my face right off my skull! (Either that, or it was the four beers I'd already had....) But the band wasn't done yet! They totally delivered on "Baby Please Don't Go". I remember David Hull had a mad crazy bass line riffing under Joe that sounded absolutely fantastic!
I thought the night had come to a close when the boys played "Walk This Way," but they were back for more in the encore with "Stop Messin'" and "Train Kept A Rollin'!" The show had a crazy energy at that point, and everyone in the casino was jumping with Joe!
Overall, it was my favorite concert I've ever been to, even trumping big acts like AC/DC, Bruce Springsteen, and Bon Jovi. If there's one thing Joe Perry knows how to do, it's to play some live f@%*ing music!!!!!!!!! Can't wait for the next time, Joe!
Thanks for everything - Your fan, Charlie F.
Runner Up: Myra B.
You Can Take the Man Out of Aerosmith, but You Can’t Take the Aerosmith Out of the Man!
Concert attended: State Theater; St. Petersburg, Florida, 12/05/09
Show rating: Awesome, only because I can’t find a better word to adequately describe the show.
How often do you get a chance to see a legendary guitarist do what he does best in a small, intimate venue? How often do you get to stand within five feet of said legend for about two hours? The answer: probably not very often.
On December 5th, I got that chance. I experienced a show so memorable and enjoyable that trying to describe it is like, if I may borrow a nice quote, trying to dance about architecture. Rock concerts (especially Aerosmith and Joe Perry shows) are shows that can only be fully enjoyed if you are actually there—each one is unique. Even the same set played two nights in a row will be completely different. But, I will do my best to take you back to that night.
I had been listening to Joe Perry’s latest solo album Have Guitar, Will Travel almost nonstop ever since I picked up my copy the day it came out. I had heard rumors of a small tour to follow the album release, and I hoped he would come south—way south—for a show or two. I kept an eye out for ticket sales, and eventually a few Florida dates were added. I got very excited when I saw that there was a Saturday date for December 5th in St. Petersburg. It was the perfect time to go. I knew I probably wouldn’t get too many opportunities to see Joe perform away from his main band, so I jumped on the chance the way a cat pounces after a string. After all, Joe was my main inspiration for picking up the guitar, like so many others have done. A small show like this would give me the chance to really see what he did, to see how he holds an entire audience captive for a couple of hours.
I was not about to go to this alone. Hey, I needed a ride, since I still don’t drive! So, I asked the only person I knew to ask: my concert partner-in-crime, otherwise known as my mother. She agreed to go with me, even though she had no idea what to expect or what we were getting into. What a trooper. This was my first time seeing him on his own (the curse of being born about twenty years too late), so I was understandably very excited.
My mom and I took the weekend off from work for this show, as we usually do whenever we attend a concert. Armed with nothing but our tickets, coats, a GPS that doesn’t handle circles in unmarked parking lots very well, and a brand new camera, we set off for literally unknown territory. We drove to St. Petersburg from Lakeland—maybe not an epic 200-mile journey, but it certainly felt like one—and arrived at the venue, the State Theater, around 5:30 or so.
A line was already forming on the sidewalk right outside the venue, forcing us to throw our plan of parking and getting something to eat right out the window. If you ever go to a general admission show, you’d better get there early and be at the front of the line in order to get a good spot. Anyway, we drove in circles for a bit, trying to find somewhere to park. We finally settled on a place right across the street, and hoped we wouldn’t get towed, since the parking lot belonged to a bank. We crossed the street, took our place in line, and refused to budge. It was a very good thing we waited; by the time the doors opened at 7:00, the line stretched all the way to the corner of the street.
We stood outside for about two hours, doing our best to avoid the wind, which was making things colder than necessary. Maybe I’m just a wimp, but I’ll never know how anyone lives up north. The freezing weather that followed a few weeks later was enough to make me want to go into hibernation until April. It may have been cold outside, but we knew, once we got inside, that we would experience a smokin’ hot show.
Normally, I’m very introverted and I like to keep to myself for the most part (kind of like Joe). I usually don’t like large crowds like the one I threw myself into, but for some reason I didn’t mind. I was talking to complete strangers about various Aerosmith-related topics—quite a switch from the usual me that tries to avoid people. Hey, music is a powerful thing—not that I needed to tell anyone that.
Anyway, we were finally let in, and I made a beeline for the stage. When we had settled in, we were about as first row as you could get in a standing-room-only setup. The State Theater was quite small, the stage about the size of a postage stamp thanks to all the equipment (including a Hammond keyboard, several amps, speakers, and monitors, and two drum kits), and there was a very good crowd there. And man, was it packed! This crowd was waiting for a kickass rock and roll show, and that was exactly what we got. The Mojo Gurus were selected as the opening act, and they put on a good show that served as a nice appetizer for what was to come. I kept waiting for the singer to take someone out with his mic stand, the way he swung it around. They played an abbreviated set, about forty minutes long. When the road crew removed their instruments and equipment, it became obvious that the stage was just a little bit bigger than a postage stamp. Standing there in the crowd, almost squashed like a sardine, I had an idea of what a real rock show was all about.
After what felt like too long, Joe Perry and his band took the stage to massive audience approval. I knew from other peoples’ stories that Joe liked it loud—I just didn’t know how loud. Joe opened the show with ‘Let the Music Do the Talking,’ which is exactly what happened. It had the lyrics from the original Joe Perry Project version, but Joe really mixed it up during his solo by throwing in the main riff from ‘Draw the Line’ like he does in the Aerosmith version of this song. The set was very satisfying, with lesser-played songs such as ‘Walkin’ the Dog,’ ‘Combination,’ ‘Sight for Sore Eyes,’ and ‘Get the Lead Out’ (a personal favorite) mixed in with cuts from Have Guitar, Will Travel. Joe threw in ‘Wooden Ships,’ which had only been played once or twice before during the course of the tour. Hagen and Joe traded lead singing duties quite a bit. Joe even threw in a couple of older Project songs in the form of ‘Rockin’ Train’ and ‘East Coast, West Coast,’ which I think serves as a nice mission statement for what Joe does for the fans every night he performs. David Hull’s bass solo during ‘Rockin’ Train’ was absolutely amazing—he showed me what a bass is capable of in the right hands. ‘Walk This Way’ and ‘Toys in the Attic’ really got the audience singing along. Say what you want about ‘Walk This Way,’ that song is amazing live and it’s one of my favorites! We even got a little taste of the blues in the form of ‘Stop Messin’ Around.’ Joe’s reggae rendition of ‘Dream On’ was probably the “slowest” song played all night. The album was great, but the live performances were even better. You can take the man out of Aerosmith, but you can’t take the Aerosmith out of the man!
Before playing ‘Vigilante Man,’ Joe took a few minutes to introduce his band mates. At the end, Hagen introduced the Admiral with something in German, but I have no idea what he said. It sounded good, and I guess that was all that mattered. True to form, Joe responded back with, “That’s his chance for him to say ‘f*** you’ in German to me.” And who would ever be the wiser?
Joe brought out several different guitars, and he must’ve changed guitars nearly every song. The see-through Dan Armstrong, the Billie guitar, the ‘Frankenstrat’… It was a guitar player’s heaven. The only one I missed was the Bullets and Bones guitar, which seems to make an appearance every other show or so.
‘Toys in the Attic’ ended the main set, and the crowd was screaming for more. The Project returned for two more songs—‘Stop Messin’ Around’ and ‘Walk This Way.’ When it was over, my ears were ringing and I was certain I was partially and temporarily deaf. It was all worth it, though, and I’d do it again without hesitation; it was very exhilarating being so up close and personal. Joe knows how to kick butt and take names, and he knows how to choose ‘em—the songs, that is. My mom became a fan that night, and she quickly absconded my copy of Have Guitar, Will Travel so she could load it onto her iPod and listen to it on the way to work. I went nuts with the camera, and ended up taking over two hundred photos, of which maybe only half a dozen came out really good. This show was an effective crash course in concert photography. Note to self: don’t buy a brand new camera the day before the show, unless you intend to play around with it for hours. I didn’t get a chance to meet Joe or anyone else from the band; they had to be in Miami the next day and had quite a drive ahead of them, so they packed up and moved out quickly. Maybe at the next show…
