Johnny Depp promotes new brand at L.A. red carpet

Johnny Depp made one of his rare Los Angeles public appearances on Tuesday night, stepping out at the Wilshire Ebell Theater to celebrate the launch of his new rum brand, and bringing out an impressive crowd of rock royalty in the process.

The star-studded gathering saw Aerosmith's Steven Tyler, Beck, Jamie Hince of The Kills, Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age, Arctic Monkeys' Matt Helders and Jerry Cantrell among the musicians who turned up to show their support. 

Jerry Bruckheimer, Bill Burr and Rauw Alejandro were also in attendance, alongside Rain Phoenix and others. 

Rather than calling on one of his many musician friends to perform, the evening's entertainment came from Matteo Bocelli, son of acclaimed tenor Andrea Bocelli.

Depp made the most of the occasion, greeting fans and taking in the atmosphere alongside his co-founder Bobby DeLeon. 

The pair even branded two wooden cases together on the night, using the same symbols that appear on their Three Hearts bottles.

The project has been years in the making, with the pair's motivation sharpened by the devastation caused by hurricanes across the Caribbean. 

"Rum holds the history of the islands," Depp said in a statement. 

"It's shaped by the hands of the people who grow the cane, ferment the spirit and age it over time. Bobby and I wanted to create something that honored that tradition and the friendships that inspired it."