Aerosmith returns to stage with Hollywood Bowl nights after retirement

Aerosmith are returning to the stage for two nights at the Hollywood Bowl, more than two years after retiring from touring. 

The band will play California, Dream On: Aerosmith & Friends in Los Angeles on 29 October and 1 November, backed by a long list of guests.

They will be the group's first shows since September 2023.

Aerosmith ended their farewell Peace Out tour after just three dates in 2023, when frontman Steven Tyler fractured his larynx. 

They formally retired from the road in August 2024. 

Joe Perry said last year that he expected at least one more Aerosmith gig, and the two Bowl dates now appear to be it. 

The band had already hinted at a return, posting a tongue-in-cheek video earlier this week in which Tyler and photographer Ross Halfin put "Aerosmith & Friends" and the two dates up on the venue's marquee.

The billed guests span rock, country, hip-hop and alternative. They include The Black Crowes, Run-DMC, Heart, Billy Idol, Eric Church, Sammy Hagar and Tom Morello, along with Slash and Duff McKagan of Guns N' Roses, Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jerry Cantrell and Mike Inez of Alice in Chains, Extreme's Nuno Bettencourt, Pat Monahan of Train and Godsmack's Sully Erna. 

Producer Andrew Watt, Marcus King, Steve Stevens, Adam Wakeman, Audley Freed and Kenny Aronoff are also on the bill. Don Was will serve as musical director.

The lineup will differ from night to night, with final line-ups confirmed at or near showtime and subject to change. 

The organisers say more artists and surprise appearances will be announced in the coming weeks. No wider tour has been announced.

The concerts are promoted by Live Nation-Hewitt Silva and Blackbird Presents. 

A Citi cardmember presale opens on Thursday, 8 October, at 10 a.m. PT and runs until 10 a.m. PT on Friday, with further presales before the general on-sale at 10 a.m. PT on Saturday, 10 October. 

VIP packages include entry to a pre-show lounge, a limited-edition jacket, an exclusive T-shirt and early entry to the venue.

The announcement follows the band's EP with Yungblud last year, their first new music in more than a decade.