Aerosmith's Steven Tyler, 78, teases first live shows in 3 years after fractured larynx

Steven Tyler, 78, climbed a ladder at the Hollywood Bowl on Monday (Oct. 5) to hang letters on the venue's marquee, spelling out "& Friends" alongside photographer Ross Halfin. The video tease, set to the band's 1975 hit "Sweet Emotion," revealed two dates: Oct. 29 and Nov. 1. It marks Aerosmith's first live show announcement in more than three years, since the band was forced to abandon its Peace Out farewell tour in September 2023 after Tyler fractured his larynx just three shows in.

That injury didn't just pause the tour; it ended it. The trek was first postponed, then canceled, and the band announced a retirement from touring altogether. Now, with the Hollywood Bowl dates, Aerosmith is signaling a return, but not a full tour. The "& Friends" billing suggests a special event or short residency, a lower-risk format for a singer who spent a year off to let his vocal cords heal. Full details are promised for Tuesday morning (Oct. 6).

Tyler's road back has been gradual. He and guitarist Joe Perry recorded an EP with Yungblud, "One More Time," released in 2025. Tyler also made a six-song appearance at the Grammy Awards benefit for his Janie's Fund and performed at Ozzy Osbourne's "Back to the Beginning" farewell concert last summer. Those were isolated moments, not a sustained tour, but they showed his voice was returning.

Perry, 76, told Billboard in April that the band is "definitely not in touring mode, but there are certainly other options." He described regular conversations with "my brother from another mother" Tyler and said the singer only started feeling comfortable with singing in the last six months. "He literally had to take a year off before he was able to start stretching his vocal cords, and you're always worried about reinjuring it," Perry said. "You just never know."

For the live entertainment industry, the announcement is a reminder that "retirement" in rock is often a pause, not an ending. Aerosmith's farewell tour was one of the most anticipated legacy tours before it collapsed. Now, the band is testing the waters with a two-date engagement at a landmark venue. The "& Friends" format also opens the door for guest performers, which can drive ticket demand and media coverage without the logistical weight of a multi-city tour.

The stakes are personal for Tyler. At 78, a fractured larynx is a serious injury, and Perry's comments underscore the fragility. "I learned a long time ago that everything we do is fragile... so we just take it day by day," Perry said. That caution is baked into the structure of these shows: two nights, one venue, no promises of a full comeback. For promoters, it's a manageable risk; for fans, it's a chance to see a band that had already said goodbye.

The bigger picture for executives in music and live events: legacy acts are a reliable revenue engine, but they come with health and liability risks. Aerosmith's approach, announce a small, contained run, let the artist set the pace, and keep the door open for more, could become a template for other aging bands navigating physical limitations. The Hollywood Bowl dates also signal that venues are willing to book partial comebacks, not just full tours.

For now, the band is keeping details close. The tease ended with "all will be revealed tomorrow," and Perry's April words linger: "You have to have the confidence and have that vision of positive in front of you. You can't do it unless you envision it." Aerosmith is envisioning it again. Whether the voice holds is the question that will define these shows, and possibly the band's final chapter.