Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer is back behind the kit with his bandmates, judging by new rehearsal photos shared ahead of the group’s two upcoming Los Angeles shows.
The band posted a series of pictures on Instagram on October 20, showing all five classic members — Kramer, singer Steven Tyler, guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford, and bass guitarist Tom Hamilton — preparing for their return to the stage. “The bad boys from Boston are back,” the group wrote.
Kramer’s presence answers one of the biggest questions surrounding the shows, which were announced earlier this month. The founding drummer hasn’t performed live with Aerosmith since February 15, 2020, when he played the band’s Deuces Are Wild residency at the Park MGM in Las Vegas.
His final performance came after a turbulent period in the band’s history. Kramer had been sidelined following a shoulder injury in 2019, and a subsequent legal dispute with his bandmates over his return to the group spilled into public view. He rejoined Aerosmith onstage on February 10, 2020, after winning the right to audition for his place in the band, and played the remaining Las Vegas dates, including the February 15 show.
Now, more than six years later, Kramer appears poised to reunite with Tyler, Perry, Whitford and Hamilton for two special concerts at the Hollywood Bowl on October 29 and November 1. Billed as California, Dream On: Aerosmith & Friends, the shows will bring together an extensive roster of guest performers, with the lineup varying by night.
Among the artists announced are the Black Crowes, Run-DMC, Heart, Billy Idol, Sammy Hagar and Tom Morello, along with Guns N’ Roses members Slash and Duff McKagan, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, and Alice in Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell and bassist Mike Inez. Producer and musician Andrew Watt and bassist Don Was are also among the participants.
The concerts will mark Aerosmith’s first full-band live performances since the group abandoned its farewell tour in 2023 after Tyler suffered a fractured larynx. The band subsequently announced its retirement from touring in 2024, making the Hollywood Bowl appearances a particularly notable return.
