Aerosmith reunited with Joey Kramer in Las Vegas on February 10 for the first time since the drummer filed a lawsuit against his bandmates last month in an effort to rejoin the lineup following a series of health issues.
Kramer was the first member to take his position onstage, with Steven Tyler announcing the rocker’s return to the crowd at the MGM Park Theater: “On the drums, Mr. Joey Kramer”, before the group launched into the show-opener “Let The Music Do The Talking.”
The Boston outfit went on to deliver one of their standard Deuces Are Wild setlists as they continue their residency at the Las Vegas venue, which has two mare dates this month before resuming in May.
Aerosmith first revealed last April that Kramer had “a minor accident” where “he hurt his shoulder”, as his tech John Douglas stepped in to handle drums for two shows in his absence (April 23 and 26); the rocker returned to the lineup and appeared during a second set of Las Vegas dates in June and July before another injury surfaced: according to a lawsuit Kramer filed last month, the drummer was once again sidelined in August because he “could not move the foot used to play the peddle on the bass drum.”
Kramer’s last performance of 2019 was at the Twin Cities Summer Jam in Shakopee, MN on July 19.
Court documents indicate Kramer “cancelled private sessions to record music with the band” last September while advising their manager in October that he wanted to rejoin the residency series in November; this led to Aerosmith requesting proof of his ability to perform following his injuries by recording a series of solo rehearsals that would be reviewed by the band before his return, which he initially refused to do.
Kramer entered rehab in November and December “but left against the recommendation of his addiction counselor” – according to court papers – before eventually recording his rehearsals in early January in an effort to rejoin Aerosmith for performances at the MusiCares Person Of The Year event on January 24 and at the Grammy Awards on January 26.
When Aerosmith refused to allow his return based on the rehearsal tapes, Kramer filed – and lost – a lawsuit against his bandmates last month.
Aerosmith recently announced a 50th anniversary concert at Fenway Park in their hometown of Boston, MA this fall as part of the milestone celebrations this year marking the 1970 formation of the group.
See also:
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Search Aerosmith at hennemusic
