Aerosmith at Rock Fest 2014

I’ve seen a fair number of concerts over the years. I started in high school with a few of the day’s mainstream big names – Dave Matthews, Bush, Live, etc. Arena-level gigs. Quickly after that my interests turned more “indie” and the shows I attended in Minneapolis or elsewhere were more often in venues the size of First Avenue or much smaller. With an exception here or there, for the most part that trend has continued. However, at 35, I’m a little less interested in only the cool, lesser-known bands (though they remain a substantial chunk of my typical tastes). Now I just appreciate whoever does whatever they do well. I can appreciate a catchy song by Katy Perry (or at least her well-paid producers) as much as a song by David Bazan. Locally, something like Rock Fest used to be the opposite of what I wanted to go to. But I’m evolving on that. A couple of years ago I happened onto some VIP tickets when Kid Rock played – not someone I’d personally ever pay to go see. But man, they brought a great show and I had a really good time. So this year when the opportunity came up to head back to Rock Fest and see Aerosmith, I thought I should be there. Turns out that at 66 years old, Steven Tyler is still a hell of a performer. That guy, and the rest of the band, deserve their crowns as one of America’s greatest rock bands. Big show, big energy, big fun. After seeing many great indie bands over the years, it feels good to just bask in the glow of some mainstream masters once in a while. And that can provide a much-needed attitude adjustment. Rock Fest, you have my attention. See you next year.