Photo Gallery: Joe Perry Project at Arcada Theatre • St. Charles

Brassneck | April 24, 2023

Joe Perry Project

Arcada Theatre

St. Charles, IL

4/21/2023

Recap and Photos by Edward Spinelli

With Aerosmith still on break (but rumored to announce a tour at any moment), guitarist Joe Perry hit the road for a very limited number of “intimate” dates in support of the guitar hero’s latest album, Sweetzerland Manifesto MKII. Chicago-area fans hit the lotto with performances at both Arcada Theatre in St. Charles, along with Des Plaines Theatre, hosting two of the six shows before Perry left for Europe to tour with the Hollywood Vampires.

Perry’s band was tight and impressive. Gary Cherone (Extreme, Van Halen) lead singer, Aerosmith sideman Buck Johnson (Aerosmith ) on keyboards and vocals, Jason Sutter (Cher, Chris Cornell) on drums, and longtime Boston friend/collaborator David Hull on bass.

Arcada rocked out for nearly two hours with an insane setlist. If you are a fan of deep cuts and rarities, then this show was perfect for you. Perry’s band was nothing short of inspiring. Opening his set with “I’ve Got The Rock N’ Rolls Again” and “East Coast, West Coast” to Aerosmith’s adrenalized “Somebody” and “S.O.S. (Too Bad),” Perry had the crowd in the palm of his band.

The Project also played numerous covers, including Jeff Beck Group’s “Beck’s Bolero” in honor of the recently departed friend [Jeff Beck]. Billy Lee Riley’s “Flyin’ Saucers Rock & Roll” was played twice at Perry’s request, and Johnny Thunders’ “You Can’t Put Your Arms Around A Memory” made the setlist.

Ending the set with an Aerosmith fan favorite, “The Train Kept A-Rollin’,” they returned with Aerosmith’s “Lightning Strikes,” from the Perry-less Rock In A Hard Place album, then ended the night with “Walk This Way.”

Setlist

I’ve Got the Rock n’ Rolls Again (Joe Perry song)
East Coast, West Coast (Aerosmith cover)
Somebody (Aerosmith cover)
S.O.S. (Too Bad) (Aerosmith cover)
Aye, Aye, Aye (Joe Perry song)
Lick and a Promise (Aerosmith cover)
Fortunate One (Joe Perry song)
Beck’s Bolero (Jeff Beck Group cover)
Flying Saucer Rock ‘n’ Roll (Billy Lee Riley cover)
Flying Saucer Rock ‘n’ Roll (Billy Lee Riley cover)
Won’t Let Me Go (Joe Perry song)
Reefer Head Woman (Jazz Gillum and His Jazz Boys cover)
Quake (Joe Perry song)
Chip Away the Stone (Richard Supa cover)
You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory (Johnny Thunders cover)
Bone to Bone (Coney Island White Fish Boy)(Aerosmith cover)
Let the Music Do the Talking (Aerosmith cover)
The Train Kept A-Rollin’ (Tiny Bradshaw cover)