When Aerosmith walked off the stage at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York on Sept. 9, 2023, that they had no concept their touring life had simply come to an finish.

The band had solely simply launched their Peace Out farewell tour, a goodbye trek which began per week earlier on Sept. 2 in Philadelphia. That night time’s efficiency was roundly praised, with many observers noting how robust the group sounded. A second present, Sept. 6 in Pittsburgh, supplied extra of the identical, additional constructing the joy surrounding Aerosmith’s tour.

The New York present began very similar to the others – a video historical past of the band performed on the large screens earlier than Steven Tyler and firm emerged from beneath the stage and launched into their opening quantity, “Back in the Saddle.”

Watch Aerosmith Play ‘Back within the Saddle’ at Their Final Concert

The second track of the night time was a canopy, as Aerosmith delivered their model of the Rufus Thomas track “Walking the Dog” for the primary time on the tour (they initially lined the monitor on their 1977 LP Draw the Line).

READ MORE: How Aerosmith Began to Fall Apart With ‘Draw the Line’

The hits would carry on coming from there. The hovering energy of “Livin’ on the Edge” gave method to the gradual construct of “Janie’s Got a Gun.” Power ballads similar to “Cryin’” and “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” have been sprinkled by way of the night time, providing a change of tempo from extra raucous tunes like “Love in an Elevator” and “Sweet Emotion.”

Watch Aerosmith Perform ‘Love in an Elevator’ During Their Final Concert

How Did Aerosmith’s Final Concert End?

After briefly exiting the stage following their sixteenth track of the night time, “Toys in the Attic,” Aerosmith returned for an encore. The band rocked by way of renditions of two of their greatest hits, “Dream On” and “Walk This Way,” the latter of which featured a chunk of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” combined in for good measure.

As destiny would have it, the ultimate track of the night time wasn’t even an Aerosmith monitor. The group carried out “Happy Birthday to You” and introduced out an enormous chocolate cake to have fun guitarist Joe Perry, whose 73rd birthday was the next day.

Watch Aerosmith Perform ‘Dream On’ at Their Final Concert

At the time, Aerosmtih appeared poised for additional triumphs all through their Peace Out tour, but one thing occurred in the course of the present at UBS Arena. Though it’s tough to pinpoint precisely when, Tyler’s voice was critically injured in the course of the set. Two days later, he’d announce to the world that he’d “sustained vocal cord damage” which “led to subsequent bleeding.” Tyler was initially instructed to relaxation for 30 days, however when his voice nonetheless hadn’t healed, the whole farewell tour was pushed into 2024.

Since that Sept. 9 present, Tyler and his medical workforce have labored tirelessly to get probably the most distinctive voices in rock historical past again in form. For a very long time, it appeared just like the harm would merely be a bump within the highway, a footnote within the story of Aerosmith’s grand farewell. A shock look at a Black Crowes live performance in May marked Tyler’s return to the stage, and rescheduled tour dates gave followers all over the place the impression that Aerosmith was able to rock as soon as extra.

READ MORE: Watch Steven Tyler’s First Performance Since Vocal Cord Damage

Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be. On Aug. 2, 2024 – roughly six weeks earlier than they have been scheduled to return to touring – Aerosmith introduced they’d retire from the highway for good.

“Steven’s voice is an instrument like no other,” the band famous of their message to followers. “We’ve seen him struggling despite having the best medical team by his side. Sadly, it is clear that a full recovery from his vocal injury is not possible. We have made a heartbreaking and difficult, but necessary, decision — as a band of brothers — to retire from the touring stage.”

The announcement delivered to an in depth Aerosmith’s highly effective historical past of performances spanning greater than 50 years. Still, although the Bad Boys from Boston might not have ended issues in the way in which they’d hoped, their sudden retirement did nothing to dampen a legacy which stays everlasting.