The Just Push Play Tour was a concert tour by Aerosmith that took the band across North America and Japan. Supporting their 2001 album Just Push Play, it ran from June 2001 to February 2002.
The tour was successful, despite several cancellations due in part to the September 11 terrorist attacks. The tour earned $46.5 million from 56 shows in North America.
Background The tour came on the heels of the band's platinum album Just Push Play. Aerosmith was riding a wave of popularity, having played the Super Bowl XXXV Halftime Show, been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and scored a Top 10 hit, all within the first half of the year.
Just prior to the start of the tour, the band performed a brief promo tour in Germany. They also performed at many radio festivals in the United States, including: "River Rave", "Zootopia" and the "Kiss Concert".
Tyler sang the National Anthem at the Indianapolis 500, and the team sponsored a car in the race.
As a result, many shows sold out and the band added arena dates through the fall and winter, even after a successful summer amphitheater tour. "If we couldn't get an audience[...]having made a record we truly believe in, then I guess we probably would turn around and say, 'It's been fun, but see ya.' But I tell you this: we wouldn't go without a big fucking fight."
United We Stand The band played the United We Stand: What More Can I Give benefit concert at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., on October 21, 2001, alongside Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, and other pop stars. The band had been uncertain whether to play the show due to scheduling conflicts and made the decision almost at the last minute. They took the stage in the afternoon, played four songs, then flew to Indianapolis for a concert that same night.
Cancellations In the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks, the band canceled the three shows after that (Virginia Beach, Camden, New Jersey, and Columbia, Maryland); all on the Eastern Seaboard, where the attacks had occurred. These shows were rescheduled. The band canceled a second show at Irvine, California earlier in the tour, due to a scheduling conflict with the filming of the video for "Sunshine."
Stage setup The stage for the tour had a modern look, reflecting the aesthetic of Just Push Play and its cover. Most striking were the silver and white colors, as well as two curving staircases that met at a platform at the top. There, some of the most exciting moments took place, including the entrance of Steven Tyler and Joe Perry at the beginning of the show, as well as Tyler singing the eerie lyrics that open "Seasons of Wither"
The band set up a second smaller stage in the rear of outdoor pavilions to play for those in the lawn section. During the middle of the show, the band members would walk under heavy security to this stage to do a three-song set.
Tyler jokingly referred to this tour as the "Back on the Grass Tour": a reference to this auxiliary stage and a jab at those who claimed Aerosmith was using drugs again. Tyler especially targeted former manager Tim Collins, who had accused Aerosmith of relapsing before the band fired him in 1996. However, "Back On The Grass" was not an official name for the tour – just a joke Tyler repeated in interviews.
Song selection The setlist featured as many as 25 songs. It varied show to show, as most Aerosmith setlists do, but usually included about half a dozen songs from Just Push Play as well a fair balance between their 70s classics and 80s and 90s hits.
Broadcasts and recordings
In January 2002, the band played The Joint, a 2,000 seat venue within the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. This show was recorded and parts of it were released as the band's fifth live album, a Dual Disc CD/DVD entitled Rockin' the Joint, released in 2005.
Opening acts Fuel The Cult
Setlist The following setlist was obtained from the concert held on June 26, 2001, at the Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts in Mansfield, Massachusetts. It does not represent all concerts for the duration of the tour. "Beyond Beautiful" "Love in an Elevator" "Jaded" "Just Push Play" "Big Ten Inch Record" "Fly Away from Here" "Pink" "Mama Kin" "Same Old Song and Dance" "Dream On" "Toys in the Attic" "Angel's Eye" "Draw the Line" "Under My Skin" "Seasons of Wither" "Cryin'" "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" "Walk This Way" "Sweet Emotion" Encore "Livin' on the Edge" "What It Takes" "Train Kept A-Rollin'"
Tour dates + List of 2001 concertsDateSources for tour dates in North America:CityCountryVenueJune 6, 2001HartfordUnited Statesctnow.com Meadows Music TheatreJune 8, 2001Saratoga SpringsSaratoga Performing Arts CenterJune 10, 2001Holmdel TownshipPNC Bank Arts CenterJune 12, 2001June 16, 2001WantaghJones Beach TheaterJune 17, 2001Los AngelesDodger StadiumJune 18, 2001WantaghJones Beach TheaterJune 20, 2001June 22, 2001HersheyHersheypark StadiumJune 24, 2001BristowNissan PavilionJune 26, 2001MansfieldTweeter Center for the Performing ArtsJune 28, 2001June 30, 2001BurgettstownPost-Gazette PavilionJuly 2, 2001TorontoCanadaMolson AmphitheatreJuly 5, 2001Tinley ParkUnited StatesTweeter CenterJuly 7, 2001East TroyAlpine Valley Music TheatreJuly 9, 2001NoblesvilleVerizon Wireless Music CenterJuly 11, 2001ColumbusPolaris AmphitheaterJuly 13, 2001ClarkstonDTE Energy Music TheatreJuly 15, 2001DarienDarien Lake Performing Arts CenterJuly 17, 2001Cuyahoga FallsBlossom Music CenterJuly 19. 2001Maryland HeightsRiverport AmphitheatreJuly 21, 2001Bonner SpringsSandstone AmphitheaterJuly 23, 2001Greenwood VillageCoors AmphitheatreAugust 8, 2001Mountain ViewShoreline AmphitheatreAugust 10, 2001GeorgeThe Gorge AmphitheatreAugust 12, 2001SacramentoSacramento Valley AmphitheatreAugust 14. 2001ConcordChronicle PavilionAugust 16, 2001Chula VistaCoors AmphitheatreAugust 18, 2001Las VegasMGM Grand Garden ArenaAugust 20, 2001IrvineVerizon Wireless AmphitheatreAugust 24, 2001San BernardinoBlockbuster PavilionAugust 26, 2001PhoenixCricket PavilionAugust 28, 2001SelmaVerizon Wireless AmphitheaterAugust 30, 2001The WoodlandsCynthia Woods Mitchell PavilionSeptember 1, 2001DallasSmirnoff Music CentreSeptember 3, 2001New OrleansNew Orleans ArenaSeptember 5, 2001MemphisPyramid ArenaSeptember 7, 2001CincinnatiRiverbend Music CenterSeptember 9, 2001CharlotteVerizon Wireless AmphitheatreSeptember 17, 2001AtlantaHiFi Buys AmphitheatreSeptember 19, 2001NashvilleAmSouth AmphitheatreSeptember 21, 2001RaleighAlltel PavilionSeptember 23, 2001West Palm BeachMars Music AmphitheatreSeptember 25, 2001BristowNissan PavilionSeptember 27, 2001CamdenTweeter CenterOctober 11, 2001CalgaryCanadaPengrowth SaddledomeOctober 13, 2001EdmontonSkyreach CentreOctober 15, 2001MinneapolisUnited StatesTarget CenterOctober 17, 2001Grand ForksAlerus CenterOctober 19, 2001AmesHilton ColiseumOctober 21, 2001IndianapolisConseco FieldhouseOctober 23, 2001RosemontAllstate ArenaOctober 25, 2001Auburn HillsThe Palace of Auburn HillsOctober 31, 2001Montreal, CanadaMolson CentreNovember 12, 2001New York CityMadison Square GardenNovember 15, 2001East RutherfordContinental Airlines ArenaNovember 17, 2001ManchesterVerizon Wireless ArenaNovember 19, 2001UncasvilleMohegan Sun ArenaNovember 27, 2001TampaIce PalaceNovember 29, 2001SunriseNational Car Rental CenterDecember 3, 2001ChampaignAssembly HallDecember 5, 2001DallasReunion ArenaDecember 7, 2001North Little RockAlltel ArenaDecember 9, 2001Oklahoma CityMyriad Convention Center Arena
+ List of 2002 concertsDateCityCountryVenueJanuary 5, 2002DenverUnited StatesPepsi CenterJanuary 7, 2002Salt Lake CityDelta CenterJanuary 9, 2002San JoseCompaq CenterJanuary 11, 2002Las VegasThe JointJanuary 13, 2002InglewoodGreat Western ForumJanuary 15, 2002FresnoSelland ArenaJanuary 17, 2002San DiegoSan Diego Sports ArenaJanuary 25, 2002OsakaJapanOsaka DomeJanuary 27, 2002January 29, 2002FukuokaFukuoka DomeJanuary 31, 2002NagoyaNagoya DomeFebruary 2, 2002TokyoTokyo DomeFebruary 3, 2002
Festivals and other miscellaneous performances This concert was a part of "Wango Tango"
Cancellations and rescheduled shows June 20, 2001Camden, New JerseyTweeter CenterRescheduled to July 15, 2001July 2, 2001Cincinnati, OhioRiverbend Music CenterRescheduled to September 7, 2001July 15, 2001Camden, New JerseyTweeter CenterRescheduled to September 13, 2001August 8, 2001Bend, OregonLes Schwab AmphitheaterCancelledAugust 22, 2001Irvine, CaliforniaVerizon Wireless AmphitheatreCancelledSeptember 11, 2001Virginia Beach, VirginiaGTE Virginia Beach AmphitheaterSeptember 11 attacksSeptember 13, 2001Camden, New JerseyTweeter CenterRescheduled to September 27, 2001September 15, 2001Columbia, MarylandMerriweather Post PavilionRescheduled to September 25, 2001, and moved to the Nissan Pavilion in Bristow, VirginiaOctober 9, 2001Vancouver, CanadaGeneral Motors PlaceCancelledOctober 27, 2001Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaMellon ArenaCancelledOctober 29, 2001Toronto, CanadaAir Canada CentreCancelledNovember 2, 2001Columbus, OhioNationwide ArenaMoved to the Nutter Center in Fairborn, OhioNovember 2, 2001Fairborn, OhioNutter CenterCancelledNovember 4, 2001Boston, MassachusettsFleetCenterCancelledNovember 6, 2001Providence, Rhode IslandDunkin' Donuts CenterCancelledNovember 8, 2001Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaFirst Union CenterCancelledNovember 10, 2001Lexington, KentuckyRupp ArenaCancelledNovember 25, 2001Greensboro, North CarolinaGreensboro ColiseumCancelledDecember 1, 2001Birmingham, AlabamaBJCC ArenaCancelledDecember 11, 2001St. Louis, MissouriSavvis CenterCancelledDecember 13, 2001Kansas City, MissouriKemper ArenaCancelledDecember 15, 2001Moline, IllinoisThe Mark of the Quad CitiesCancelledDecember 17, 2001Cleveland, OhioGund ArenaCancelled
Box office score data VenueCityTickets sold / AvailableGross revenuePNC Bank Arts CenterHolmdel Township29,727 / 33,665 (88%)$1,599,348Hersheypark StadiumHershey28,871 / 29,208 (99%)$1,328,204Nissan PavilionBristow36,302 / 45,067 (81%)$1,657,585Post-Gazette PavilionBurgettstown23,050 / 23,188 (99%)$851,196Tweeter CenterTinley Park24,216 / 28,589 (85%)$1,118,793The Gorge AmphitheatreGeorge20,000 / 20,000 (100%)$942,010MGM Grand Garden ArenaLas Vegas13,235 / 13,235 (100%)$921,155New Orleans ArenaNew Orleans14,983 / 16,434 (91%)$850,570Riverbend Music CenterCincinnati20,479 / 20,500 $764,470AmSouth AmphitheatreNashville15,720 / 17,209 (91%)$732,567Alltel PavilionRaleigh17,542 / 20,000 (88%)$788,536Mars Music AmphitheatreWest Palm Beach18,645 / 19,706 (95%)$770,940Tweeter CenterCamden23,497 / 24,930 (94%)$890,921Skyreach CentreEdmonton12,031 / 16,778 (72%)$742,569The Palace of Auburn HillsAuburn Hills16,309 / 16,309 (100%)$855,069Ice PalaceTampa15,086 / 16,299 (93%)$855,577Reunion ArenaDallas11,520 / 12,427 (93%)$674,425Pepsi CenterDenver11,476 / 20,441 (56%)$603,936Delta CenterSalt Lake City11,798 / 18,168 (65%)$562,515Compaq CenterSan Jose12,502 / 17,116 (73%)$700,515The JointLas Vegas1,933 / 1,933 (100%)$369,525Great Western ForumInglewood14,668 / 17,116 (86%)$821,342Selland ArenaFresno10,103 / 10,103 (100%)$528,129San Diego Sports ArenaSan Diego9,069 / 15,059 (60%)$432,420TOTAL412,762 / 473,480 (87%)$20,362,317
References
External links Aerosmith official website JUST PUSH PLAY TOUR - AeroForceOne