Walking into the Olde Walkerville Theatre, you can almost smell the ghosts of vaudeville mixed with the very modern scent of overpriced hairspray and stage fog. It is the perfect haunt for Aeroforce. They are not just another group of guys playing dress-up in their garage; they are the longest-running Aerosmith tribute in the country.
And they have been at this since the 90s. That is a long time to spend mimicking Steven Tyler’s screech and Joe Perry’s slouch. But for this crew, it is a genuine labour of love. They are bringing that specific, high-octane brand of nostalgia to Windsor on Mar. 24.
There is a certain cynicism that follows tribute acts. People think it is easy money or a lack of original creativity. But when you talk to drummer Paul Gayne Kramer, you realize the stage is a literal addiction. He describes the opening moments of a set with the kind of intensity usually reserved for a boardroom pitch or a high-speed chase.
“When the curtain opens and we’re behind it, there’s nothing quite like it,” says Kramer. “It’s probably what real heavy drugs feel like because it’s a heavy rush. It’s like WOW for 90 minutes straight. It never goes away, but when it does, I guess you gotta’ stop doing it. We’ve been going on 28 years now and it’s still just as fun now as it was back then.”
That longevity is rare. Most tribute bands burn out after five years of fighting over who gets to wear the leather pants. To survive 28 years, you need more than just a wig. You need a technical understanding of why Aerosmith worked in the first place.
The band understands that the audience is looking for a specific feeling. They want the 1970s grit mixed with the 1980s polish. But Aeroforce does not try to be a museum piece. They have evolved their look to be a "best of" reel rather than a frame-by-frame recreation.
Kramer is honest about the aesthetic. He knows that if you try too hard to match a specific photo from 1976, you end up looking like a caricature. Instead, they go for the soul of the outfit.
“We don’t strive to make our costumes as accurate anymore, they just need to have that unique vibe that makes Aerosmith who they are,” he explains. “We have some clearly identifiable pieces, like Joe Perry’s jacket or Steven Tyler’s pants, but it’s mostly a hybrid collection of looks and they’re all over the top. Obviously, we’ve got a collection of hats. We actually have a case just to carry the hats (laughs) and we have a lot of cases!”
And let’s talk about those cases. The logistics of a tribute show are a nightmare. You are hauling gear, costumes and enough millinery to start a boutique. But it is necessary. If Joe Perry does not have the right jacket, the illusion breaks.
But the real anchor of any Aerosmith show is the frontman. You can have the best drummer in the world, but if your singer does not have the lips and the lungs, you are dead in the water. Aeroforce leans heavily on "Tyler" Bob Gregory.
I remember one night in Montreal that we did the after-show party for. ...Aerosmith wants to come down and you’re not going to let them in? That’s basically what happened, but the place was crawling with all of their crew, people wearing laminates all over the place – even Jackyl, the opening band, showed up. That’s as close as we got to having Aerosmith join us for a show.
Gregory is a bit of a legend in these circles. He does not just sing the notes; he inhabits the chaotic energy of Tyler. And Kramer knows exactly how lucky the band is to have him.
“When you see Tyler Bob on stage you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about – it’s the whole package,” Kramer adds. “You can’t be an Aerosmith Tribute band if you don’t have the Steven Tyler piece first and foremost. If you don’t have that guy, then it doesn’t matter what you’re doing. Steven is the only member of the band that has actually seen us play live - that goes back many years, but he has seen us. You know how hard it is to find someone that can look and sing like that guy? It’s damn near impossible.”
Think about that. The actual Steven Tyler has sat in a room and watched these guys. That is the ultimate endorsement, or at least the ultimate pressure. It gives Aeroforce a level of street cred that most "bar bands" would kill for.
Their history is littered with these brushes with greatness. They have shared stages with Night Ranger and REO Speedwagon. They have existed in the orbit of the actual Aerosmith inner circle for decades.
Kramer tells a story about a night in Montreal that perfectly illustrates the weird, gate-kept world of rock royalty. It was during the era when the real Aerosmith was famously sober, which created a strange tension between the band and their own after-parties.
“I remember one night in Montreal that we did the after-show party for,” he remembers. “It was during the time when the band was avoiding booze and drugs, so their security was really strict. The band was going to come to the after show, but because they couldn’t get through the crowd and have an alcohol-free zone, they were told not to come. Hold on, Aerosmith wants to come down and you’re not going to let them in? That’s basically what happened, but the place was crawling with all of their crew, people wearing laminates all over the place – even Jackyl, the opening band, showed up. That’s as close as we got to having Aerosmith join us for a show.”
It is a bizarre irony. The tribute band was allowed to party while the actual stars were locked away for their own good. But that is the life of a tribute act. You get the fun without the rehab stints.
But the music itself has changed. It is no longer just about three chords and a cloud of dust. To play Aerosmith in the 21st century, you have to deal with the fact that their later hits are massive, over-produced studio marvels.
In the early days, you could just plug in and play. But the fans expect more now. They want the wall of sound. They want the horns. They want the cinematic sweep of the 90s power ballads.
“Many years ago when we started, all you had to do was show up with your drum set. They put the mics on it, you wore a fancy costume, twirled a few drumsticks and everyone treated you like a rock star,” Kramer says. “Now you have to be a computer scientist to do this. There are tracks, sequences and God knows what else. This thing we do is actually a small version of the Aerosmith show. We can’t do ‘Dude Looks like a Lady’ if we don’t have the big horn section; we can’t play ‘Don’t Want To Miss A Thing’ if we don’t have the orchestrations; and we can’t play ‘Janie’s Got A Gun’ without the gun. It’s gotten a lot harder and a lot more expensive to reproduce the show – even Aerosmith has a sixth man when they play live, so it’s not as easy as they might make it look.”
This is where the critique comes in. Some purists hate the use of tracks. They want the raw, bleeding sound of a five-piece band. But if Aeroforce tried to play "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" without the strings, it would sound thin and disappointing. They have chosen the path of maximalism.
It is a calculated move. It makes the show more expensive to produce and harder to tour, but it ensures that the audience feels like they got their money's worth. It is about the spectacle.
The lineup for this Mar. 24 show features "Tyler" Bob Gregory, Lou Perry, Paul G. Kramer, Darryl Hamilton and Genero Scott Whitford. It is a seasoned group of musicians who know each other's every move.
The show is presented by The Bad Examples Riding Club. These guys are a staple in the community, and they have a history of using these concerts to do some actual good. This year, the proceeds are going to the LaSalle Hangout for Youth.
The Bad Examples have a track record. They helped rebuild the Kiwanis Sunshine Camp and were instrumental in getting a permanent home for the LaSalle Hangout for Youth. They are the kind of organization that shows up when things need to get done.
So, you have a legacy tribute band, a historic theatre and a cause that actually matters. It is a solid pitch. Tickets for the Mar. 24 show start at $25.
If you want to see what 28 years of dedication looks like, go to the Olde Walkerville Theatre. Just do not expect a quiet night. And definitely do not expect them to skimp on the hats.
