AEROSMITH ANNOUNCE "CALIFORNIA, DREAM ON" HOLLYWOOD BOWL COMEBACK SHOWS WITH SLASH, RUN-DMC, HEART AND MORE

Aerosmith are back. The Boston rock legends have announced "California, Dream On: Aerosmith & Friends", a pair of comeback concerts at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on October 29 and November 1, 2026 — their first full shows since September 2023. Revealed on October 7, 2026, two years after the band's emotional retirement from touring, the announcement pairs the band with a jaw-dropping roster of guests including Slash, Run-DMC, Heart and Billy Idol.

Image: Aerosmith — official "California, Dream On" announcement teaser still.

The Announcement

Two days before the formal announcement, on Monday, October 5, the band teased the news with a video of frontman Steven Tyler and rock photographer Ross Halfin changing the letters on the Hollywood Bowl marquee. In the clip, Tyler grins: "It's Aerosmith and friends, Ross … Aerosmith and friends!" When Halfin asks, "Don't you miss performing?", Tyler answers: "Of all the things I ever missed, I missed my mind the most."

Then came the real news. On Wednesday, October 7, 2026, Aerosmith confirmed "California, Dream On: Aerosmith & Friends", two concerts at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on October 29 and November 1, 2026. The shows will be the band's first full concerts since September 2023, landing in a blockbuster season for live rock that has also included Metallica's 'Life Burns Faster' Sphere residency.

The Star-Studded Guest List

The bill reads like a rock hall of fame roll call. Billed guests include The Black Crowes, Run-DMC, Heart, Billy Idol, Eric Church, Sammy Hagar, Slash, Duff McKagan (Guns N' Roses), Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Jerry Cantrell and Mike Inez (Alice in Chains), Marcus King, Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme), Pat Monahan (Train), Sully Erna (Godsmack), Tom Morello, Andrew Watt, Steve Stevens, Adam Wakeman, Audley Freed and Kenny Aronoff, with Don Was as music director.

Slash arrives amid a busy season of his own, following the news that Slash announces 'Flying Blind' album and 2027 world tour. According to reports, the lineup will vary by night, and more surprise guests will be announced closer to the shows.

From Retirement to Return

The comeback follows one of rock's saddest chapters. On September 9, 2023, just three dates into the Peace Out farewell tour, Tyler fractured his larynx onstage at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York. In August 2024, Aerosmith announced their retirement from touring, saying "a full recovery from his vocal injury was not possible".

Signals of a return have been building. Tyler and Joe Perry shared a stage on April 30, 2025, at Tyler's Janie's Fund benefit in San Francisco, and Perry said in an interview last year, "I know there's gotta be at least another Aerosmith gig". The band's 2025 "One More Time" EP with Yungblud hit No. 1 on Billboard's Top Rock & Alternative Albums and No. 9 on the Billboard 200, and earlier in 2026 they released "Aerosmith (Legendary Edition)", a newly mixed version of their 1973 debut assembled by Tyler and Perry with Zakk Cervini and Steve Berkowitz. That catalog — "Dream On", "Sweet Emotion", "Walk This Way", "Janie's Got a Gun", "Crazy", "Cryin'" and "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" — sits in the same stadium-rock canon as Queen's 'We Are the Champions' song history, from a band of four-time Grammy winners and 2001 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees with Top 10 albums across six consecutive decades.

The promotional photograph for the shows carries its own surprise: Tyler, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton and Joey Kramer all appear, marking Kramer's return — he did not take part in the band's most recent tour. It has been a reflective season for rock, following the news that Sass Jordan dies at 65, which makes this reunion feel all the more meaningful.

Tickets and Dates

Citi cardmembers got first access, with the presale beginning October 8 at 10 a.m. PT. General on-sale is set for Saturday, October 10 at 10 a.m. PT via Ticketmaster. The concerts are promoted by Live Nation-Hewitt Silva and Blackbird Presents.

Unlike Rod Stewart's 'The Final Encore' farewell tour, which is built as a goodbye, these two nights are a beginning — Aerosmith are walking back onto the stage, not off it.

Watch the Official Announcement

Watch the official announcement teaser, posted October 5, 2026, on Aerosmith's official channel below:

Frequently Asked Questions

When and where are the Aerosmith comeback shows?
Aerosmith will play two concerts, billed as "California, Dream On: Aerosmith & Friends," at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on October 29 and November 1, 2026 — their first full shows since September 2023.

Who are the guest performers?
The bill includes The Black Crowes, Run-DMC, Heart, Billy Idol, Eric Church, Sammy Hagar, Slash, Duff McKagan, Chad Smith, Jerry Cantrell, Mike Inez, Marcus King, Nuno Bettencourt, Pat Monahan, Sully Erna, Tom Morello and more, with Don Was as music director. According to reports, the lineup varies by night and more surprise guests are still to be announced.

Why did Aerosmith retire from touring in 2024?
Frontman Steven Tyler fractured his larynx during the September 9, 2023 show at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, just three dates into the Peace Out farewell tour. In August 2024, the band announced their retirement from touring, saying a full recovery from his vocal injury was not possible.

When do tickets go on sale?
The Citi cardmember presale began October 8 at 10 a.m. PT, and general on-sale is Saturday, October 10 at 10 a.m. PT via Ticketmaster. The concerts are promoted by Live Nation-Hewitt Silva and Blackbird Presents.