Blu-ray/CD Review: Aerosmith ‘Rocks Donington 2014’

Aerosmith is comfortable with their current status as a touring greatest hits record and that’s on full display in Aerosmith Rocks Donington 2014, which Eagle Rock is releasing on Sept. 4. The Blu-ray/2 CD set presents a full show from the group’s 2014 Let Rock Rule tour.

Packed with a 20-song set, the performance at Donington Park in Leicestershire, U.K. is your typical current Aerosmith show. The group rips through the familiar hits, including “Love in an Elevator,” “Jaded,” “Livin’ On The Edge,” “Janie’s Got A Gun,” “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing,” “Dude (Looks Like A Lady)” and “Walk This Way.” The endore includes “Dream On,” “Sweet Emotion” and “Mama Kin.” In other words, if the song was included on their most recent hits package, you can hear it performed on stage these days.

Aerosmith’s stage presence comes mostly thanks to singer Steven Tyler, who enjoys running around every corner of the stage, getting the audience to yell “f**k curfew” and even jumping into the crowd. It’s hard not to feel that rambunctious energy, even when seeing him perform from the comfort of your own home.

The setlist only includes one song from the group’s most recent album, 2012’s Music From Another Dimension!. Joe Perry gets to perform his “Freedom Fighter," while reading the lyrics from an embedded teleprompter in the stage. (You can actually also spot a teleprompter at the end of the stage to help out Tyler.)

The set includes the full show on Blu-ray and on two CDs. There’s technically no bonus features, although the Blu-ray does start off with a funny welcoming video. Once you put the disc in, the show automatically starts.

Surely, fans of Aerosmith who can’t have enough different versions of “Walk This Way” or “Janie’s Got A Gun” will be interested in the set. But if you are a casual Aerosmith fan, just pick up a greatest hits set (and copies of their early albums, most of which are really good).

Here’s the full setlist:

1) Train Kept A-Rollin’
2) Eat The Rich
3) Love In An Elevator
4) Cryin’
5) Jaded
6) Livin’ On The Edge
7) Last Child
8) Freedom Fighter
9) Same Old Song And Dance
10) Janie’s Got A Gun
11) Toys In The Attic
12) I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing
13) No More No More
14) Come Together
15) Dude (Looks Like A Lady)
16) Walk This Way
17) Home Tonight
18) Dream On
19) Sweet Emotion
20) Mama Kin