Guns N' Roses Join Aerosmith's Comeback at the Hollywood Bowl

Guns N' Roses have been added to the lineup for California, Dream On: Aerosmith & Friends, two concerts at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. The shows take place on October 29 and November 1 and mark Aerosmith's first performances since September 2023. Just one day after Aerosmith announced the concerts, it came out that Axl Rose's crew is joining the guest list too. Slash and Duff McKagan were already on the list of special guests.

The bill is a long run of big names. Besides Aerosmith and Guns N' Roses, the announced acts include The Black Crowes, Heart, Billy Idol, Run D.M.C., Sammy Hagar, Tom Morello, Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains, Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Steve Stevens. Nuno Bettencourt, Eric Church, Sully Erna of Godsmack, Mike Inez, Marcus King, Pat Monahan of Train, Andrew Watt, Adam Wakeman, Audley Freed and drummer Kenny Aronoff are in on it too. Don Was is the musical director. The organizers say more artists and surprise guests are on the way and that the lineup will differ from night to night. The final setlists for each evening will only be revealed around the start of the show and could still change.

The connection between the two bands goes back a long way. In 1986, Guns N' Roses covered Aerosmith's classic Mama Kin on their debut EP Live ?!*@ Like a Suicide, and two years later they played as the opening act on the summer leg of Aerosmith's Permanent Vacation tour.

For Aerosmith themselves, this is a striking comeback. The band called it quits on the Peace Out...Farewell Tour in September 2023 after singer Steven Tyler suffered a broken larynx, after which the end of the band as a live act was announced. Tyler has been back on stage a few times lately, including at a Black Crowes show in London, at his charity Jam For Janie and together with guitarist Joe Perry at a Janie's Fund event. In September 2025, Tyler and Perry joined a Joe Perry Project show at the Hollywood Bowl and performed at the MTV Video Music Awards as a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne. Perry said earlier that a final Aerosmith show was possible. Asked whether Tyler could handle a full show, he answered: "I think he would. I think it's just a matter of getting there."

The promo photo shows the original members Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton and Joey Kramer, who did not take part in the last tour. The news comes at a time when a sexual abuse case in which Tyler has been named is heading to court. Ticket sales run in phases: a presale for the band and Aero Force One, a presale for Citi cardholders on Thursday, and general sale on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time.

Meanwhile, Guns N' Roses are wrapping up a North American tour and will head to Asia, Australia and New Zealand in November and December. Slash is releasing a new album with Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators in February and will go on a solo tour in April. For Dutch fans, the Hollywood Bowl shows are mainly a sign that Aerosmith still wants to share a stage one more time, although nothing has been announced for Europe.