Customer Reviews

Aerosmith: Rockin' the Joint - Live at the Hard Rock

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The reason I say this is confusing is because there are multiple versions of this available and also more than one format. We have the standard CD version, the Dualdisc version (more on that format in a minute), an import version that contains track(s) not on the American release ("Toys In The Attic"), and the Target versions, where both the CD and Dualdisc sold at Target stores contain two bonus tracks only available supposedly from Target. The bonus tracks are "Living On The Edge" and "What It Takes", both of which are worth having as they sound good and it doesn't hurt that the Target versions cost $2 (Dualdisc) and $4 (CD) less than elsewhere. With all that said, the music is excellent throughout. Aerosmith sound in fine form and throw in some nice older selections that haven't been heard on any other live album they have released ("No More No More", "Seasons Of Wither", etc.) The video footage, which includes four songs (two of which are not included on the CD side - "Dream On", "Sweet Emotion"), is excellent. Joe Perry changes guitars for every song, Steven's voice is in good form, and Whitford, Hamilton & Kramer lock the rhythm down tight and they all look like they are having fun doing so. It's a shame that they didn't just release the whole show on DVD. One complaint, and this is why it only gets 4 stars, is the Dualdisc format. This is one of several I have purchased (another being the Joe Perry solo album) that has some sort of problem playing correctly. They all have a little sticker with writing so small you can hardly read it that states the CD side may not/will not play on all CD players. Sadly, for me, this is true on both of my players (which are only a couple of years old). Dualdiscs do not have any specifications they have to adhere to (unlike CD and DVD) so they tend to vary in thickness which can cause reading errors on some players. Now I know you may think "buy the CD then", but if you buy the CD, you don't have access to the video footage. That leaves the choice of buying both formats in order to get all the music or trying to buy a new player that may or may not play the Dualdiscs since they have no predetermined standard that has to be adhered to for universal use. I guess my point is, why do the record companies keep issuing things in this format if there is no standard to insure it will work properly on all players? At least in some cases, you do have a choice, such as the Aerosmith---Joe Perry only came in Dualdisc format, as did Bruce Springsteen's last release. I realize that they all have the complete audio on the DVD side also, but that doesn't help if your only option happens to be a CD player or if you want to listen to just the music in your car or on a Discman since they have problems playing the CD side. Why not just issue a regular version of the CD and a limited edition with a bonus DVD and charge a little more for that? It's not like that hasn't been done before. For that matter, give us the bonus DVD content for free---it's not like CD prices aren't high enough as is. Overall rating - audio, video and performance - 5 stars minus 1 star for the format and my apologies for using this review as a soapbox to bash Dualdiscs, but I felt it should be said.

Granted based on the reviews I have read, most will not agree with me but this album, especially after the hype is a disappointment. The quality is there, but you would think one of the greatest live acts of all time would get the concept of a live album. I even read in a couple of interviews where Joe Perry was quoted as saying Aerosmith wanted to put out a COMPLETE live show> Where is it? This is a collection of live tracks from the same show, but I want the show, the entire package. That is a true live album, something that allows you to get the emotion and vibe from that evening. I would think after placing interviews in the middle of the last DVD that prevented you from watching the show in its entirety would have been enough for the record company, or whoever makes these decisions to figure out what the fans wanted, but obviously, someone does not get it. However, the record company has no problem releasing a double disc greatest hits package every Christmas. C'mon people, I have seen you 15 times since 1977, I want some real live albums, one night, complete set, all of Tyler's banter, even the screw-ups. I can remember when you cats used to crank out Peter gun or the theme from Batman, Give us the Rocks tour, or show some guts and give us the done with mirrors tour, heck just re release this album in its complete form. Just put out a true live album

Aerosmith always seems to come out with a hit album, even when its a live cd. Reminding fans of the old days with many early songs, Aerosmith hits it big with another fantastic album. From Bootleg to Little South of Sanity, Aerosmith knows how to make a live album, and this is more proof. With four songs off of the fantastic Get Your Wings album (Seasons of Wither, Train Kept a Rollin', Same Old Song and Dance, and Pandora's Box), three from the following Toy's in the Attic (Walk This Way, No More No More, and Big Ten Inch), old time Aerosmith is brought into a new genteration. Hearing some of the mentioned songs live is spectacular. I can't wait until their concert in December.

I would have given this a 5 star rating but I cannot stand the Just Push Play songs and I Don't Want to Miss a Thing. This album is also missing song selections from the best Aerosmith album of all time...Rocks. Get rid of Miss a Thing and add Rats in the Cellar, Back in the Saddle, or Nobody's Fault. Or how about Sick as a Dog? Get rid of the Just Push Play songs and add in some Rocks and this album would have been a masterpiece.

But I am happy to see some of the other rare songs like Seasons of Wither and No More No More. But this album is in bad need of some Rocks.

Yes, this album is definitely one of the best albums I have heard in a long time...a long time. It is not right to keep comparing Aerosmith to the Stones - they are not "wantobees", please spare us from lack of "music knowledge".
I gave this Album a 5 Star since I am really into it...but I am also really disappointed. I am disappointed that the buyer keeps on getting bent. Why, and I would really like to have this one answered, why not the whole show??? What is with this nonsense? Why not the whole show on either DVD or whole the show on CD. Why Dual Disc? What happened to guts n rock n roll? I have seen Aerosmith 183 times in concert, been a fan since 1973, turned non fan during the crazy, cryin, times, and I am back as a fan again. The answer is fact: it is the industry that controls rock and roll and non else. Aerosmith are rich enough and should be bold enough to give us more shows from the 70s and 80s, the setlists should be rearranged and so on and so on....but who really makes the decisions on that? Let the money do the talking. Aerosmiths best concert was performed in the year 2001 in Munich Germany, only 1000 people went to see them...the club did not fit more than that. I had the honor and privilege to see them there. Rockin the Joint is such a good Album, it gives the Club Show Feeling back to fans that never wanted Aerosmith in the Stadiums but rather in the Clubs.
Please give us the complete show on DVD, why throw out the bait with only 4 songs on DVD Dual? Why? You could have made up for the :"You gotta move" thing where you dared to interrupt "Draw the Line". Aerosmith is on the best move to give the long time diehard fan something back, they should do it right. JOE PERRY - YOUR ALBUM IS AWESOME!!!!!

Rockin the Joint is Aerosmith's newest live album. Rockin the Joint is an unsual and slightly disappointing live album. I am pleased with songs like No More No More, Seasons of Wither, Big Ten Inch Record, and Train Kept a Rollin' appearing on Aerosmith's live album. What disappoints me is that after releasing albums for thirty-two years someone thinks a twelve song live album is a good idea? You can't sum up Aerosmith's thirty-two year career with a single disc. It would have been much better if Rockin the Joint was a double disc set of the whole concert. I last saw Aerosmith on their Honkin on Bobo tour, and was blown away, by both the performances and the great set list. Do yourself a favor and catch Aerosmith on tour instead of buying this.

This is a spectacular live album and DVD set. The band sounds fantastic and shows how it can be just as good in smaller venues as in stadiums or arenas. However, why is the entire Las Vegas show not in this collection? It was a smokin' 24-song set at the Hard Rock Hotel, yet we only get 11 songs here not including the bonus DVD tracks. Is Sony too afraid to release Aerosmith's Geffen-era tunes on a live album? If so, that is absolutely ridiculous and not fair to the fans.

Despite the incomplete show, this is the best live album released by any band in a long time. Tyler's singing is incredible for a man his age, Joe Perry's lead guitar is spectacular, and Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton, and Joey Kramer do their usual stellar supporting work.

Aerosmith gets an A. Sony and Columbia get an F for robbing the fans of the complete show.

Some reviewers here have some specifics wrong, but what they got right is that Rockin' The Joint is an amazing album. The only songs that have not been officially released as live versions are Beyond Beautiful, No More No More, Seasons Of Wither, Light Inside, and IDWMAT. Big Ten Inch Record and Rattlesnake Shake were live on Pandora's Box, though not as good as this.

Now, previous Aerosmith live albums had songs chosen from different concerts. That's not realistic...taking the best songs from various shows. These songs are all from one show, and they eliminated songs that real fans just don't want to hear anymore...Jaded, Pink, Cryin', Love In An Elevator, and a couple others. That's why the normal CD version only has 11 songs. It was weeded down to great, mostly 1970's songs, most of which we haven't heard before.

On the DVD side of the dualdisc, we also get Dream On and Sweet Emotion. Those can easily be ripped to mp3s, so instead of 11 songs, you now have 13.

Other versions (sold at Target, I think, and a Japanese version) have three more songs ... one version has Livin' On The Edge and What It Takes, so that's 15 songs, and a different version of RTJ has Toys In The Attic, too, so that's 16. If you're willing to search the internet for a few minutes, you could probably find these songs, if not just buying those versions.

So basically, there are 16 songs to get from RTJ, and they aren't the same old overplayed songs from recent years. They're real gems (aside from IDWMAT) that real, hardcore fans have wanted to hear for a long time. The sound and video are excellent, and the band is in top form.

And to comment on another review, it's not just Joe who has incredible solos in this product, or any other Aerosmith CD. Brad Whitford plays some amazing stuff. Just check out Same Old Song And Dance, Big Ten Inch Record, Rattlesnake Shake, Train Kept A Rollin.....

Just one other note - Some reviewers are saying that Uncle Salty and Sick As A Dog, played at this show, should have been included on Rockin' The Joint. Well Uncle Salty was probably only about a minute long...it was not the whole song. It was just sort of a slightly improv'd ~1 minute version of it, used to segue into Sweet Emotion. So it's not like a whole song we missed out on. And Sick As A Dog COULD NOT be included, even if it was the whole show that got released on Rockin' The Joint. There were sound problems during the performance, and it was all messed up. So the recording of the song from this show doesn't really exist, since it got messed up.

Aerosmith is back with another live album. This time there is only a hand full of songs though. How could a band of Aerosmiths stature put together a live album featureing a limited number of songs from a carear of over 30 years? Who knows but they did it. Each song is performed amazingly with no background noise or anything, just Steven Tylers beautifuly perfect voice, Joe Perry's worlds best guitar skills, Brad Whitfords amazing rythym, Tom Hamiltons rumbling bass, and Joey Kramers funky bass. And lets not forget the roar of the crowd. This was recored in the Hard Rock hotel in Las Vegas so its amazing that the crowd of so few people got so loud. This shows what a powerfull live band Aerosmith is, there still the best live band I have ever seen. The songs here are mostly new to be released live. 'Rattlesnake Shake' 'Big Ten Inch' 'Beyond Beautiful' 'Light Inside' 'Seasons Of Wither' and 'No More No More' have never been recorded live and released on a cd so that makes this even better. This is one live album I would recomend to anyone!

I don't know that Aerosmith needed to release another live set but let's be glad they did. This one is superior to their others in several ways. First, this was recorded at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Vegas, a much smaller venue than their previous live recordings. This allows you to feel closer to the band and the music and provides a much better sound quality. Also, their performance on this disc is amazing. Tyler's voice is strong and forceful and the band as a unit sounds better than I've ever heard them. Joe Perry's solos smoke anything else you've probably heard recently. The song selection is up and down for me. Two songs from Just Push Play are included, "Beyond Beautiful" and "Light Inside". There's nothing horrid about these songs, there are just so many stronger ones they could have gone with. On the other hand, I was thrilled to hear "No More, No More" and "Seasons of Wither" performed with such reverance and energy. I even enjoyed "Don't want to Miss a Thing" in all its treacly, mushy glory.

I would be careful in buying the Dualdisc version as the disc doesn't play in all CD players. I can listen to this in my car and on my MAC at work but not on my expensive stereo at home. Not a good technology.