Just Push Play Tour

The Just Push Play Tour was a concert tour headlined by Aerosmith that took the band to dozens of shows across North America and Japan. The tour was put on in support of their 2001 release Just Push Play and ran from June 2001 to February 2002. Alternative rockers Fuel opened the show for much of the tour.

The tour received much success with the only major problems on the tour being cancellations due in part to the September 11 terrorist attacks.

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Contents
[hide]*1 Tour dates
 * 1.1 1st leg
 * 1.2 2nd leg
 * 1.3 3rd leg
 * 1.4 4th leg
 * 1.5 5th leg
 * 1.6 Japan leg
 * 2 Stage setup
 * 3 Setlist
 * 4 Success
 * 5 Problems
 * 6 United We Stand
 * 7 Rockin' the Joint
 * 8 References
 * 9 External links
 * }

edit] Tour dates
[1]

edit] 1st leg

 * United States June 6, 2001 – Hartford, CT – Meadows Music Theater
 * United States June 8, 2001 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center
 * United States June 10, 2001 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
 * United States June 12, 2001 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
 * United States June 16, 2001 – Wantagh, NY – Jones Beach Amphitheater
 * United States June 18, 2001 – Wantagh, NY – Jones Beach Amphitheater
 * United States June 20, 2001 – Wantagh, NY – Jones Beach Amphitheater
 * United States June 22, 2001 – Hershey, PA – Hersheypark Stadium
 * United States June 24, 2001 – Washington, DC – Nissan Pavilion
 * United States June 26, 2001 – Boston, MA – Tweeter Center
 * United States June 28, 2001 – Boston, MA – Tweeter Center
 * United States June 30, 2001 – Pittsburgh, PA – Post-Gazette Pavilion
 * Canada July 2, 2001 – Toronto, ON – Molson Amphitheater
 * United States July 5, 2001 – Chicago, IL – Tweeter Center
 * United States July 7, 2001 – East Troy, WI – Alpine Valley Music Theater
 * United States July 9, 2001 – Indianapolis, IN – Verizon Wireless Music Center
 * United States July 11, 2001 – Columbus, OH – Polaris Amphitheater
 * United States July 13, 2001 – Detroit, MI – DTE Energy Music Theatre
 * United States July 15, 2001 – Darien, NY – Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
 * United States July 17, 2001 – Cleveland, OH – Blossom Music Center
 * United States July 19. 2001 – St. Louis, MO – Riverport Amphitheater
 * United States July 21, 2001 – Kansas City, KS – Sandstone Amphitheater
 * United States July 23, 2001 – Denver, CO – Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre

edit] 2nd leg

 * United States August 8, 2001 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheater
 * United States August 10, 2001 – George, WA – Gorge Amphitheater
 * United States August 12, 2001 – Sacramento, CA – Sacramento Valley Amphitheater
 * United States August 14. 2001 – Concord, CA – Chronicle Pavilion
 * United States August 16, 2001 – San Diego, CA – Coors Amphitheater
 * United States August 18, 2001 – Las Vegas, NV – MGM Grand Garden Arena
 * United States August 20, 2001 – Irvine, CA – Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
 * United States August 22, 2001 – Irvine, CA – Verizon Wireless Amphitheater CANCELLED
 * United States August 24, 2001 – Devore, CA – Hyundai Pavilion
 * United States August 26, 2001 – Phoenix, AZ – Desert Sky Pavilion
 * United States August 28, 2001 – San Antonio, TX – Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
 * United States August 30, 2001 – Houston, TX – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
 * United States September 1, 2001 – Dallas, TX – Smirnoff Music Centre
 * United States September 3, 2001 – New Orleans, LA – New Orleans Arena
 * United States September 5, 2001 – Memphis, TN – Pyramid Arena
 * United States September 7, 2001 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
 * United States September 9, 2001 – Charlotte, NC – Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
 * United States September 11, 2001 – Virginia Beach, VA – Virginia Beach Amphitheater CANCELLED
 * United States September 13, 2001 – Camden, NJ – Tweeter Waterfront Center CANCELLED
 * United States September 15, 2001 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion CANCELLED
 * United States September 17, 2001 – Atlanta, GA – HiFi Buys Amphitheatre
 * United States September 19, 2001 – Nashville, TN – AmSouth Amphitheater
 * United States September 21, 2001 – Raleigh, NC – Alltel Pavilion at Walnut Creek
 * United States September 23, 2001 – West Palm Beach, FL – Sound Advice Amphitheater

edit] 3rd leg

 * Canada October 11, 2001 – Calgary, AB – Pengrowth Saddledome
 * Canada October 13, 2001 – Edmonton, AB – Skyreach Centre
 * United States October 15, 2001 – Minneapolis, MN – Target Center
 * United States October 17, 2001 – Grand Forks, ND – Alerus Center
 * United States October 19, 2001 – Ames, IA – Hilton Coliseum
 * United States October 21, 2001 – Indianapolis, IN – Conseco Fieldhouse
 * United States October 23, 2001 – Chicago, IL – Allstate Arena
 * United States October 25, 2001 – Detroit, MI – The Palace of Auburn Hills
 * United States October 27, 2001 – Pittsburgh, PA – Mellon Arena
 * Canada October 29, 2001 – Toronto, ON – Air Canada Centre
 * Canada October 31, 2001 – Montreal, QU – Molson Centre
 * United States November 2, 2001 – Dayton, OH – Ervin J. Nutter Center
 * United States November 4, 2001 – Boston, MA – FleetCenter
 * United States November 6, 2001 – Providence, RI – Dunkin Donuts Center
 * United States November 8, 2001 – Philadelphia, PA – First Union Center
 * United States November 10, 2001 – Lexington, KY – Rupp Arena
 * United States November 12, 2001 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
 * United States November 15, 2001 – East Rutherford, NJ – Continental Airlines Arena
 * United States November 17, 2001 – Manchester, NH – Verizon Wireless Arena

edit] 4th leg

 * United States November 25, 2001 – Greensboro, NC – Greensboro Coliseum
 * United States November 27, 2001 – Tampa, FL – Ice Palace
 * United States November 29, 2001 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – National Car Rental Center
 * United States December 1, 2001 – Birmingham, AL – BJCC Arena
 * United States December 3, 2001 – Champaign, IL – Assembly Hall
 * United States December 5, 2001 – Dallas, TX – Reunion Arena
 * United States December 7, 2001 – Little Rock, AR – Alltel Arena
 * United States December 9, 2001 – Oklahoma City, OK – Myriad Convention Center
 * United States December 11, 2001 – St. Louis, MO – Savvis Center
 * United States December 17, 2001 – Cleveland, OH – Gund Arena

edit] 5th leg

 * United States January 5, 2002 – Denver, CO – Pepsi Center
 * United States January 7, 2002 – Salt Lake City, UT – Delta Center
 * United States January 9, 2002 – San Jose, CA – San Jose Arena
 * United States January 11, 2002 – Las Vegas, NV – Hard Rock Hotel
 * United States January 13, 2002 – Los Angeles, CA – Great Western Forum
 * United States January 15, 2002 – Fresno, CA – Selland Arena
 * United States January 17, 2002 – San Diego, CA – San Diego Sports Arena

edit] Japan leg

 * Japan January 25, 2002 – Osaka, Japan – Osaka Dome
 * Japan January 27, 2002 – Osaka, Japan – Osaka Dome
 * Japan January 29, 2002 – Fukuoka, Japan – Fukuoka Dome
 * Japan January 31, 2002 – Nagoya, Japan – Nagoya Dome
 * Japan February 2, 2002 – Tokyo, Japan – Tokyo Dome
 * Japan February 3, 2002 – Tokyo, Japan – Tokyo Dome

edit] Stage setup
The stage for the tour had a very modern look, resembling the moderness of the band's new album and its cover. Most striking was the silver and white colors, as well as two curving staircases which met at a platform at the top, where some of the most exciting moments of each concert took place, including the entrance of Steven Tyler and Joe Perry at the beginning of the show, as well as Steven Tyler singing the eerie lyrics to the beginning of "Seasons of Wither"

Additionally, the band set up a second smaller stage in the rear of the outdoor pavilions to play a for those in the lawn section. During the middle of the show, the band members would walk under very heavy security to this stage to do a three-song set from this stage.

Steven Tyler jokingly referred to this tour as the "Back On The Grass Tour" which was a reference to the auxiliary stage set up on the lawn at many outdoor venues, and at the same time a jab at those who had claimed Aerosmith was using drugs again. Tyler especially targeted former manager Tim Collins with these jokes, who had accused Aerosmith of relapsing into drug use before the band fired him in 1996. "Back On The Grass" was never an official name for the tour, just a joke Tyler repeated in several interviews.

edit] Setlist
The setlist was quite long, featuring as many as 25 songs at some shows. It varied show to show, as most Aerosmith setlists do, but it usually included about half a dozen songs from Just Push Play as well a fair balance between their 70s rock classics and their 80s and 90s pop-rock hits.

edit] Success
The tour came on the heels of the band's platinum album Just Push Play. Aerosmith was at their peak popularity at this time, having played the Super Bowl XXXV Halftime Show, been inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, and scored a Top 10 hit all within the first half of the year. Just prior to the start of the tour, Steven Tyler sang the National Anthem at the Indianapolis 500, and the team sponsored a car in the race.

As a result, many shows sold out and the band seemed to endlessly add arena dates through the fall and winter, even after their highly successful summer amphitheater tour.

The tour was ranked as the 8th highest grossing of 2001.
 * Total Gross: $43,578,874.
 * Total Attendance: 937,609. 56 shows. 15 sellouts.

edit] Problems
In the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks, the band canceled the three shows after that (Virginia Beach, Camden, NJ, and Columbia, MD), which all also happened to be on the Eastern Seaboard, where the attacks had occurred. These shows were later rescheduled.

Additionally, the band decided to cancel a 2nd show at Irvine, CA earlier in the tour, due to a scheduling conflict with the filming of the video for the single "Sunshine."

edit] United We Stand
The band decided to play the United We Stand: What More Can I Give benefit concert (for September 11 victims) at RFK Stadium in Washington D.C. on October 21, 2001, alongside Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, and several other pop stars. The band had been uncertain about whether to play the show due to scheduling conflicts, and made the decision almost at the last minute. The band took the stage in the afternoon, playing about a 5-song set and then amazingly flew back to Indianapolis, IN for a concert that same night.

edit] Rockin' the Joint
In January 2002, the band played The Joint, a 2,000 seat venue within the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. This show was recorded and parts of it released as the band's fifth live album, a Dual Disc CD/DVD entitled Rockin' the Joint which was released in 2005.