Aerosmith Rocks Donington 2014

With the exception of touring keyboard player Buck Johnson, the original Aerosmith members are well into their 60s, but they rock as hard as ever in this 2014 concert at the Download Festival in Leicestershire's Donington Park. If anything, the band plays as if it has something to prove, possibly because the festival attracted a younger demographic. Consequently, instead of opening with the 1970s hits that made their reputation, the band jumps ahead to songs from their 1980s resurgence, such as “Love in an Elevator.” On the down side, “Dude (Looks Like a Lady)” has not aged well, especially in light of the strides LGBT people have made since the song's release (what might have been intended as a jokey update on the Kinks' “Lola” now seems particularly insensitive). On the plus side, however, lead singer Steven Tyler continues to look and sound ageless, although it's too bad that he resorts to lame crotch grabs and sexist commentary (adding insult to injury, the program also features clips of the band preparing for the show, including a groupie-filled sequence with Tyler). Those quibbles aside, the band's 20-song set includes many fan favorites, such as “Walk This Way,” “Sweet Emotion,” “I Don't Want to Miss a Thing,” and “Dream On.” And guitarist Joe Perry even gets the chance to sing on “Freedom Fighter” from 2012's Rock from Another Dimension. Bundled with two audio CDs, this is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo on DVD, and DTS-HD 5.1 and LPCM stereo on Blu-ray. Sure to be popular, this is recommended. (K. Fennessy)