Edmonton Journal (www.canada.com) has issued the following report from Sandra Sperounes:

Lady luck wasn't on AEROSMITH's side for much of this year.

The rockers were forced to blow out an earlier tour - including a date in Edmonton - due to Steve Tyler's vocal troubles.

When he recovered from surgery and the fivesome finally hit the road, they had to do so without bassist Tom Hamilton, who is recovering from throat cancer.

They almost lost guitarist Joe Perry, too, when he was beaned in the head with a camera at a November show in Las Vegas.

He was knocked out cold and suffered a concussion, but managed to make it through the rest of the show - and the tour.

Whew.

Can you imagine a world without Tyler, Perry and the rest of Aerosmith?

The rockers, now in their 50s, are still one of the most dynamic live acts, as they proved yet again at Rexall Place on Saturday night.

Eschewing most high-tech gadgetry - except for a few TV screens - the quintet relied on their talent, charisma, energy and 14,000 fans to carry them through their 75-minute set.

Tyler, in particular, fed off the fans, upping his antics with every cheer. He saucily lifted up his shirt, showing off the words "BITE ME" painted around his waist. He pranced along a catwalk, slapping his rear and grinding his privates into a camera lens.

As flashy as his moves were, his vocals were even better. You'd never guess Tyler almost permanently lost the ability to sing earlier this year - his rasp and banshee-like wail sounded stronger than ever on 'Love In An Elevator' and 'Cryin''.

Those were among only a handful of newer tunes in Aerosmith's set list.

Instead, Tyler and the boys concentrated on their '70s catalogue, starting with their bluesier tunes - 'Toys In The Attic', 'Walkin' the Dog' and 'Same Old Song and Dance', which featured roadhouse-style keyboards and Perry duelling with the group's fill-in bassist, David Hull.

Saturday's show was technically part of a co-headline tour with MÖTLEY CRÜE, but the '80s hair-metal veterans couldn't live up to the energy of Aerosmith.

Instead, Vince Neil and his crew resorted to their usual gimmicks - pyro, fireworks, strobes and scantily clad girls - as they roared through 'Dr. Feelgood', 'Shout At The Devil', 'Looks That Kill','Live Wire', 'Girls, Girls, Girls' and 'Kickstart My Heart'.

Shrouded in smoke and lit from behind, the foursome didn't really have any stage presence - and therefore, couldn't make a real connection with the crowd.

Oh sure, fans went wild when rickety guitarist Mick Mars played a turbo-charged solo or drummer Tommy Lee passed around his bottle of Jagermeister.

Yet there wasn't much electricity or euphoria - it felt more like a dress rehearsal, where fans and musicians alike were going through the motions.

"Make some noise!" Neil yelled, reminding the crowd of their role. "Let me hear you!"

The routine might be growing thin because we've seen the Crue so many times over the last two years. This is their third visit to Edmonton - fourth, if you count their stop in Red Deer earlier this year.

"We'll see you soon," promised Lee at the end of their 75-minute set.

But not too soon, 'kay?