August 5, 2009 – Frontman Steven Tyler took a fall off stage during last night’s well attended and highly anticipated Aerosmith concert at the Buffalo Chip Amphitheater in Sturigs, South Dakota. Rain had inundated the campground just an hour before show time, and every precaution was taken to ensure that the stage was free from slick spots. The above photo was taken during the first moments of last night’s show.
After playing nearly half their set, or about 8 songs, Aerosmith blasted into “Love in an Elevator” only to have the the main power to the sound blow out during Joe Perry‘s guitar solo. The band continued to jam, although it was barely audible. In an attempt to keep the fans entertained as crews tried to restore power to the sound, Steven Tyler emerged on the 30 foot catwalk and began to dance. Seconds later while spinning around, the singer fell off the stage and was injured. Although the extent of his injuries is not yet clear, Buffalo Chip spokesperson Mike Sanborn said that the singer “was in good spirits when he got in the helicopter,” and was “talking and joking with the physician.”
After about thirty minutes passed, Joe Perry emerged on stage and delivered the unfortunate news that Tyler was on his way to the hospital and the show would not continue. The crowd responded well to Perry’s sincere apology and the overwhelming majority of fans were understanding and wishing only the best for Tyler.
I twittered about this event last night as it happened (Twitter.com/RockConcerts), and was on scene for the entire show. Prior to the fall, Tyler was performing at his absolute best and the band was clearly having a great night. More information will follow as the Aerosmith camp is likely to soon make a statement on Tyler’s health. Until then, we hope that the singer can make a full and quick recovery. You can also read my statements to the BBC News organization at this link.
[...] Melodic Rock Concerts could you find a photo of Tyler on stage just half an hour before the fall (read the article here). More photos and a complete review of Aerosmith’s Chip performance will be published [...]