Joe Perry Bows Out Of Tonight’s Hollywood Vampires’ Flick West Coast Debut As Aerosmith Ramps Up For Hollywood Bowl Gigs

If you were planning on catching the West Coast debut of the Hollywood Vampires‘ documentary tonight at the Newport Beach Film Festival, be warned Joe Perry will not be in the sold out Lido Theater.

While info for the 8 pm PT showing of the Daniel E. Catullo III helmed Unleashed Spirits: The Rise of the Hollywood Vampires promises a “Live Q&A following the screening with Director Daniel E. Catullo III and members of the Hollywood Vampires!” the Aerosmith guitarist and Vampires co-founder announced Thursday afternoon he can’t make it after all.

“For anyone that may be planning to attend the West Coast premiere of the Hollywood Vampires docufilm Unleashed Spirits: The Rise of the Hollywood Vampires at the Newport Film Festival, I’m sorry to say that with Aerosmith performing together for the first time in three years, and rehearsing diligently for our two upcoming shows at the Hollywood Bowl, it’s become clear that I won’t be able to break away to attend personally,” Perry posted on his social feeds.

Disappoint for fans who hoped WME repped Perry would be there like he was for the flick’s Boston world premiere on September 18, but you can’t deny the 76-year old Rock’n’Roll Hall of Famer has been busy. Perry and HV bandmates Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp and Tommy Henriksen are just off a two-month European tour, and have a new-ish live album of rock classics.

Add to that Perry plus self-styled fellow “Toxic Twin” Stephen Tyler and the rest of Aerosmith unveiled earlier this month they were truly back in the saddle for a two-night stint at the iconic Hollywood Bowl.

Book ending Halloween, the October 29 and November 1 Live Nation promoted shows will see the band joined by likes of Guns’n’Roses Slash and Duff McKagan (the latter a former HV touring member), the living members of Run DMC, Billy Idol, the Black Crowes, Alice in Chains’ Jerry Cantrell, Heart, Eric Church and more diving into the Boston Bad Boys’ five decade deep catalog.

No word if Aerosmith are planning to go on a tour of their own afterwards, or take up another Vegas residency as they did in 2019- 2022.

The Hollywood Vampires were originally formed in the 1970s as a drinking gang for Cooper, The Monkees Micky Dolenz John Lennon, The Who’s Keith Moon, and Harry Nilsson. With Cooper off the booze years ago and Lennon, Moon and Nilsson no longer with us, the latest version of the Vampires came together in 2012 by the OG shock rocker, Perry and Depp. Since their 2015 live debut on the Sunset Strip, the band has toured regularly with guitarists Depp and Perry relieving Cooper on lead vocals for a couple of Bowie and Johnny Thunders’ tunes every show.