It may have been a court-ordered show, but Tuesday's (10/20) Aerosmith [ tickets ] concert at the War Memorial Stadium in Maui definitely did not seem like a "settlement." From the opening drum beats to the extended encore, The Bad Boys of Boston gave it their all and lived up to the "do not suck" clause in the lawsuit agreement that stemmed from a canceled 2007 show on the Hawaiian island.

The band's set opened with a gathering of percussionists pounding a very Hawaiian-sounding beat as a troupe from a local hula halau (school) shimmied and shook in a manner worthy of Steven Tyler's notorious stage gyrations. As the Hawaiian drums gave way to Joey Kramer's driving intro to "Eat The Rich," there was no doubt this audience was in for a treat.

After blasting through several songs that kept the crowd on their feet, Tyler brought out a ukulele, telling the crowd he was going to play something he learned while on the island in 1974. As he started to strum the tiny instrument, the band playfully overpowered him, breaking into the opening notes of "Dream On."

The flamboyant frontman went with the flow and gave the audience what they had been waiting for: a performance that members of the Blue Army would proudly call kick-ass, far-out, tight, sick or most-excellent, depending on the generation. Tyler's voice was in great form and he didn't disappoint as he hit those ultra-high notes that have made him often-imitated but not often-duplicated.

Peppering his between-song stage banter with local phrases including "Maui No Ka Oi" (Maui is the best), Tyler brought the ukulele out again, strumming a bit of the Hawaiian classic "Little Grass Shack."

It quickly became apparent that this show was special for both the fans and the band. At one point, Perry stood under the starry sky, telling the crowd how much the band has wanted to play on the island since visiting in 1974. He practically took back his recent comments about Aerosmith being on "indefinite hiatus," saying the band wouldn't take that long for a return appearance.

The first all-out sing-along of the night came during "Cryin'," as Tyler's trademark scarves dangled from his mic stand while he twirled it like a weightless baton. After more than 30 years as a performer, his stage presence remains captivating.

However, those who think Aerosmith = Steven Tyler were pleasantly surprised to see Joe Perry carry a big chunk of the show. He shined while singing, his guitar work wailed and his showmanship was top-notch. He even gave the crowd a hushed-giggle when he busted out the butt of his black leather pants while the band rocked "Livin' On The Edge."

With Perry's shirt quickly wrapped around his waist, the band was back on track as they plowed through a long, eclectic set that included "Big Ten Inch," "Ragdoll," and "Love in an Elevator."

When it was Kramer's time to shine, a fervent drum solo blazed into "Walk This Way." The group was tight, with guitarist Brad Whitford and bassist Tom Hamilton totally in sync with their bandmates.

With cell-phone cameras snapping and audience members texting and Twittering, Aerosmith closed the night with a well-received rendition of "Sweet Emotion." At the end of the song, Tyler got on his knees with arms overhead and repeatedly bowed to the crowd, evoking a "Wayne's World" moment. "I'm not worthy," he said, adding "Maui No Ka Oi" one more time.

The encore got underway with Perry playing dueling axes with his "Guitar Hero" alter ego. He told the audience, "Every week, someone comes up to me and says, 'I played you and I beat you,'" and then he proceeded to blow his digital self off the big screen.

Tyler returned to the stage for a rousing rendition of "Mama Kin" but the show wasn't over yet. He once again showed his affection for his bandmates, sharing a story about meeting Perry and being impressed with his cover "Rattlesnake Shake." As the band played the tune, the reported love-lost between Tyler and Perry seemed to be long gone and in its place stood the not-so-Toxic Twins in all their glory.

Wrapping up the evening with "Train Kept A-Rollin'," one could see that Aerosmith had been touched by the magic of Maui. It was hard to believe that only a few days earlier, Perry didn't have many nice things to say about his old friend, Tyler.

Before leaving the stage, Tyler took responsibility for the canceled 2007 show while expressing his love for the crowd, and Perry--almost tearfully--thanked the audience for making the band's dreams come true.

Oh yeah, the fans loved it too.

Set List

Eat the Rich
Falling in Love (Is Hard On the Knees)
Ragdoll
Walking the Dog
Dream On
Last Child
Same Old Song and Dance
Combination
Stop Messin' Around
Love in an Elevator
Cryin'
Livin' on the Edge
Big Ten Inch
Walk This Way
Sweet Emotion
Encore
Guitar Hero
Mama Kin
Rattlesnake Shake
Train Kept A-Rollin'