SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- A reunion of the heavy metal rock group Aerosmith was marred by a fight that broke out among band members after the seemingly intoxicated lead singer Steven Tyler fell off the stage.
The band's scheduled 90-minute concert before an estimated 8,000 fans who paid $11 per ticket was cut short Saturday night by about an hour because of the scuffle at the Prairie Capital Convention Center.
Convention officials were undecided on whether to issue refunds.
Witnesses said Tyler, 36, appeared intoxicated before he stumbled off the stage. Tyler, who was not injured in the fall, then got involved in a scuffle with fellow band members when he returned to the stage, witnesses said.
After the rest of the concert was canceled about 2,000 angry fans gathered outside of the convention hall. Three arrests were made inside the hall for criminal tresspass by police who also dispersed the crowd, authorities said.
Aerosmith, the top American heavy-metal band of the mid-1970s, was celebrating its first reunion since 1979 with a summer tour. The group was formed in 1970 by Joe Perry, Tom Hamilton and Tyler, who at that time was drummer.
Tyler left Aerosmith briefly and Joey Kramer and Brad Whitford were added to the band. Tyler, who is considered a Mick Jagger look-alike, then rejoined the band as its lead singer and Aerosmith played almost nightly in the Boston area for two years.
In 1976, the band was signed to Columbia. Their first hit, 'Dream On,' was sixth on the record charts. By the time 'Walk This Way' was released in 1977, the band was popular nationwide.
In 1977, the band decided to take a rest from touring and recorded 'Draw the Line' after appearing as villains in Robert Stigwood's movie 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.'
In 1979, Perry quit because of long-standing personality and musical conflicts with Tyler, his songwriting partner, according to 'The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll.'
In 1980, Whitford also quit to form his own band and was replaced by Jimmy Crespo. Rick Dufay was added to the band and in 1982 the group released 'Rock in a Hard Place.'
The band's 1984 summer concert tour represented the first time the original five members of Aerosmith were reunited.
