David Hull makes his debut with Aerosmith

Tabloid Baby’s old friend, 60s and 70s rock star David Hull, had his TV movie moment last night when he made his debut onstage as the bassist for Aerosmith.

Dave, whose rock star days seemed but a memory a few weeks ago, finds himself dusting off his leather pants, teasing up his hair and fixing his makeup at an age when he should be having his prostate checked. His good fortune comes at the expense of his friend, Aerosmith’s longtime bassman Tom Hamilton, who's sidelined with throat cancer. But that’s how these things happen.

And the story’s just beginning.

Here’s the first photo (above) from the Germain, Amphitheater (that’s Dave, second from the left), from Steve Mitchell, and review, from Aaron Beck of the Columbus Dispatch, as Dave and the boys kicked off their Route of All Evil tour with Motley Crue:

Aerosmith fired on all cylinders, delivering reinvigorated '70s chestnuts (Sweet Emotion; Draw the Line; Mama Kin; Walk This Way; Dream On) and enlivened its post-drugs and drink/MTV-friendly fare (Rag Doll; Cryin'; F.I.N.E.).

As for Steven Tyler, still the main face of Aerosmith, he sounded strong all night even if his pants these days might do well with some pleats. The 58-year-old, whose throat ailment derailed his band's tour in February, was his former self, though, scatting his banshee scat, blowing a bit of harmonica and, in general, singing with force and projection.

Still, it was Perry, channeling Jimmy Page, Keith Richards and Peter Green (literally when he sang and played Fleetwood Mac's Stop Messin' Around) between multiple wardrobe and six-string changes, who commanded the most attention.

The guitarist, dedicating Stop Messin' Around to bassist Tom Hamilton, who is recovering from throat cancer treatment, raced all night about a stage accentuated with the occasional laser light show. Perry was all over the place, shoulder-length locks blowing in the wind, his head toward heaven and eyes closed during many a Les Paul solo.

During Sweet Emotion the guy even managed a Theremin solo. Talk about fun, a Theremin manipulated by a shirtless dude in leather pants center stage, a fellow born in 1950? That's some top-drawer Tuesday-night fun.

The operative phrase here is fired on all cylinders. Aerosmith is a rock 'n' roll machine, and the bass is crucial to keep it running without a hitch. David Hull is supposed to be on the road with the band for the next six weeks or so, until Hamilton is well enough to rejoin his mates (if he’s well enough, we must add, regretfully but realistically). Dave should be looking a lot more like his old-time rock star self by then.

What a great story. Check in here for updates.