It’s official. Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler is back. Back in Boston to be more precise. Tyler took up the microphone at Boston’s famed Fenway Park to sing “God Bless America,” and open the season for the hometown team. Appropriately enough, the Red Sox were facing their arch rivals, the New York Yankees. The perfect way to start the season for many Red Sox fans.

Accompanied by his daughter Chelsea,  Sunday night’s appearance seems to have marked Tyler’s return to the spotlight after his battle with addiction to pain medication that became public after he injured himself badly by falling from the stage during the group’s tour last summer.

Although some reports indicated that Tyler did a respectable job helping to open the season for the Red Sox, some fans were not impressed, and clearly did not think he was the best choice for the occasion. He reportedly shrugged his shoulders after finishing his performance, and walked off the field smiling.

Although fan reaction seems to be mixed regarding Tyler’s opening day performance, he’s likely to find himself in front of a much more enthusiastic audience later this year if rumored plans to have Aerosmith return to Fenway this summer are true.

Boston Music Spotlight is reporting that Aerosmith is close to a deal with the Red Sox that would bring the Bad Boys to the ballpark with fellow hometown group J. Geils in August for two nights.

Aerosmith’s Tom Hamilton is scheduled to be on Boston radio station WZLX tomorrow morning at 8:05 to talk about his involvement in this year’s “Banned in Boston” benefit event. Perhaps he will drop some hints about the Fenway rumors or have something else to say about the band’s plans for the near future.

Aerosmith is also making news in Colorado with the announcement of a new lottery scratch ticket that offers players a shot at $100,000. The new tickets went on sale yesterday for $5 a pop.