Cleveland, OH - Media Reviews

Judas Priest/Def Leppard @ Cleveland Public Hall By Toni Frabotta

Heavy metal was the mood this Wednesday night, and it's what the crowd wanted.

So it was a psyched audience, one willing and ready to let the bands take over and show what they got.

One of the most pleasant surprises was when Def Leppard took the stage.

They look not quite old enough to be at a concert like that.

Let alone performing in it.

But their youth was certainly no drawback.

They played as tightly and energetically as any band in the big leagues, and they certainly deserve to be there.

After Def Leppard, the Scorpions' age and experience looked more apparent.

They were able to take control of their audience more effectively, with more years of show experience under their belts.

Their blistering live version of 'Lovedrive' had the audience singing along.

Of course by the time Judas Priest came on, after two crowd-pleasing first acts, they had a primed audience to work with.

Rob Halford, lead singer for JP, made his entrance atop a black Harley, bullwhip in hand.

Moreso than either of the other two groups, they made full use of stage and lighting effects.

They also had a large collection of old favourites to draw from.

In addition to high-lighting nearly the entire new album 'British Steel', they played some older JP 'classics' - 'Victim Of Changes', Genocide' and 'Beyond The Realms Of Death'.

All in all, it was a successful evening.

The whole concert lasted over three hours, each band giving the audience at least what they came for and more.

And the ticket price would have been worth it just to see Def Leppard.

By Cleveland Scene 1980.

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Cleveland, OH - Media Reviews

Judas Priest/Def Leppard @ Cleveland Public Hall By Plain Dealer

The opening act, Def Leppard, was a young group (drummer Rick Allen is 16) from Sheffield, England.

It lacked experience and finesse, but it had an exuberant sound that came across better than it did last month at the World Series Of Rock.

'Wasted', from its 'On Through The Night' LP, was the strongest offering.

Joe Elliott, 20, still has a farm-fresh healthy look and a lot of energy.

By Plain Dealer 1980.

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