Weedsport, NY - Media Reviews

Def Leppard @ Cayuga County Fairgrounds By Syracuse Herald-Journal

Def Leppard may have one of the loudest and hardest rocking shows on the road this summer, but Mother Nature still has the best special effects.

Saturday's sold-out concert - 12,300 - at the Cayuga County Fairgrounds speedway weathered a torrential downpour halfway through the concert.

The storm actually added to the show, as lasers met rain to produce an eerie effect, similar to a shower of green crystals.

During the band's anthem 'I Want Rock 'n' Roll', the rain made steam rise from the overheated concertgoers packed to the front of the stage.

Def Leppard's success can be summarized in one word, dedication.

Wielding cordless microphones and guitars, vocalist Joe Elliott, guitarists Phil Collen and Steve Clark and bassist Rick Savage ran and danced all over the front of the stage.

Exposing themselves to the rotten weather, rather than standing back and staying dry.

Without any noteworthy musical talents, Def Leppard has risen to the top of the rock 'n' roll heap - the album 'Hysteria' is currently Number 1 - by mixing plenty of pop hooks into their hard-driving, headbanging sound.

The artistic highpoint of the show was 'Bringin' On The Heartbreak', where the two guitarists - neither has any individual talent, but they work well together - played a tasteful intro on flamenco-style acoustic and double-necked electric guitars.

By Syracuse Herald-Journal 1988.

Back

share this page: