Oklahoma City, OK - Media Reviews

Def Leppard Rocks Tour's End By Sandi Davis

It was rumoured that most of the stage decorations stayed on the trucks, but that didn't matter to the nearly 13,000 fans of Def Leppard. The band put on a whale of a show at the State Fair Grandstand Monday night for its last American tour date.

Most of the still-loaded trucks contained a stage and other equipment, but a stage and roof had already been erected by the State Fair of Oklahoma. All the band's crew had to do was build a basic set, aim the lights and watch the show.

The band opened its final show with "Rock Till You Drop," and added songs like "Women," and a 1981 gem, "Too Late. " Def Leppard has found a music formula that works - the group has an instantly recognizable sound that has created a broad fan base over the years.

The light show was dazzling. The high-tech effects were wonderful to see; especially pleasing were the "vari-lights," where each band of light in the split-beam was a different color.

The band seemed a bit ragged at the end of several songs. Lead singer Joe Elliott's voice was a little strained, and by the end of the concert he was nearly hoarse.

The show was peppered with duelling guitars by Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell, making an interesting contrast to the single guitar solos common with other bands.

Collen brought his son Rory out for the unplugged section of the concert, when the band played "Two Steps Behind. " The band saved the best for last, belting out "Armageddon It," spliced with the very old rocker "Black Betty," then went from Queen's "We Will Rock You" to their megahit "Pour Some Sugar On Me. " The audience was singing lustily with the last song, and Elliott seemed to enjoy it, directing the Grandstand crowd to greater heights.

Def Leppard wound up its regular set with one of its older anthems, "Rock of Ages. " For an encore, the band played "Love Bites," and wound up its American tour with "Let's Get Rocked. " Def Leppard has a new album "Retroactive," due out Oct. 4, and the news was greeted with delight by the fans.

The concert's opening act, Ugly Kid Joe ("I Hate Everything About You," "Cat's In the Cradle"), was about what is expected from the current crop of rockers. They used much more profanity than Def Leppard, and the difference in experience was plainly apparent when Def Leppard took the stage.

By The Oklahoman 1993

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