Boston/Mansfield, MA - Media Reviews

Def Leppard Keeps The Volume High By Robert Fusaro

Mamas, don't let your babies grow up and join hair bands. That was the refrain in the videogenic, carefree, cocaine-fueled 1980s, when guys named Slash and Axl and Nikki and Tommy Lee played fast and loose with their instruments and with little girls' hearts. But here in the 21st century, we've got relatively safe, reunited Brit-pop metal bands like Def Leppard left to carry their torch.

The band was at the Tweeter Center for Performing Arts last night to kick off the third leg of its tour to support its newest recording, "Euphoria," which was released last year and which saw the band working again with uberproducer Mutt Lange. Def Leppard, which was off the road since February, is playing an inordinate number of state fairs and county fairs this go-round -- not exactly A-list venues. But before you reduce them to parody or punch line, let it be known that Def Leppard still packs some wallop -- courtesy of its stellar rhythm section -- and a boatload of hits. At least, enough hits to make for an entertaining 90-minute concert.

There were about 7,000 adoring fans on hand to see lead singer Joe Elliot, guitarists Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell, floppy-haired bassist Rick Savage, and one-armed drummer Rick Allen plow through a set list that dug back into the band's heady "Pyromania" and "Hysteria" days. Overall, Def Leppard was less than predatory in terms of staging: Except for the walls of stacked Marshall amplifiers, six across and three down, on either side of Allen's mammoth drum kit, the decor was spare. Sweeping spotlights and sudden bursts of strobes and white lights worked in perfect synch with the band's anthemic brand of rock.

But the energy on stage wasn't as high as it could have been for a band that is just hitting the road again; the interplay between band members was almost nil, and aside from Elliot's stalking, it seemed like the lights were the only things moving up there. The arm-pumping momentum picked up mostly in the last half of the set.

The heavy rhythm section demonstrated last night why it is so indispensable to Def Leppard. It would be hard to imagine, say, the pounding funk of "Pour Some Sugar on Me" or the call-and-response rockers "Armageddon It" and "Rock of Ages" without Allen's propulsive drumming to drive it and Savage's relentless low notes.

The other Def Leppard trademark, Elliot's high-end wailing, was a little off at times during the evening; it was a little disappointing that he had to screech his way through the climax of "Bringing on the Heartbreak." But he also perfectly nailed the "anybody out there" line during "Foolin"' and handled the high notes of "Hysteria' -- so maybe it's a matter of getting his road chops back in order. The long-haired Elliot led the crowd through countless sing-alongs, including the "I want, I need, I love" chant that anchors "Animal."

For the most part, Def Leppard showed little subtlety with the volume -- every bludgeoning beat was blasted out of the speakers at 11, which made it hard to pick out any crisp guitar solos. But the group did take an acoustic break mid-set, performing "Two Steps Behind" and the beginning of "Bringing on the Heartbreak" unplugged before giving the latter the full electric treatment.

The band closed out the night with several encores, including "Let's Get Rocked." If nothing else, the band buoyantly brought the crowd back to a time before grunge, before the age of angst, when all that mattered was hot lights, good times, and a piercing guitar solo.

Hard-rocking The Unband opened the show with three-chord-driven abandon, tearing through about a dozen songs in a half hour. Bassist Mike Ruffino was a sight to behold, in his wide lapels, velvet jacket, leather pants. The trio was all "big rawk" riffs and attitude -- right down to the inflatable devil-horn hand that popped up mid-set. Catch them in a club when you can.

By Worcester Telegram & Gazette 2000.

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Def Leppard Rocks With Youthful Vigour By Stephen Peterson

It doesn't seem that long ago they were the new kids on the block, but Def Leppard can now pretty much be considered veteran, if not classic rockers.

Def Leppard played the Tweeter Center Thursady night, and did so with as much rocking energy as they demonstrated in the early 1980's, when they were in their 20's.

The five member British group was loud and full of punch as they ripped through a 21-song song set for two hours.

On their feet from the start, the crowd clapped, danced, pumped their fists in the air and sang along throughout.

Joe Elliott, the group's vocalist and leader, jumped around on stage all night. It was obvious the band had a lot of pent-up pep. It marked its first gig after having taken the past four months off from touring.

Opening up with "Rock Rock (Til You Drop) off their third album, 1983's "Pyromania" then band then played a cover of an old Sweet tune, "Action."

"Foolin'" "Animal" and "Hysteria" soon followed. Slowing and quieting things down, the band members brought out their acoustic guitars, playing theiu splendid ballad, "Tw Steps Behind."

They stayed acoustic for most of the smash hit "Bringing on the Heartbreak" before ending the High "N" Dry album number with electric guitars.

With a British flag unveiled in the stage background and on one of the guitars, "Photograph", "Rocket" and "Armageddon" ensued.

Then it was time for the fan favorite, "Pour Some Sugar on Me" off the 1987 "Hysteria" album.

Def Leppard finished off with "Rock of Ages," also off "Pyromania" before the encore that featued "Love Bites" and "Let's Get Rocked."

Drummer Rick Allen, who lost his arm during a near fatal car crash in England in 1984 and plays with a custom-built electronic drum kit, is simply an inspiration to all. Allen astonished many by staging one of the great comebacks in music history by rejoining the band a mere six weeks after the horrible crash.

Some consider them among the pioneers of Heavy Metal, and Def Leppard's music has always had a distinctness to it.

An interesting tidbit, to promote their greatest hits album, Def Leppard once performed on three continents in one day: North America, Africa and Europe. It landed them a listing in the Book of world Records.

By Attleboro Sun Chronicle 2000.

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