Holmdel, NJ - Media Reviews

By Soundcheck

I was lucky enough to go to the Jones Beach show Friday night and also the Saturday (August 2nd) show at The PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ. I thought the band rocked Friday night, but they blew me away Saturday night. The crowd was WAY more into in NJ. Some people down front had a sign that read “Jones Beach crowd sucked!” Joe pointed that out and agreed with them. The place was on fire with all the energy. Despite having celebrated his birthday late into the night, Joe sounded wonderful. They did a really cool musical intro to “Hysteria” and surprised the crowd with doing an old B side called “Action” Some people from VH1 were there and they all had small signs on wooden sticks. They were all the faces of the band. And of course one of their infamous tour manager Malvin. Joe said it was “Very odd” seeing Rick Allen's face in front of him while he was onstage. Playing the crowd pleasers like “Love Bites,” “Rock Of Ages,” and “Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)” the band just kept going. Despite the hot, muggy weather, they kept going with full-on energy. How Joe wears leather pants in that kind of weather though, I’ll never understand!

As an added bonus to the concert, I was able to watch the band sound check that afternoon. It is a very cool thing to watch: the five of them on stage just wearing their everyday clothes and wandering around the stage. Playing most of a song to a venue that has maybe four people sitting in the seats. Watching guitarist Phil Collen joke with the children of a friend of the band. Then five hours later the venue is packed. Sold out. And the lights are shining and there is the band up on stage in their show clothes, playing to the screaming crowd. It was something extremely cool to witness.

Def Leppard has been around for 23 years and they are still on tour, still making music and still kicking ass. As musicians they have gotten better with age. They have always been one of my favorite bands and I have a feeling they are going to be around for a long, long time... If you have the chance to check their tour out, please do so... You will not be disappointed. As Joe sings... “Do you wanna get rocked?” The answer is yes... And they do a damn good job.

Opening act Ricky Warwick was a pleasant surprise. From Northern Ireland, Ricky used to be in the band The Almighty, who broke up in 1996. His CD, Tattoos And Alibis, was produced by Joe Elliott and Joe and tour manager Malvin sing background on the CD. His CD rocks, but his show is solo and acoustic. Coming out with his guitar, wearing sunglasses and covered in tattoos, I didn’t know what to expect. But Ricky is really great. And the crowd loves him. He seems to have a following and at each show has people singing along to his songs and yelling out for him. During Ricky’s last song, Vivian Campbell (Def Leppard guitarist) joins him onstage. You don’t usually see an acoustic act opening up for a hard rock band, but Ricky Warwick does a great job and fits right into the rock and roll vibe. His CD will be out in the U.S. in September. It is currently available over seas.

By Soundcheck 2003.

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