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Monday, 17th February 2003
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Portsmouth, England - Fan Reviews

Fan Review - By Emit

At first I had high expectations of Def leppard performing live. But Portmouth Guildhall has a record of bad acoustics and not being a good concert hall. Def Leppard came on rocking with some brilliant songs, though Joe's voice could hardly be heard because of bad sound quality. They played all their classic songs like Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop) and a brilliant perfomance of Women!

Def Leppard sounded good, but could have been better at a different venue. If the venue was a proper concert hall they would have been tops!!!!!!.


Fan Review - By Jayne

After meeting a couple of Lep fans for the first time, both of whom had actually MET the band that afternoon, we got in the queue at around 5.45pm. It was still relatively short at that time, thankfully increasing my chances of getting to the front on my home turf. Met some more new Lep fans and the atmosphere was already rising even though we were all freezing cold. Doors opened at 7 pm and I just RAN for the front with the others. Got myself a PRIME position inbetween where Joe and Sav would play and right in front of a large gap in their monitors - cool!

Show started promptly with Ricky Warwick after a great intro by the one and only Malvin Mortimer. Ricky Warwick was good - I remember the days of the almighty 'The Almighty' and he looks and sounds a lot different now, but you've just got to take your hat off to a guy that can take to a stage of a sell-out gig, with just an electric acoustic guitar and play and sing cold and do it really well - brilliant! Up next, without much of a gap inbetween, were The Darkness. Hmmm - what can you say about this band? There will be many differing views but mine was that, despite catching numerous already-used riffs reminiscent of bands like AC/DC and Quo, despite the lead singer trying to be a cross between Freddie Mercury and Marc Bolan, and despite the fact that they were a tad "cheesy", I actually enjoyed some of their stuff and found them quite entertaining to watch.

Still not believing where I was standing, I was watching the stage being prepared for Leppard quickly and professionally so as not to keep all us fans waiting too long. Then it started - the Disintegrate Intro - along with that shivering feeling running down your spine when you KNOW something great is about to happen - and it DID! Song after song had us all in the palm of their hands - singing at the tops of our voices, especially to the acoustic version of "Two Steps Behind", which was an audience participation request from Joe, who never failed to include ALL of the audience and did not forget those in the circle sitting down upstairs (who all ended up standing up in their seats, dancing and clapping). The Leps had us all captivated from start to finish - no great surprise really.

Portsmouth Guildhall was a SUPERB venue considering the size (I've been going to gigs here for 26 years!) and, contrary to another review here, the sound quality was AWESOME! Who on earth goes to a gig like that to sit and ponder sound quality? If you want that - go buy the CD! The idea of a live gig is for the band to completely connect with the audience, get them going, rock the joint and, as the Leps did, throw out a totally MEATY sound! I'm sure the Lep's sound guys know what they are doing by now don't you think? Hubby was standing in front of a PA stack (he's an ex-muso himself and not a huge Lep fan, but he thought it was a FAB gig and really enjoyed it) and said the sound quality was so good that his ears were not ringing when the gig finished. Other bits to add - LOVED Sav's jeans and, after hearing lots of stories about Phil Collen being a really nice guy, this obviously came through in his live performance - he smiles at the audience constantly and his eyes twinkle all the time. ALL the Leps looked like they were having a good time - but then that's because they probably were - as Joe said "It beats baking bread for a living"!

Set list was awesome - anything DL is good - although I would personally have changed "Action" for a song like "Foolin" or "Comin' Under Fire". Best song of the night for me personally was "Women" but I just can't get that acoustic "Two Steps Behind" out of my head! They ended with "Let's Get Rocked" which saw Joe rubbing the mike stand up and down with his hand and sticking his tongue into his cheek when singing "I'm sick and tired of dancin' with this broom" and a promise of "We WILL return". It's DEF the best LEP gig I've been to, mainly because I had one of the best spots in the house - Joe stood right in front of me more times than that, as did the other guys, and thrust his mike into the audience - it was only about a foot from my face! He threw a couple of picks into the audience - one in my direction which I caught and shall always treasure.

The "Thunder God" himself came down onto the stage to wave to all the fans at the end and, as usual, we were all left totally satisfied but still wanting more. All I can say is PLEASE come back soon - another UK tour is ESSENTIAL!.


Fan Review - By Dini

I was pumped before I even set foot in the theatre. I hadn't seen the lads since they toured Canada for Adrenalize in an arena so understandably I was very excited to see them in a small intimate concert hall like the Portsmouth Guildhall. The lights dimmed and as soon as Disintegrate erupted from the speakers I turned to a girl next to me and we both screamed, the show was finally starting.

To finally be so close to these men who I had spent so much of my youth admiring from afar. It was incredible to be only a few feet away from the front of the stage. My husband who prefers their older songs was pleasantly surprised when they played a lot of classice Lepp and even enjoyed the new songs off of X.

They played - Let it Go (Neil (hubby) loves this song) Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop) (this just SOUNDS better live) Action (hubby was dumbstruck to hear the Lepps cover Sweet - I've tried to since educate him and have played Retroactive for him - he thinks it was "ballsy" to play a cover only three songs into the set) Make Love Like a Man, Bringin' On The Heartbreak, Switch 625 (Viv did Steve proud!) Too Late For Love (me and another guy in the crowd held our lighters up for the slow intro)

You're So Beautiful, Hysteria (I got a lil teary listening to this) Long Long Way To Go (after hearing it live I am really wondering why this won't be released as a single in the States) Four Letter Word (awsome song live !! should become a staple) Promises, Two Steps Behind (they played this acoustic and man were we - the crowd - LOUD!!!!) Now (this song sounds sooooo good live) Women (never liked this song till I heard it live and this time was no exception) Rocket (deuling guitars was awesome to watch and hear) Photograph (Hubby actually sang along to this one) Animal (always a classic to me)

Armageddon It (me and the hubby would have looked ridiculous pounding our fists in the air and head banging had not everyone else there been doing the same) Pour Some Sugar On Me (everyone in the place was on thier feet and "jumping") Rock of Ages (another song where the crowd drowned out Joe)

And for their Encore - When Love & Hate Collide (I would have enjoyed this more but my feet were killing me from standing in heels as well as my bladder about to explode from the water I had been drinking to keep for going horse - still did) Let's Get Rocked (by this time hobbling to the bathroom)

I haven't been to alot of shows but this was an experience I will cherish.


Fan Review - By Peter

After seeing the Leps at Bournemouth in 1999 and being absolutely blown away by them! I came to Portsmouth with a load of friends pretty much expecting the same thing, but to my surprise, we were all left slightly disappointed.

After the anticipaction of the intro music 'Disintegrate', the Leps rocked on to the stage with 'Let It Go', but the sound quality was so poor, you just couldn't hear Joe through out the whole set, the same goes with the guitar solos which was really annoying especially when Viv and Phil played an excellent dual solo on 'Rocket'. It definitely would have been much better if they played a proper concert hall, instead of this place which has always had really bad acoustics.

They did however put on a excellent stage show, with Phil always smiling and Joe getting the surprisingly young crowd clapping and rocking. overall the concert still rocked!! but I cant help but feel it should have been better.


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