Dallas, TX - Fan Reviews

Fan Review - By BelaDiana

Smirnoff Music Centre in Dallas is a great venue, for me, anyway. It was sold out and it was really cool to see the sea of people who came to see a magnificent show. We did the ILAA thing, so unfortunately we did not get to see Stoll Vaughan. Through ILAA we were able to have front row seats right in front of Sav. The temperature was at times almost unbearable, so to see that many people attending was really a big tribute to two great bands.

JSS is a great, highly energetic front man for Journey, IMO. The setlist for Def Leppard was no surprise. The stage setup is new, fun (as in watching a tennis match fun!), and suits DL. They do like to run around on that stage! The lighting is perfect, but it’s hard to take good pictures in a boatload of fog!

The big screen is usually the last thing I look at, but this tour, it’s actually a bonus. The old pictures and videos, especially the ones with Steve, are so poignant. If there is a downfall to being that close, it’s the camera people and video people behind the barrier blocking your view. But seeing pictures taken by Ross and video on the big screen of the crowd are well worth it. Def Leppard puts on an amazing show and they showed great energy and interaction with us fans. It’s still amazing how quickly it’s all over. This fan hasn’t been disappointed by any shows in the past and this one was no different. Thanks guys! Hope to see you soon!.

Fan Review - By Billy

It's been a long time since I've seen the Lep. I think the last time was in Florida on the Adrenalize tour. My reasons for going were many. I thought the band might not be around much longer, I’d never seen Journey before (who opened the show), my son’s 14th b-day was near and I thought I might show him a real rock band from back in the day and finally, put to rest any party urges since the big four-o is right around the corner.

Let me say, Def Lep is my favorite all time band hands down. I have all their officially released albums and some not-so-official. I remember when I was a Junior in high school and Photograph hit the radio. I was at the beach at the Don Cesar on St Pete Beach with my best buds and we ran down to the record store and bought all 3 albums immediately… vinyl. Who was this new band and where did they come from… what incredible shit this was!?!

Since that day, they’ve been with me aurally through every good time and challenge. They psyched me up before my baseball games, they psyched me up for my wedding. They were there at every love and heartbreak I’ve ever known, always with a new tune that said what I felt and always at the right time.

That said, I was expecting a bit of sad disappointment in seeing them. Waiting in line outside, people were old and fat, bald and a little too has been. What was I doing here? My oh-so-cool son was with me and I was quite embarrassed that I wasn’t showing him something cool enough. I made a concert warm-up cd for him and he actually listened, trying to get to know the songs, but now I felt silly making such a big deal out of his first real rock show.

Journey opened and I thought they were incredible. My son, however, sat down the whole time and thought they were lame. I didn’t want him to be disappointed, but the night was turning out to be a bust. I thought… if he didn’t like Neil Schon’s guitar mastery, he would never “get” the Lep’s magic. It was his first concert after all.

We went to get a coke before Joe and the boys took the stage and I freaked! People were treating this like a freakin' state fair, buying cotton candy, and CRAP! We made our way back to the lawn seats and I felt it necessary to explain the whole concept of concerts… old school. No cotton candy, no little high school girls playing tag. Back in the DAY, the girls dressed to kill and it was a party, not an afternoon at an amusement park. Didn’t they know they were about to hear the best fargin’ band in the world? Then the lights dimmed DO YOU WANNA GET ROCKED?

Everything changed! The women were hotter, the crowd younger and the goosebumps came. I won't go through the set list, but I can't believe Joe tried to pull off Let It Go. And he did. His tired voice found life again. I don't know if they rested the few days before the show, but the band was dead on perfect! I've seen them 6 times now and the harmonies were tighter than ever before. And the guitar solos AMAZING. It's the first time I saw Vivian take off like that (since Dio). The little thing in the middle of Rocket was mesmerizing. I hate that song actually. It's the only song I've never played in my jeep by these guys, but this time it kicked ass. Maybe it was the montage and history in the video, but it is now part of the jeep playlist for sure. The best part was actually seeing my son raise his fist and get into the music the way 14 year olds are supposed to. If I could send a message to the Leppard boys, it would be for my son and I. We won't forget you - ever!.

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