Holmdel, NJ, USA - Fan Reviews

Fan Review - By Catherine Cleland

Rain seems to be the name of the game this year as it poured all day clearing up only just before the show! I did the ILAA 5* package again for this show and it didn't disappoint. The food, however ... just drink more beer! They were able to pull Rick Allen away for us at the pre-party and what a great guy. So gracious. Surely those stories about him being such a pisser are make believe! :-) Regardless, sweet of him to visit with us after doing his Raven Drum auction. That's my next VIP experience, but it will have to wait until 2008 if Joe is right!

Oh, the show, wait, yes, there was a show. Two words to Journey ... KEEP SOTO!!! I saw this show at Jones Beach and at Mohegan in June and each time I either took lots of bathroom breaks (have to make sure I can make it through DL!) or sat down. Soto, however, is so much more audience friendly. He is younger with more spunk and works it instead of just standing there singing with a few hand thrusts every so often! Soto was great. I rocked out the entire time with him (of course, free beer helps), he is definitely an asset to the band. His youth and energy are invigorating so keep it up, Jeff. It does seem like Journey is on longer than Lep, but maybe it's because I'm much busier during Lep so it moves faster. Some of their stuff is shorter, too, but maybe one day this double bill fad will fade and we will get a real tour back!

Leppard was more animated as well, I felt. I was front row between Joe and Phil and Joe seemed to be on his game! I think management (or someone) has given them a few "suggestions" perhaps between the video kiss thing and the way Joe was interacting with the females ... seems someone has thrown down the gauntlet and is going full steam ahead here with the sexy even though we're 40s angle! Hey, it's working so why not? Joe did kneel in front of me (the stage was hip level) for a verse of 20th Century Boy and wrap a black feather boa a fan had given him around the neck of the girl next to me. She swooned, of course, and he stayed and played with her for a few lines before spiriting away. No kiss, but she was fine with the attention she got! Sound was great, though one time his vocals did vanish for a few lyrics. Some have complained about the bass, but I didn't think it was too much. My ears are still ringing much louder than the other shows so that must be a sign of better sound, no? Or maybe it is the bass and I was too busy looking through the lens to notice!

Sav looked much better in all black (could those pants get much lower?) and Rick was all smiles of course. He recognized me at one point and winked and help up his stick, a class act! Joe seemed a tad more talkative, maybe they weren't quite as strict about the curfew or something. And can I say that crew doesn't mess around. There isn't much to change, but still, they work promptly. Joe rattled on a bit about the rain and Journey and had us do the YEAH! yells, of course. He intro'd Viv as "the man who put the fast in Belfast," which I thought to be charmingly corny! He did rip those leather pants he's been wearing the tar out of, just in the knee (sorry to disappoint), so not sure if his wardrobe will change now, but it was the standard issue. He said we were a very giving audience as he was getting trinkets (including a black leather and silver skull bracelet from me) and there were several signs made up.

The delight of the night was the addition of Women to the set. Unfortunately, I was so busy taking photos I missed most of the show, but the minute I heard that guitar I brought down the camera and said, this isn't what I thought was going to be here! Thanks for changing things up guys. Maybe you heard my set list gripes (Promises I did not want to hear)! I do wish Hellraiser would reappear (hint) and they might do one more from YEAH! since it's the album that got me back into the band, but no such luck!!! They had the women comic book art on the big screens during the song, which was cool, a little Hysteria flashback! The rest of the set was the standard issue, Sav's solo for Rock On backed by 20th Century Boy is always nice! I never liked the song Rock On and it still doesn't do much for me (though the ending they wrote rocks), but live it's a good, get the crowd pumping type of song! For me, the extended Rocket is always a treat, seeing Viv and Phil duel it out on the risers!

Speaking of crowds, this wasn't sold out as I saw several empty seats on my many restroom trips, and the crowd didn't seem that loud. Maybe it was just me. We rocked down in front, but when Joe asked the back to yell for us I didn't hear much! It had been raining so the lawn people had a good excuse, but the ones under the pavilion ... hmmmm!

Oh, forgot to mention. Stoll Vaughan. What a great guy. Hadn't seen him in the other two concerts, but he seems genuine and I actually kind of liked his style! I will make an effort to hear more from him as I thought he was a nice opening act! Jonathan Cain can play a mean harmonica. See you Tuesday, guys! Bring it on ... for 80 more minutes anyway :-(

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Fan Review - By Joe

This is the first time I walked away from a def leppard show unhappy. This was the fourth show this year in New Jersey and it was pretty much the same as the last three. Yes, They did change the first few song in the set. But this set was last years set. They opened with Lets Get Rocked??? There is NO energy in the song at all. Then they close the set the same way they closed the last three shows in NJ. Love Bites & Sugar. C'mon.... You would think they would know we have seen this already. Give us something different. Joe even acknowledged this was the second time in the Art Center this tour. Well Joe, Im getting alittle bored with the greatest hits set. As for Journey, They were awesome!!!! They blow the lepps out of NJ tonite. If this show is like all the rest, Journey should be closing the show. Not Def Leppard.

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Fan Review - By Pamela

I attended this show with my husband. We had 7th row seats on the aisle. But once you get used to front row, 7th seems so far away. The venue was packed. The stage at Holmdel is low compared to alot of venues.

I saw a girl I stood next to at the Atlantic City show in October. She is a huge Journey fan. About three songs into Leps performance, she walked up to me and said, "Here, go enjoy Joe from the front row" and gave me her ticket. I turned to the hubby, who said "Go, have fun!"

So there I was front row, dead center again. As soon as Joe saw my sign (same one I've brought to every show since 2003), he smiled and waved. It was nice to hear 'Women' and 'Foolin'' again.

A girl had thrown a black feather Boa on stage and Joe put it around his neck. It had a piece of paper hanging from it. I still wonder what was on there, because Joe dropped to his knees (which is when he ripped his leather pants, see photo) and put it around another girls neck. So whatever was written on there, that other girl ended up with.

My favorite song is 'Hysteria'. I'm always mesmerized when they play it in concert. Even more mesmerized, when Joe stood on top of the speaker, reached down, grabbed my hand and sang a verse to me. I love when that happens.

Someone threw a pair of panties on stage and Joe was grossin' out. It was pretty funny. He refused to pick them up or touch them. After the encore, since the stage was so low, I laid my sign on the speaker in front of me and when Joe saw it, I handed him a marker and he signed it for me. A guy next to me borrowed the marker afterwards and Phil signed his girlfriends cast. I can't wait until Friday. It will be my fourth time seeing them at the Borgata.

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