Calgary, AB - Media Reviews

Def Leppard delivers hit after hit at the Saddledome By Gerry Krochak

For many of the same reasons that several thousand 40-something females gathered at the Scotiabank Saddledome for the Backstreet Boys last week, several thousand 50-something males gathered at the very same venue for the one, the only, Def Leppard, last night.

It’s always good to go back . . . if only for a night. The key differences, if you want to get technical when it comes to big, dumb fun, is that a lot of females also listened to Def Leppard back in the day, and, well . . . ‘80s hard rock trumps ‘90s pop every time.

There is also the fact that Def Leppard was, and is, an excellent hard rock bank. After well over 100 million records sold, the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame-ers are no one’s guilty pleasure.

On a clean, well-lit stage complete with a 30-foot catwalk and massive video screen, lead singer Joe Elliott led his troops through back-to-back monsters in the form of Rocket and Animal from the 1987 classic, Hysteria.

One day shy of his 60th birthday, some would say that Elliott doesn’t hit the highs like he used to, but he is a more than formidable vocalist who is still capable of giving hit after hit exactly what each need. The near-capacity crowd at the old barn roared its approval as the frontman smiled broadly and addressed the adoring masses: “Good evening, Calgary- eeeeee . . . are you ready for this?” he bellowed before hammering them with a note-perfect rendition of Foolin’ from the ’83 breakthrough album (yes, of course, on vinyl), Pyromania

Guitarists Vivian Campbell and ultra-buff Phil Collen swapped blistering leads with confidence and aplomb through Excitable and When Love And Hate Collide, before pulling out more heavy artillery with the one-two-three punch of Let’s Get Rocked, Armageddon It and a cover of the David Essex classic, Rock On.

Take that! You, you . . . Backstreet Boys!

The natural ebb and flow of the evening would pull fans down for a couple of mid-tempo numbers, and then smoke ‘em right back up with a few heavy hitters in rapid-fire succession.

Two Steps Behind and Man Enough made way for Love Bites, Bringin’ On The Heartbreak and the guitar histrionics of Switch 626

Hardcore fans would have appreciated more from Pyromania as well as High ‘N Dry, but what’s a band to do when they have more hits than there are hours in a night to play them all?

Any perceived shortcomings were quickly quashed with a finale which included the title cut from Hysteria, Pour Some Sugar On Me and the expected encore of Rock Of Ages and Photograph.

Wow! Just wow.

When you go this far back in time, you have got to have the authentic, ultimate opening band.

Sacramento’s Tesla were better than most hard rock acts in the ‘80s, but despite a string of Platinum albums during the decade of excess, the quintet never quite reached the success level of many of their contemporaries.

Tesla have opened many tours for Def Leppard and, thankfully, this has been one more,

Jeff Keith is every bit the singer now that he was in 1986, and his group’s one-hour Wednesday evening set, was proof-perfect that its songs have stood the test of time.

Guitarists Frank Hannon and Dave Rude provided the twin axe attack as Keith wailed through the customary opener, Cumin’ Atcha Live, to get the proceedings off to a roaring start.

Quickly seguing into the excellent Modern Day Cowboy as well as Heaven’s Trail (No Way Out), Keith flexed his vocal muscle like it was the late ‘80s. Although early in the evening, notice had been served that the Leps would need to be at the top of their game to withstand the force of this opener on this night.

“Right outta the gate, Calgary,” Keith teased. “Right outta the gate!”

Hannon and Rude peeled off one blazing riff after another as the group tore through Changes and Getting’ Better, the crowd continuing to pour in from the Saddledome concourse.

Finishing strong with Love Song, Little Suzi and the hit cover of the Five Man Electrical Band nugget, Signs, the challenge had been issued.

A formidable foe to be sure, but If the sentiment was to, “Top that!” Def Leppard was up to it.

Aging rockers who still rock harder than most, were the beneficiaries.

By The Calgary Herald 2019.

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