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Def Leppard UK Review - [ Add Yours ]

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Def Leppard In England - Part Two London - Continued ::

The 'triple play' next (shame they didn't play each song in full) and this time "Animal" didn't seem to suffer from the lack of a pause before it. It sounded awesome (when does it not?) and once more a pleasure to hear my first Lep tune played live. 9th time for me tonight and 19 years on from having first heard it (has it been that long?). Hopefully to be heard again next year for a certain album's 20th anniversary and a playing of the full album. Sheffield seems like the appropriate place!.

Can't recall exactly when it was but Joe gave a speech. Saying that "We are a British band, have always been a British band and will always be a British band." And that the last two London gigs have been better than any reaction they get in the USA. And the British (well, England at least) response at these gigs has been amazing for them. Having been to these shows I have to agree!.

OK so you know what follows AN-I-MAL right? No? well get the hell off this site then!...Yes Richard Allen "Thundergod" gets his introduction. It wasn't as loud or as long as it was in Sheffield but it was just as cool a moment. Once again I think he got the point that the fans still appreciate the job he does on the drums and the example he sets. And with that done they "rocked this place down to the ground". "Rock Of Ages" seems to have been given new life since last year.

Normally you'd say "Only 3 from Pyromania! WTF?!" but really nothing was missed. You have to commend the choice to drop 'Foolin'' and 'Two Steps Behind' - let's face it Foolin' has been in the set since February 1983 at every full electric gig played. It's been due a break. TSB? well again the only acoustic song played since mid 1993. If this were a longer show then it would be time to play another song, S.M.C followed by BOTH would be my choice. With shots of Mr. Clark on screen as a tribute. Also no place for an EPIC like GOW but again nothing was missed. If this were a tour for a NEW studio album then you'd hope for at least 4 of them and that's what we got along with some of their best 'hits'. You can't ask for more than that really...well maybe the band backing Alanis on “You Oughta Know” as an encore?! (...just me then?...).

So the band lapped up the applause once more and we wait for an encore.

From our side you couldn't see "Dick's" keyboards being set up so we weren't sure if he'd make another appearance (that's him on any shots you see from the Sheffield Legends ceremony BTW). But sure enough when the band came back Joe went into his Cybernauts speech and Dick Decent was introduced by Joe and I think most of the crowd were expecting a big name guest based on Joe's build up (Mr. Brian May please!) but then seemed a bit shocked. Joe had also introduced him by mentioning the Mick Ronson Memorial gig that took place right here in April 1994.

When he came out he had a few technical hitches on his keyboard and Joe said "Are you ready? you're not ready. It helps when guests come out and they don't know what they're doing! I have to become a comedian." Or something like that.

"Do you wanna hear a joke?". Then Viv made a bit of an idiot of himself by saying "Joe I've got a joke for you. Sheffield United back in the Premiership.". Even the crowd thought it was a lame attempt, hehe. I think Viv forgot who he was talking to. An almost sackable offence you'd think and lucky for him he didn't say that in Sheffield! Joe retorted instantly with "I've got a joke for you, name some teams from Belfast!". He seemed a bit annoyed actually, well done Vivian!. Then Joe got in his joke "How do you turn a duck into a soul singer? (after some guy at the front shouted the punchline out..) Shut up! Pull on it's feathers and it's Bill Withers." Yes, crap but it was quite amusing at the time. Visited their stadium again over the weekend, well the building nearby and the Sheldon Hotel Pub where they used to have band meetings - 'Historia'.

"When Love & Hate Collide" - once more appreciated by a pretty person and everyone else. Dick Decent's keyboard string parts were far more effective I thought tonight and his vocals blended in better. Maybe it helped being a bit further back. I can't remember this song sounding so good live as it did at both of these shows. I know it's their biggest hit here but it did sound a bit tired in 2003.

"Pour Some Sugar On Me" - Maybe it's best to have this song last as if to prove they indeed have more than this song in their catalogue. Needless to say it kicked arse again and the show ended on a high. The song never fails to get a crowd going (myself included) at any show. I'd still prefer lasers but like I said before the lighting they did have was used well and no one really gave a 'sheet' about that. Another GREAT show and a really great way for (at least some) of their biggest English fans to enjoy the band live, at long last. They won't find a more appreciative bunch of fans anywhere this year - unless they nip Down Under maybe or head back to Japan. And by the tours end hopefully it will include our friends in Canada and "us" again!.

Two great shows, Sheffield being the better one but London was almost as good as the two shows here in 2003. Joe's comments about the UK were welcomed but hopefully these will be backed up by a full UK tour next year and the record companies/promo people get a clue and start to promote the band 'properly'. Cause there won't have been a better act playing these two venues this year by the time it ends.

No promo people here at all but there are lots of fans and lots of fans came from all over the UK/Ireland and Europe & from the USA.

Many thanks to Joe, Viv, Rick, Phil and Simon for the chat. Rick Nielsen for the 3 guitar picks (thrown from the stage) and last but by no means least my fellow Lep/Man-Raze fan.

As Joe likes to say: There will be a next time (next year would be good).
© Darren Gibson/Def Leppard UK 2008.

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