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[ X UK/Irish Tour 2003 ]
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THUR Feb 27th 2003: BriXton Carling Academy, London, ENGLAND. 
[2 Pics by Dini/1 Pic by Avpolis (Gallery).]
[SETLIST]
Disintegrate Intro,
Let it Go,
Action,
Make Love Like a Man,
Bringin' On The Heartbreak,
Switch 625,
Foolin',
You're So Beautiful,
Hysteria,
Long Long Way To Go,
Slang,
Four Letter Word,
Promises,
Two Steps Behind (acoustic),
Now,
Women,
Rocket (extended),
Armageddon It,
Photograph,
Animal,
Pour Some Sugar On Me,
Rock of Ages, Encore 1 :: When Love & Hate Collide, Let's Get Rocked,
Encore 2 :: Wasted.
External Links :: [ Venue Pic 1
2 ::
2 Media Pics ]
[Show Notes] :: Cap: 4-5,000. Supported by Ricky Warwick & The Darkness. Absolutely f**king amazing gig! 24 songs makes this the longest yet of the X Tour. It seems some NUT threw a beer (in plastic cup) at Sav during one song.
It didn't look like that from where we were so surprised to hear about it. He seemed cheerful enough onstage.
Parts of this show feature in a 7min segment at the start of the BBC 1 series "Swapping Notes": an edition called "Can Russell Watson Cut It?" broadcast on July 23rd 2003 at 11:15PM. Showing clips of 'Let it Go' & 'BOTH' + Joe talking.
Fan Review :: by DLUK
Generation X :: Well let me think this through…what can you say about last nights gig...
Due to train delays - we got to BriXton Academy just as Ricky Warwick was well into his set. Bit sad to miss 90% of it but I did see him close up in Sheffield. Caught the last half of "Ending is Better" just in time to see his rock
and roll acoustic guitar riffing at the end. He got a great response so I’m sure this was just as good as all his other sets with Leppard. [apparently Vivian joined Ricky for one song on guitar/3 Sides]
The Darkness well I must admit I do actually quite like them even though I didn’t write much on them in Sheffield. Other than a few choruses where Justin goes way too high and screechy they are a solid rock band.
The fact that their new single - politely introduced by him as "Get Your Hands Off My Woman…Motherf**ker" (quite). Not sure about his tiger skin leotard type suit tonight. Once again he spoke quite a bit to the crowd
saying how the Leppard band and crew had "bent over backwards for them" only "not in the adult type way…". Also how sad they were for the tour to be ending. He did the crowd walkabout again on the roadies shoulders.
A nice set and they got a great reaction. I think they work better in smaller venues.
OK Def Leppard. You only need to know the name really to know it was good but how good?…Let’s just say that these gigs were just mere warm-up shows Dublin (x2), Belfast, Newport, Portsmouth, Wolverhampton, Sheffield
(well maybe not that one:), Newcastle, Manchester, Glasgow (who?), Ipswich….warm-ups to the main event.
Following 'Coma' & bang on 9pm "We Will Rock You" started and we were transported to a Queen gig as everyone did the double hand clap in time to the music and you knew this was going to be LOUD. Swiftly followed as usual by the
"Disintegrate" intro on the PA plus strobe lights. I had a prime position in line with Joe’s mikestand and a few rows behind us the mixing desk. With the sloping floor you get a decent view anywhere if you are reasonably tall. The front stage
section has a classical style big white archway with the main stage inside. The Roof being black it looks as if you are outside when the spotlights are on. The seating upstairs overlaps the floor by 15 feet or so. The stage set up was exactly the same
as Sheffield and pretty much the same size just no room around it - a very tight fit. Being dead center and only 20 feet or so back you get the coolest view of the lightshow.
Barring the lasers it was as good as 1992. Well actually tonight there wasn’t a gig played anywhere that was better than this…
"Let it Go" opened and this again sounded great. I’m sure it will stay here for many years to come as Rock Rock did (not played tonight). After a great crowd reaction the band ripped into "Action" and the singing started. This was easily
10 times louder than Sheffield - maybe more. Party time. Another HUGE ovation at the end and "Make Love Like a Man" kicks in and Brixton is jumping, stomping, shouting and singing as one. You could see the grins on the guys faces as they heard the crowd.
Glasgow’s crown was slipping of their heads slowly…
"Bringing On The Heartbreak" - finally get to hear this song live (full electric - not the disjointed 1992 version) and what a pleasure it was. A word to Phay McMahon and Bandit Lites "this lightshow is amazing, thankyou". It really added to the music with nice
shades of colour and swirling lights to accent the song.
 Near the end Joseph goes off stage right and Sav jumps up on Rick’s drum riser and they got ready to launch into "Switch 625" and the crowd
all clapping as one as they did this. [see pic on right by Dini] Very very cool to hear and see this. Vivian and Phil playing like demons and the bass men Sav & Rick pounding out the rhythm which pounded through our chests.
It was plenty loud & plenty good and hard not to start grinning like a schoolboy (that was later as I walked home).
Another fantastic reaction by the crowd and Joe rejoins the band for...1983...Pyromania album...FFF..."Foolin’" - I was secretly hoping for TLFL but when a song is this good who cares?. The crowd singing and reaction really got LOUD during this song.
I was already drenched in sweat - in my white UK X shirt (very fashionable I might add).
"You’re So Beautiful" preceded by Joe’s new album speech "relatively new album…X" No mention of the title debate tonight. Once again this song sounded great. These new songs fit in so well amongst the classics. Let's hope they remain in the set next tour.
Vocals again very good - Sav very audible and very in tune.
"Hysteria" followed with the great light show continuing. It looks amazing from out front and close up. The reason people label this venue as a dump sometimes must be that mostly tired old rock bands or up and coming acts play here with shite lighting and crappy sound systems.
Take it for me this venue is fantastic and this is the best light show and band to ever grace it. "Long Long Way To Go" next, fantastic. I don’t think a Leppard ballad in recent years has translated so well to the live show. Spine tingling. During one of the verses Phil guitar cut out briefly
but a quick walk over to Stan Schiller (his guitar tech) and he was back into things without anything sounding off key; nicely done. Just when you think the mood might be going down...
Joe "OK that was LLWTG and this…is….."SLANG!" and I do believe the floor was moving…no the crowd - up and down, arms up and singing/dancing. The song sounded great - it seems to have got new life on this tour. I think the reaction it got in Sheffield has made the band stick with it since.
At this point I’m looking around thinking "f**k this is cool" and smiling. The nuttiness continued with a new…"Four Letter Word" once again pure class. I think what it is that these guys just aren’t capable of playing a bad gig. Face it next to them other bands are just shite…(do I sound enthusiastic yet?)
 A swift "Promises" followed - amazing reaction again. But then the fun really started as Joe came out front with his acoustic guitar.
[see pic on left by Dini]
He tried to start a speech but we stopped him. Starting from the front, mass applause which then went back over the venue and up to the seats above us and they turned the lights up. Joe looked very happy and said "Yeah that’s OK we like it when you take over". Joe was talking about various
things again and playing in London he then set us a challenge - it’s the last night so could we be louder then everyone else. "Two Steps Behind"
follows after the guys re-emerge: Phil last with his tech Stan Schiller bringing out his stool for him.
Well people of Manchester and Glasgow I do believe Joe said this after wards "Yeah! very good - the loudest yet and this is the last night so that’s it you win" Did we get a prize for this? Yes 45 more mins of the best gig played so far in this millennium. "Now" (again awesome lighting)
follows and sounds very heavy and very good. (objective reviewing...?)
If the night had ended here it would have already been a triumph but they still haven’t played the big hits A great and funny speech by Joe now all about someone who was born in this very city and had been to his very first rock concert at this very venue some 30 odd years ago (Deep Purple)
and had touched Ritchie Blackmore’s hand and been inspired to play guitar that night - Mr. Phillip Collen...
Joe: "and aren’t we all grateful that he did…" to much applause. The spotlight falls on him and the song that starts the best album made begins: "Women" and I have to say again it’s never sounded so good.
Around this time a fan at the front threw on a Scottish flag (Jonathon who's reviews & pics are on the site) which got some boos and then someone else threw on a Sheffield United Football scarf - that got some ironic boos to which Joe replied "F**k off" to much laughter and then
"It's cruel to laugh at the afflicted". [see pic on right by Jane]
 "Rocket (extended)" (complete with crowd "oohhhh ohhhh oh ohhhh’s"), short Viv intro "Armageddon It" all came and went and went down very well indeed.
Next up "Photograph" which was amazing as ever - a sea of hands and a mass of noise. Oh and I do believe stage right there was a little Welshman in a white cap (Stumpus Maximus) and Mr Q Prime Peter Mensch (or a very good look-a-like).
I noticed he went up behind Rick’s kit to watch. You could see their grins - I think they realised this was a great gig and they had to get a closer look. Noticed others side stage taking pics...On stage left earlier I noticed Malvin telling some guy to stop taking pics
and he looked a bit pissed off before leaving:).
"Animal" you just can’t hear this song enough live - number 5 tonight for me. Then came another Joe intro and of course it was Rick Allen’s turn. But not before some banter by Joe. He talked about being in various cities and that this was the
"Regional Accent piss-take tour" then mentioned that’s this was of course London and someone was here watching them who likes to take the piss out of his Northern accent. Steve Harris (Iron Maiden bassist) was here but Joe wasn’t going to point him
out cause that would be "rude" so instead he said hello to him in a mock Cockney accent "Alright mate?".
Continued on page 2.
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