Liverpool, England - Media Review Quotes

Whitesnake, Def Leppard and Thunder, Summer Pops, Liverpool By Barry Turnbull

DEF Leppard and Whitesnake stepped out of a musical timewarp to rock 'n' roll back the years.

The two thoroughbred icons of 1980s stadium bombast provided an unashamed gallop down Memory Lane at a bouncing Echo Arena Liverpool last night. And indeed the memories did come flooding back; a flurry of dry ice, razor-like guitar riffing, fist- clenching, pompous posturing - and just like way back then, it was a big barrel of fun. The former monsters of rock would perhaps struggle to fill the bigger venues by themselves these days, but together they fuse into a potent retro double-act which has gone down a storm across the country.

Liverpool has never really been metal territory but on this occasion the arena almost rocked itself off its foundations and into the Mersey. I actually remember the release of Def Leppard's first EP in 1979 which was bought by a friend of mine who enthused about 'the next big thing'. He was right. However, I was only able to tell him this last week when an email landed from him 27 years after we last had contact.

The band were raw and even cutting-edge at a time when punk was imploding, but metamorphosised into a stadium band of high-quality harmonics amid heavy riffing. I saw them a number of times at their peak and have to say they still don't miss a beat.

Vocals from Joe Elliott and back- up harmonies were still belted out like years ago, as the sons of Sheffield blasted through a series of anthemic classics like Photograph, Pour Some Sugar On Me and Hysteria. The only problem being near the front of the stage was the noise and distortion slaughtered the trademark harmonics . There were a couple of outings from the latest album, Songs From The Sparkle Lounge, but the material fails to fire. unlike the tracks that triggered the sale of 65m units. A rousing performance with only difference being frontman Elliott's appearance being a little porkier than what I remember but aren't we all of a certain age?

By Liverpool Daily Post 2008.

By Luke Traynor

IT was the loudest music to come out of Liverpool's new arena so far and provided 200 minutes of the most strident hard rock to hit the city for years.

On to Def Leppard and nice guy frontman Joe Elliott immediately launched into an explosive Rocket and steadily cranked up the hysteria by ploughing through a majestic Animal, a wonderfully arrogant Make Love Like A Man and the beautiful When Love And Hate Collide. Like Whitesnake's guitarists, Leppard's own virtuoso axeman Phill Collen was quickly bare chested and joined Elliot at the front of the stage's extended walkway for lovely acoustic versions of Two Steps Behind and Bringing On The Heartache.

The Pyromania boys just have too many great songs and it's tribute to their sustained brilliance that Hysteria, Pure Some Sugar On Me, Rock Of Ages and a titanic Armageddon It were the tracks of the night. Leppard were clearly loving the crowd's reaction and Elliott ended by informing us: "It's been a real pleasure doing this tour and seeing people who want to hear this kind of music." No, Joe, the pleasure was all ours.

By Liverpool Echo 2008.

Read the full review at - liverpoolecho.co.uk

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