The show shifted into high gear with caustic valentine “Love Bites” and the aggressive “Armageddon It,” whereon Elliott and Collen paraded down a catwalk extending into the middle of the arena floor. Savage likewise sauntered the runway for a brief bass solo that segued into the group’s dead-on cover of 1973 David Essex hit “Rock On!” Elliott then gave his peers a moment’s respite with a solo version of Retro Active goody “Two Steps Behind,” accompanying himself on acoustic guitar as the crowd sang along.

“All of you are members of Def Leppard for the next four minutes!” he announced beforehand.

A massive video backdrop bore still images and movie clips that complemented the music. One such motif converted the stage into a virtual red light district. Images of war and ecological disaster flickered on surprise Euphoria offering “Paper Sun,” while song lyrics appeared (in fancy script) on “Love Bites.”

Poised beneath the gigantic screen at his Remo kit, Allen pounded away with a gloved left hand clenching a lone stick, his bare feet throttling custom pedals for kick-bass and snare. This Renaissance man is drumming better than ever—but what most impressed us about Allen (as shown on the video feed) was his constant smile: This dude loves his job.

Where most musicians in Allen’s station might rest on their laurels and phone in every other performance, he relishes his work. It’s as if the drummer takes nothing for granted—and now regards the loss of his limb as but a minor (if challenging) inconvenience in a lifetime sprinkled with good fortunes (and topped with a rock and roll cherry).

Allen’s shirt and headphones weren’t the only accoutrements adorned by Britain’s Union Jack: Elliott’s microphone stand had a flag draping from it, and Collen’s guitars had straps with pennants that whooshed about his boots as he prowled. Sav’s bass had a Jack motif, too—albeit in black, white, and charcoal grey instead of red, white, and blue.

By Cleveland Music Examiner 2015.

By Guy D'Astolfo

Def Leppard’s roughly 90-minute set had some other highlights:

Rick Savage’s thumping bass solo that led into a cover of David Essex’s “Rock On.” By the time it ended, it was all exuberant power chords, and no trace of the original’s psychedelics.

Elliott, wielding an acoustic guitar, singing “Two Steps Behind” in solo mode on the catwalk that jutted into the crowd.

I was waiting for the final encore, which of course was “Photograph,” so I could cross it off my bucket list. That tune has long been on my Top 10 list of Songs I Crank Up When They Come on the Radio, but it was underwhelming. The riffs were collapsing on themselves, at least where I was sitting.

The best rock’n’roll moment — brief as it was — might have flashed by during the bridge of “Pour Some Sugar on Me.” You know, the part where Elliott trades lines with the band: “You got the peaches …”

That was a little bit of magic.

By The Vindicator 2015.

By Andy Gray

The 90-minute set was heavy on hits, and Def Leppard - Joe Elliott, lead vocals; Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell, guitars; Rick Savage, bass; and Rick Allen, drums - still does an impressive job recreating the epic-sized Mutt Lange-produced songs live.

Elliott took a few vocal shortcuts - most noticeably on "Foolin'," where that soaring "Is anybody out there?" line was dropped an octave - but his voice was strong, whether it was wailing over the guitars on "Love Bites" or more subtle phrasing on the acoustic "Two Steps Behind."

Collen, buff and shirtless with a Union Jack dragging from the back of his guitar, and Campbell, who looked surprisingly healthy for someone undergoing treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma, traded guitar solos throughout the evening.

Savage took a bass solo to lead into "Rock On." And Allen, who lost an arm in auto accident in 1984, was showcased on "Switch 625." The massive video screen at the back of the stage allowed the crowd to see how he uses a set of foot pedals to help work his kit.

By Tribtoday 2015.

Read the full review at - tribtoday.com

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