Kansas City, MO - Media Review Quotes
Def Leppard delivers what its nostalgic fans crave at Sprint Center By Bill Brownlee
Although the twin guitars of Vivian Campbell and Phil Collen still roar like fighter jets, Def Leppard’s music poses as much danger as a declawed kitten. The band traded anger for exuberance on riff-heavy songs like “Armageddon It,” “Rocket” and “Photograph.”
The live footage projected on a giant video screen included high-definition close-ups of Collen’s oiled torso, images that evoked the shirtless flag bearer for Tonga who caused a sensation at the Rio Olympics earlier this month.
Vocalist Joe Elliott took an informal poll that confirmed the visual impression that more than a quarter of the audience hadn’t been born when his band formed in 1977. The sight of children singing along with the sultry 1988 hit “Love Bites” was unnerving.
By The Kansas City Star 2016.
Read the full review at - kansascity.com
By Nick Spacek
For all of the fun, though, I still just do not understand the appeal of the Adrenalize single, “Let’s Get Rocked.” The audience sang along and fist-pumped in a way that made me remember exactly how huge of a single it was back in ‘92. But at that point, at least there was the excuse that it had been five years since the band's last album. My wife seriously considered going to find somewhere to charge her phone. However, these are more personal objections than critical ones, and Def Leppard managed to pull it off capably.
“Capably” might be the best way to describe the songs in which singer Joe Elliott’s voice noticeably needed some help. “Bringin’ On the Heartbreak” brought on some very apparent changes in Elliott’s phrasing, and the swells that characterize the end of the song’s verses and chorus were rather clipped, lending the song an unfortunate thudding woodenness.
While the first song of the encore, “Rock of Ages,” saw a huge roar of approval, it was the reaction to the final song of the night, “Photograph,” that was rapturous. It was the culmination of a night that had seen every hit turned into fist-pumping sing-alongs, but Elliott could’ve done nothing more than sing the first line to “Photograph,” and the crowd would’ve easily taken it from there.
By The Pitch 2016.
Read the full review at - thepitchkc.com
DEF LEPPARD, REO SPEEDWAGON, TESLA By John Thornbrugh
The 80’s live again at the Sprint Center in Kansas City
On Friday August 26th, it was time to get out those jean jackets, feather your hair back and make Aqua Net stock rise once more. That’s right Def Leppard, REO Speedwagon and Tesla pulled into town and delivered that rock and roll music we all (well some of us) remember from our past.
The time had come for the boys from Sheffield England to take the stage and deliver decades of hits to the fans that were waiting in the wings. For a band that has been around for as long as Def Leppard has, it does not sound like they have lost a step at all. It was like putting in a cassette tape and listening to a digitally remastered copy, they were incredible."
"Tons of lights and effects coming from their gigantic screen played right into every song and added to the nostalgia of the night. Hits like “Animal”, “Foolin” and “Love Bites”, a plethora of songs that Def Leppard has made famous throughout the years rained down on the Sprint Center patrons for them to dance the night away. “Pour Some Sugar on Me” was what everyone thought might be the end of the night, but wait there was more. Def Leppard came out and treated the crowd to a two song encore of “Rock of Ages” and “Photograph”. This was definitely a show for the ages and one that brought smiles to the faces of many a people that got to go back out and relive their youth.
By Rock Revolt 2016.
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