Philadelphia, PA - Media Reviews

Def Leppard @ The Spectrum By Philadelphia Inquirer

An audience of exuberant teenagers rushed the stage from all sides as British rockers Def Leppard performed the first of two in-the-round concerts at the Spectrum last night.

Unlike many arena-metal bands, Def Leppard's high-spirited act, which will be repeated this evening, is pleasantly free of references to drugs and alcohol.

And the quintet's ability to perform songs about sex without wallowing in the sexism that plagues hard rock brought a larger percentage of female fans to last night's show than usually attend such events.

Hysteria, the nation's No. 2 album last week, has brought the band massive crossover success by adding seductive sound effects to their previously proven formula of fluid, high-pitched guitar lines countered by Rick Savage's addictively bouncy bass riffs.

It was the lively rendition of new gimmicks that most enthralled last night's sold-out crowd.

Phil Collen's sitar-like guitar introduction to 'Women' was perfectly matched by singer Joe Elliott's wordless wail.

And 'Hysteria's' three-part falsetto harmonies were crisp, clear and oddly reminiscent of Supertramp.

The recent hit, 'Pour Some Sugar On Me' which owes its rhythmic backbone to Queen's mid-1970s stompers, also garnered hearty applause.

With creative staging providing good sight lines for all concert goers and an extravagant laser-light show that easily outdid George Michael's ballyhooed recent production, Def Leppard's one-ring metal circus offered a well-spent teenage entertainment dollar without offering sentiment any more offensive than 'long live rock and roll'.

Opening the show was Queensryche, a crassly hit-minded heap od scrap metal.

By Philadelphia Inquirer 1988.

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