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Wednesday, 28th August 1996
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Irvine, CA - Media Reviews

It Looks Like Twilight Tour for Metalloids Def Leppard By Mike Boehm

Heavy metal usually begs to be taken in Wagnerian terms, so let's think of Def Leppard's show on Wednesday at Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre as the twilight of the demi-semi-sorta-quasi-maybe-nah-not-really-gods.

This long-running English band never has gone for metal's most gargantuan excesses, coming off less as would-be thunder lords than as workmanlike, competent pros whose knack for a big, catchy chorus--and whose luck as one of the first bands to get constant exposure on MTV - ignited multiple-platinum sales through the '80s and early '90s.

But it's twilight time for these modest, rather anonymous heroes. A new album, "Slang," has been a commercial flop, and Def Leppard played to no more than a half-capacity house of perhaps 7,000 fans.

Def Leppard stayed true to its yeomanly nature in a set that offered no surprises and no memorable moments, but served up the familiar hits in a familiar way that suited the faithful well enough, with just a smattering of material from "Slang."

The chorus hooks are the one reason why singer Joe Elliott's closing thought - "Don't forget us, we won't forget you" - might not be altogether futile. As long as folks want big, pounding rock moments with some Wagnerian flourishes, songs such as "Photograph," "Rock of Ages," "Pour Some Sugar on Me" and "Love Bites" will probably echo now and then amid the gathering twilight that has befallen pop-metal.

By The Los Angeles Times 1996.


Live And Backstage Exclusive By Gerri Miller

After three months on the road supporting Slang, Def Leppard finally made it to the west coast in late August, returning to the Irvine Meadows Amphitheater in Laguna Hills, CA on the 28th for the first time in three years. It was still melting hot at 5:00 PM as the crew set the stage and band members Joe Elliott, Phil Collen, Rick Savage, Rick Allen and Vivian Campbell assembled to sound check with "Hit & Run," "Gift of Flesh," and "Two Steps Behind." The shaded dressing room area and hospitality tent adjacent to the stage were welcome retreats after that, and I sat down with three of the Leps one by one in the hours before the show. "We collectively have a huge guestlist because three of us live in LA. It's really distracting and stressful and I'm trying not to think about it," said first interviewee Vivian, though the amount of his own visitors would not be "as huge as when we played Belfast on the last tour. I had relatives I'd never met come to that show."

At 9:15, the house lights dimmed as Queen's "We Will Rock You" played, and moments later Def Leppard hit the stage, opening with a couple of golden oldies, "Rock, Rock Till You Drop" and "Hit & Run." "Foolin'," "Animal" (during which Joe spotted me and waved), and "Have You Ever..." led into a pair of Slang tunes, "Work it Out" and "Deliver Me," "Hysteria," then another new duo, "All I Want is Everything" and "Slang," a rousing crowd-pleaser. "Bringing on the Heartbreak" and "Switch 625" kept things rockin' till the acoustic "Two Steps Behind" changed the pace; then it all kicked back into overdrive with "Photograph," "Rocket," "Armageddon It," and "Pour Some Sugar on Me." The Leps left the crowd screaming for more, and returned to give it to 'em in the encore in the form of "Love Bites" and "Let's Get Rocked." For a grand finale, the boys came out kicking--literally--with a soccer ball to perform "Rock of Ages," ending a great show on an exhilarating note. "Don't forget us, we won't forget you," Joe told the audience as the band waved farewell.

Family, friends, and VIP visitors gathered in the dressing room area, and after about a half hour band members began to emerge. "I think it went pretty well, considering our physical state," Vivian summed up, but Sav was still not feeling up to an interview. Joe, however, was good to his word, and we sat down in a quiet corner of the dressing room. "I'd been fine since the beginning of the tour, then we hit Denver and Salt Lake City which is half a mile higher, then we came down to Phoenix where it's bone dry," he explained his vocal difficulties, lighting up his first cigarette in three days. He thought he could afford to indulge "because we have a day off tomorrow." One the whole, "I thought it was fantastic," he said of the show, and he found his throat less problematic than he'd figured. "I always love playing here. I love the natural amphitheater vibe. I thought the crowd were great, the gig was really good. I had a good time out there tonight."

By Metal Edge 1996.

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