London, England - Fan Reviews

Def Leppard Euphoric In London By Def Leppard Tour History

"We are Def Leppard and this is what we do!"

Yes, I can still remember the show 7 years on (like it were yesterday...). We missed the support act Lukan and arrived to our seats just in time as 'We Will Rock You' finished and the band kicked into gear with 'Rock Rock'. The view on the left side, one section back and halfway up was excellent. Not sure about Vivian's, Trent Reznor style see through black 'bondage' top, but the overall stage view was good. The band were using the (now sold) Def Leppard logo on stage on this tour and the familiar and still used drum riser.

Not having followed what the band were doing much since 'Action' came out in 1994 (no internet yet - but still watched the TV stuff/bought the CDs in 1995/1996), I had no idea what to expect from them at this time. Would they still be any good live? Well, they were.

The web helped me get back up to speed with the band's history and what they had been doing since (or so I thought) the Slang tour ended in Dec 1996. Not much apparently, other than a South American tour in April 1997, arrests/dodgy VH1 TV shows. Joe and Phil playing with the Cybernauts...etc.

After buying a few rock mags before the album came out and with the news they had returned to their trademark sound, I got excited about the band and seeing them live again (missed the shows here in 1996), and to see if Damon Hill might turn up onstage.

So, the show!. The band seemed to be playing a lot harder to me and the sound was tight and rocking and very LOUD! Joe didn't do much talking at all between songs and the show was very different to my only other live Lep experience in 1992 a few miles south of here. At the much larger Earls Court - In The Round. Previously I'd seen my only 80s rock arena show here in late 1989: Mötley Crüe supported by White Lion and Skid Row (complete with Lemmy on the encore & 360 degree spinning drumkit). Obviously would not be able to compare to the 1992 In The Round experience, which was totally amazing. Sadly this show production wise was pretty basic, just black amps on stage and a few lights, still used to good effect but not really what you'd hope for at a big arena show. But no great loss at all when the band are as good onstage as they are.

The opening to the show was impressive with three 'opening' type songs in a row, although they really should have opened with 'Demolition Man' as it's the album opener and perfect to open any live show. After reading about a few of the US live shows at the time I had hoped to see 'Too Late For Love' again, which I'd found out wasn't played during the Slang tour but instead got another that hadn't been played since 1993, 'Women'. Not having seen the band in 1996 it didn't feel like a song that hadn't been played in a while. A few live standards followed including my second time seeing 'Animal' live, always great to see/hear.

I remember spotting Ross Halfin in the photo pit which we had a good view of. Getting to see the stage up close was great, especially having a pretty decent view of Rick playing his drums. I'd thought at the time it was odd that he had a big Gong behind his kit. Why? we'd find out at the end of 'Paper Sun' which was introduced by Joe in one of his only speeches of the night. This song stood out as the best of the new songs played. As the song ended Rick got up and 'banged' his gong two of three times to end the song. I guess that was supposed to be the 'sun'?. Or maybe he wanted to bash the hell out of something? (therapy).

Having not seen the Slang tour I'd hoped to get to witness a few of these songs live. Maybe they'd play a few of them? But of course as with today they only played 'Slang'. It would have been nice to hear 'Work It Out' or 'Turn To Dust' which they played here in 1996 or especially the rock numbers from the album, 'Gift Of Flesh' and 'Truth?'.

'Promises' was the last of the new ones and like it did on TV in June that year, it sounded good but not great. Maybe because it was still a new song-ish song. It has since become a great live track that they play really well.

The overall atmosphere at this gig was good but not 'great'. Strange considering the overwhelming reaction at the last 3 London gigs, 2003/06. As usual once they hit the end of the set things picked up and on this tour they thankfully got the ballads out of the way before the end so it was a very rocking end to this show. 'Rocket' was played as the single version without the long middle guitar-duel, as it had been on the previous tour. Somehow that song shouldn't be played without the middle section, which is always a highlight, and cut down. Especially as the album version is over 6 minutes. With or without it this was still a great part of a great show.

Don't recall too much about the ending of the show but Joe did use the...modified lyric in 'Let's Get Rocked'. The song still being used as an encore at that point as it was on the 1992 UK Tour (them were the days). At some point in the show someone threw a football on stage which Joe tried to play 'keepy uppy' with only for the ball to roll away after a second so he kicked off to the side stage causing some amusement.

Joe's little speech before encore #2 went something like this..."OK we don't normally do this and we said we'd never play anything from our debut album again, but - this is from our debut album." before they launched into 'Wasted'. A long since played (at that time) classic. Amazing to think this song was pretty much written by Steve on the bus on the way to a rehearsal (and I've now walked by that very bus stop and up to the Spoon Factory entrance and inside). The riff is still one of, if not the best of any Lep song. I knew this was pretty rare to hear live but didn't realise just how rare at the time. Only Sheffield got to hear this apart from us on that tour and it's only been played maybe 15 or so times since 1987. So to have heard it twice (again in 2003) feels pretty good. Now if only they'd play one of the 'forgotten 5' or 4: Gods Of War - DSS, Run Riot, Excitable or Love And Affection.

'Let It Go' was then played to round off the encores. Another song that had not been played here since the Hysteria tour. A nice way to end the show with these two early classics. Heavier, rocking songs definitely work a lot better as encores than ballads.

In 1999 this show was proof that Def Leppard were still one of the greatest live rock bands in the world and more than able to continue on into the 21st Century (Sha La La La...). A great rocking rocking setlist that contained only 3 ballads, the three best as well. All in all a great evening.

By DefDazz/Darren Gibson 1999.

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