Los Angeles, CA - Media Reviews

By Erik Pedersen

Pop metal band Def Leppard played a loud, hit-soaked show that reminded of what a towering live act they were when Reagan was president and rock was king.

Credit them or blame them, but Def Leppard pretty much invented pop metal. The band's indelible choruses, soaring harmonies and choppy guitar riffs became the blueprint for that '80s-grounded genre before scores of lesser acts beat it into the ground.

Fast-forward to 2002. After being an endangered species on the L.A.-area concert stage for nearly a decade, the megaplatinum British quintet played a loud, hit-soaked show that reminded of what a towering live act they were when Reagan was president and rock was king. Playing on a no-frills stage whose only dressing was burning incense on the drum kit, Def Leppard set the wayback machine to its glory days.

Sans scarves and sleeveless Union Jack T, singer Joe Elliott was chatty and jovial, though his trademark wail was reined in after decades of road wear. Wielding the mike stand like a trident, he apologized often for leaving "Los Angelees" off the tour map for so long. "This has become something of a hometown show," he told the peppy sellout crowd, referring to bandmates Rick Allen and Vivian Campbell, who have made the city their home.

And the "local boys" made good. After years of virtually ignoring their two pre-"Pyromania" albums in concert, Def Leppard opened with Side 1 of their 1981 "High 'n' Dry" LP. The five riff-driven rockers had the clinging-to-thirtysomethings in the crowd pumping fists and heads and shouting along. The early excitement was tempered only by a sluggish take on the chugging instrumental "Switch 625." But a pair of "Pyromania" classics re-invigorated the room, and then it was time for some new stuff.

Their recent Island release "X" -- named for the letter rather than the Roman numeral, Elliott said -- is Def Leppard declawed. Many of the songs are tamer takes on the "Hysteria"-era formula. But the four new ones played midset ranged from not terrible to pretty good in their rocked-up live versions, led by the old-school "You're So Beautiful" and rhythmic, slow-building "Now." "Four Letter Word" was lifted from the "Armageddon It" template. The least of the rookie songs was "Long Long Way to Go," which invokes Air Supply more than air guitar

But the AAA-targeted new songs were trumped by the truckload of hits. One after another, the singsong anthems came: the trend-setting power ballads "Foolin' " and "Too Late for Love," a fat-bottomed "Women," the uber-catchy "Animal," distaff favorite "Pour Some Sugar on Me," the star-making smash "Photograph," a monk-free "Rock of Ages." Shirtless guitarists Phil Collen and Campbell dueled on "Hysteria" and the name-dropping "Rocket," which featured a bass-and-drum breakdown followed by a Zeppelin-like guitar and vocal shakedown. The forgettable late-'80s tune became a surprise highlight.

The poorly chosen encore of "Love Bites," the band's lone U.S. No. 1 single, and "Let's Get Rocked" was anticlimactic. Still, the two-hour set of two dozen songs was generous and invigorating.

As "Pyromania" turns 20 in February, the Leppard guys look tremendously fit and appear ready to rock on. But the new album and this concert delivered mixed signals about the band's future. Will they follow the mellow line to the middle of the road or continue to crank it up and mine the metal they helped make famous? "We'll be back," Elliott told the crowd after the final encore. If it's still this good, so will we.

By The Hollywood Reporter 2002.

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Def Leppard show spotty at times in sound, but still fun By Gerry Gittelson

It continues to amaze how classic rock bands can remain so dominant in concert despite little or no radio airplay or retail sales.

The latest to pass through was Def Leppard at the sold-out Universal Amphitheatre on Wednesday, and the British fivesome delivered a greatest-hits set that was just as well-received as when releases such as "Pyromania' and "Hysteria' ruled the charts.

Def Leppard's only problem was an overly loud PA system. Such volume distorted many of the group's most memorable selections, such as "Photograph,' "Pour Some Sugar on Me,' "Rock of Ages' and "Love Bites.' However, no one seemed to care -- the audience was much too busy standing, cheering and singing along to every repetitive chorus -- so what's the big deal? Singer Joe Elliott, decked out in black leather pants and a flashy, sparkle shirt, as if time has stood still since 1987, was active, outgoing -- and on key. Guitarists Vivian Campbell and Phil Collen enjoyed a friendly competition of "can you outdo this?' And, of course, one-armed drummer Rick Allen remains an inspiration to even the most jaded rock fans.

By LA Daily News 2002.

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