London, ON - Media Reviews

Fans love Leppard's spots By April Kemick

The Brit rockers had the JLC jumping for the full 90-minute set. With hands pumping, lighters flaring and mullets rocking, a sold-out crowd welcomed world-renowned Brit rockers Def Leppard to the John Labatt Centre in London last night. The famed fivesome, who last played here in 1983, hadn't even filed on stage before the mostly over-30 crowd went ballistic. After sitting uninterested through an hour-long set by opening Canadian band the Tea Party, amped-up fans jumped to their feet to welcome the '80s megastars.

The band filed out under dramatic red lights and deafening audience reaction, sliding into the first song of the 90-minute set, 1993's Action. Each of the five members looked the part of retro star, decked out in leather pants, button-down vests and shaggy locks reminiscent of the big-hair era.

"London, are you ready to rock?" screamed energetic lead vocalist Joe Elliot before the band geared up for 1992's crowd-pleaser, Let's Get Rocked.

It seemed the hard-rocking quintet could do no wrong in the eyes of the 9,000-plus whose piercing screams filled the theatre. From start to finish, from the floor seats to the far-off seats, everybody was in the groove. Over the course of the show, veteran crowd-pleasers Def Leppard did everything in its power to keep the revved-up, lyric-singing fans engaged, often pointing up and singing to appreciative rockers in third-bowl seats.

As lead vocalists Elliot and Rick Savage raced around the stage ensuring everyone got a good view, guitarist Viv Campbell frequently edged up to the front row so eager fans could catch a close-up glimpse. One female fan got so overexcited at the superstar band's attention that she removed her pants and shirt before being escorted from her seat by security. But nobody could contain the crowd's wild reaction when the group launched into the half-dozen classic rock anthems that made it famous.

Young and old alike lost control when Def Leppard, backed by a psychedelic-looking Union Jack flag, blasted out smash hits from 1987's Hysteria, the album that propelled it into superstardom. Love Bites and Hysteria only added to the maniacal display by fans, some of whom danced to the tunes like it actually was 1987. The band members -- Elliot, guitarist Phil Collen, Campbell, Savage and one-armed drummer Rick Allen -- didn't stick to their "golden era" though.

Def Leppard, who recently released greatest hits collection, Rock of Ages, played an assortment of tunes from the '80s, '90s and beyond. Retro Active, the group's 1993 release, and 1999's Euphoria both received equal play.

The band even ventured into new territory, playing songs from its soon-to-be-released cover album, Yeah. The album, which features popular '70s tunes, is set to hit stores later this year.

"We'll come here again, if you want us, that is," Elliot told the screaming crowd after plugging the upcoming album. And they did come back, for a much-anticipated encore, after 16 riveting songs full of electric guitar solos and high-energy vocals.

Amidst wild cheers, the band capped off the night with 25-year-old song, Bringing on the Heartbreak, and crowd favourite Pour Some Sugar on Me.

By London Free Press 2005.

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