Kansas City, MO - Media Reviews

Def Leppard throws a rockin’ good party at the Sprint Center By Bill Brownlee

Def Leppard may be the ultimate Saturday night party band.

The only ambition of its marvelously melodic and unrepentantly escapist music is to make the listener feel good. Intentionally devoid of significance, Def Leppard's highly processed approach strategically fuses the catchiest elements of pop and heavy metal. The band offered ninety minutes of perfectly executed arena rock Saturday at the Sprint Center.

"We'll take you back in our time machine to 1983," vocalist Joe Elliott said in his introduction to "Foolin.'"

The audience of about 11,000 roared its approval. The band's ability to attract such a substantial audience more than 20 years after its commercial zenith reflects the durability of its catalog and its ongoing influence. One of the most popular acts of the 1980s, Def Leppard has the luxury of loading its set list with one massive hit after another.

Uninhibited couples engaged in dirty dancing during the ballad "Love Bites." Parents and their children exchanged cross-generational high-fives at the opening notes of "Let's Get Rocked." Most everyone cheerfully sang along with the blissfully nonsensical "Bringin' On The Heartbreak." Although Def Leppard is a British band, its lyrics seem as though they have been filtered through a shoddy language translator. Silliness is just part of the band's appeal. Drummer Rick Allen remains an inspiration (he lost his left arm in a 1984 car accident) while the boundless energy of guitarists Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell belied their intricate playing.

During the era-defining hit "Photograph," immense video monitors displayed a scrapbook collage intended to make the band seem heroic. It was an unnecessary bit of hagiography. The song's monumental riffs already serve as a testament to Def Leppard's legacy.

The members of Heart also know a thing or two about about powerful guitar riffs. The memorable riff on the 1976 hit "Barracuda" served as just one of the highlights of the Seattle band's opening set. Although Heart didn't enjoy the excellent sound field accorded Saturday's headliner, its thunderous 65-minute appearance demonstrated its ongoing vitality.

A newfound blues element in Ann Wilson's magnificent voice enhanced the band's likability. Nancy Wilson's acoustic guitar introduction to "Crazy on You" remains spine-tingling. The sisterly harmonies displayed on a cover of Led Zeppelin's "The Battle of Evermore" were exquisite. A startling rendition of "What About Love" stripped the 1985 hit of its bloated excess. Unfortunately, the 1996 chart-topper "These Dreams" remains irredeemably awful. That minor misstep aside, Saturday's concert was a refreshingly carefree affair.

"I can't think of a better way to spend a Saturday night than this," Elliott exclaimed near the end of the concert.

The rapturous response of 11,000 satisfied fans confirmed his conclusion.

By Kansas City Star 2011.

Back

share this page: