Detroit/Clarkston, MI - Fan Reviews

Fan Review - By Logan

This was my first time seeing Def Leppard live, but I had watched live footage of them a million times on Youtube, so I had pretty high expectations. By the end of the night, those expectations would be exceeded, but let's not get ahead of ourselves.

First up was Lita Ford, and she sounded great. During her first or second song, her guitarist had troubles with his guitar, but she commended him afterward for quickly switching to a different guitar before the solo. The venue probably wasn't even half filled when she did her best two songs, "Close My Eyes Forever" and "Kiss Me Deadly." She asked for the audience's help singing on "Close My Eyes" because, as she said, "Ozzy didn't bother to show up." Her set was rocking, although I get the feeling that no one knew any of her songs until the final two.

Next up was Poison, and they were also good. It was cool to see Bret up there having fun after all that he's been through. I think their set would've been better if they had omitted C.C.'s guitar solo and Rikki's drum solo. However, directly after Rikki's boring solo, they broke out their biggest hits: "Every Rose Has its Thorn," "Talk Dirty to Me," and "Nothin' But a Good Time." These had the entire crowd on its feet, singing along to every word. I actually had to restrain myself during "Talk Dirty" (with the exception of "C.C. pick up that guitar!") so I wouldn't lose my voice prematurely!

After Poison's set, there was a short intermission, so I headed to the bathroom. On the way, I enjoyed seeing all of the people wearing Def Leppard shirts. I saw a Union Jack tee or two, plus a few Hysteria tour shirts like the one I have. I even saw a lady wearing a sweet Steve Clark shirt.

Back in my seat in the 27th row on Phil's side, I sat and waited and watched the roadies setting up the stage. Finally, the lights dimmed, and the countdown clock appeared on screens on either side of the stage. Those were the longest three minutes of my life! I watched the stage eagerly, noticing that the giant Union Jack curtain wasn't there. Oh well. As the timer reached 10 seconds, the crowd was actively counting down. When the timer hit zero, strains of music started coming over the P.A.: "HELLO AMEEERICA! HELLO AMEEERICAAaaa!" Then the drum loop intro for "Undefeated" started, and the lighting rig would briefly outline someone from the band up on stage. Rick clicked off the start of the song, and the stage lights came on, revealing the greatest band alive.

"Undefeated" sounded awesome, the perfect song to kick of the Leps' show. I think there were a few people in the crowd besides myself who knew the words.

"Rocket" was a great follow-up, and it was sweet to see thousands of fists pumping in time to "ROCKET! YEAH!" It was this point in the show that I decided that Joe still sounds great; this version of "Rocket" was even better than the one on MIrrorBall.

Next Joe welcomed the crowd and introduced Phil, who started off "High N' Dry." This song was also cool to hear, but I missed part of it because of one naughty woman. Somehow, this woman got up on stage, ran between Joe and Phil, and started dancing on Rick's riser. I was hoping that Phil would go all martial-arts on her ass, but no he just kept on playing and let security drag her offstage.

They followed up with "Foolin'," "Animal," and "Love Bites," all of which sounded amazing as usual. I was pleasantly surprised that Viv's outro solo for "Love Bites" seemed shorter than normal. (I always thought it dragged on and seemed a bit indulgent).

The Leps then broke out their new song, "It's All About Believin'." I think it sounded excellent and it went down fairly well, despite few people knowing the words. I'm so glad they played that instead of something like "Make Love Like a Man."

Any lull there was in the energy disappeared immediately when Joe asked that question he's been asking since 1992: "Do you wanna get rocked?" We answered with a resounding "yes" and proceeded to "get the rock outta there."

The boys closed out the first half of their show with probably the best song off of Hysteria: "Gods of War." I'm not sure if many people recognized it before the lyrics started, but I recognized it as soon as Sav started pounding out the opening bassline. I was so pumped to hear to hear the song live, and what a great version it was.

Next Joe came out with an acoustic guitar, sat down on a roadie's trunk, and invited us to sing along for a few songs. He started strumming away, and was soon joined by Sav for "Where Does Love Go." Phil and Viv came out to join in before transitioning into "Now." At about that time, a certain percussionist walked out onto the catwalk, a maraca in his only hand. The place erupted. Smiling his huge grin, Rick Allen sat down on the trunk with the rest of the guys and kept rhythm on the maraca. Then they played "When Love and Hate Collide," one of my new post-Steve favorites. Next came "Have You Ever Needed" followed by "Two Steps Behind."

Not many people knew "WDLGWiD," (I had just looked the song up for the first time earlier in the day!), but "Now" got a stronger response. Audience recognition basically increased with each successive song. By the time "TSB" was played, we were nearly outsinging Joe!

With the magnificent acoustic medley concluded, it was time for the Leps to go into the home stretch. First up was Joe and Phil's screaming/guitar duet intro to "Women." This one also sounded excellent, and Joe proved he could still hit the high notes, though the echo effect after the "What's that spell?" line drowned out his big "WOMEN!" scream.

After Phil's always-awesome outro solo, the lights went out, except there was a faint greenish glow coming from Phil's guitar. Then Viv and Phil started up the mournful intro to "Heartbreak." I'm so glad they're playing this song electric on this tour; it's probably the best it's sounded since the flamenco version from the Hysteria tour. Their backing harmonies were particularly excellent. Viv's solos on the song were also great. As the guitars died out at the end but Sav's bass continued thumping, the diehards knew what was coming next.

Phil and Viv walked out to the catwalk to duel it out on "Switch 625." I was watching them, when for some reason I glanced to the massive video boards behind them. There, larger than life, was the coolest guitarist ever, the Riffmaster, Steamin' Steve Clark. Needless to say I didn't bother to watch Viv and Phil when I could watch a video of my idol. After the guitar wankery the end of the song, Rick started a slow beat that increased in tempo until it seemed like he had five limbs instead of three. At the conclusion of his solo, he stood up, to be met with deafening crowd noise. Take that, Rikki Rockett! I think on this tour, they've finally managed to do Steve's song justice.

Next up were the title track of the greatest album of all time, along with "Armageddon It," both of which were great. "Photograph" followed, complete with a slideshow of pictures of the band through the years. They transitioned into "Sugar", which received the loudest response of the night. I noticed during the song that Sav still does his little hair-lift and hip-shake during the guitar solo. It's cool to see how many things haven't changed since the ITRIYF days. When "Sugar" concluded, the band said good night and left the stage.

As far as I could see, no one was leaving; we all knew an encore was coming. I was personally shouting for "Wasted," but I don't think many people who knew the song would be as far from the stage as I was. After a couple long minutes, the band returned. Joe thanked us, saying the audience is the reason they keep coming back. "We're still here, you're still here, and more importantly, HE'S still here." And with that, Joe motions up to Rick Allen. The Thundergod stands, and the ovation he receives must last more than two minutes. When the crowd finally settles down, we hear those four little words that mean so much: "Gunter glieben glauchen glauben." An immense cheer as Rick hits the cowbell and starts the beat for "Rock of Ages." After the song finishes and the band's taking their bows, Joe utters his signature closing lines: "Don't forget about us," (at which I and a few people around me respond) "and we won't forget you!" I'm sorry for such a long review, but I was so excited with this being my first Def Leppard concert. I sure hope it won't be my last. The boys sounded better than they have probably since 1993 (the year I was born!). They far exceeded my expectations, and I can't wait until they return to Michigan. I intend to go lose my voice and hearing again with them as soon as I get the chance! July 7, 2012 won't be a date I'll soon forget.

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Fan Review - By Amy From Michigan

It'll Always Be Pine Knob to Us . . .

The packed crowd heartily agreed with Joe's statement as he mentioned they first played here in 1981. Not sure if most Michigan/US fans get the "jokey" these British boys must think of the second half of the venue name, but it's a lot more interesting than the current nomenclature of DTE Energy Music Theatre.

Of all the concerts I've attended at Pine Knob, or DTE, take your pick; I have never seen the place packed to capacity like it was tonight. Despite the mad heat, Michigan fans were obviously glad to have the Leps back in town. Even the lawn was a virtual sea of faces. Great to see they can still pack a house!

Well, there was energy Saturday night for sure. Didn't expect any big surprises, but it was brilliant to hear them play High 'n' Dry (Saturday Night) on this bloody hot Michigan evening. Temperature had hit 100 earlier in the day, as Lita Ford alluded to in her comment about sweating her bum off in her long-sleeved leather jumpsuit while we [the crowd] "just sat on your butts and watched me sing!"

Lita did a great job of opening the show, looking and sounding better than ever. Even without Ozzy to duet, she and the crowd did a fine job on Close My Eyes Forever. She had an awesome guitar player.

Poison then took the stage with most of their biggest hits and a cover of We're An American Band. Bret said something about us being filmed for footage in one of their upcoming projects, but I couldn't hear what it would be. As my mate said, "Enough blah blah blah, shut up and sing!" He finally did.

Whilst waiting for the set change between Poison and Lep, we saw a lovely sight: a woman walked past, sporting a black t-shirt with a huge picture of Steve Clark on it. We tried to catch up with her to chat later, but never spotted her again. Nonetheless it was a great reminder of the great man who contributed so much to DL as evidenced in the hits they still play today. The official Hysteria t-shirts they're selling this tour all have the classic line-up pictured too - very nice to see.

The real show started after an on-screen countdown, and the Leps were surprisingly on time once the clock hit 00:00. Rick was the first one I could see, stepping onto the drum riser to take his place; then an incredibly bright white light shown down - wait, is that? Could it be? Yes! Indeed! It is the shirtless wonder known as Phil Collen!

Phil walked out onto the stage, already gleaming and shirtless. (Theory: he's trying to be the wardrobe lady's favourite - no more sweaty shirts to wash?) His first guitar sported the familiar Union Jack tea towel, although it changed throughout the show as his tech provided him with other axes. One particularly groovy guitar had a green and white swirled pattern, and as the sun went down and the stage lights dimmed, we got to see it glowing in the dark. No glowing Bela tonight, but this one looked brilliant all the same.

Sav and Joe both looked resplendent in long waistcoats, although neither lasted long in the heat either. Sav's first coat was an aubergine semi-sparkler, which when seen next to Joe's all-sparkly trainers, took me back to the Mirror Ball days. Speaking of which, they did one song from said album, a rare treat that received considerably warm applause: It's All About Believin'.

This was either my 13th or 14th Lep concert, and I saw something I had never seen before: Not more than three songs into the set, an overzealous female fan somehow got up onto the stage, ran past a relatively calm Sav and Joe, and made her way up onto Rick's drum riser. She managed to dance a few beats before being rather hastily escorted down the steps by Security - and not before taking a tumble. Joe never made mention of this unplanned visitor, and the rest of the show was without incident.

Another first at this concert, and far more pleasant, was the acoustic medley. When I saw one of the equipment cases being pulled to the end of the thrust stage, I automatically assumed they'd play Two Steps Behind. But when Rick even made his way to the Acoustic Assembly, maraca in hand, I knew we were in for a treat. How lovely to hear some of their best, and most underrated, softer songs: Where Does Love Go When it Dies (Slang album), Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad (my fave off Adrenalize); When Love and Hate Collide (a treat usually reserved only for UK shows); and finally, TSB. The songs sounded great acoustically, and even Joe looked right at home strumming a guitar.

One of my favourite points in the set list is when they play Photograph with a literal photo montage on the screen behind them. I'd seen this the last several tours and was glad they continued it this year so my best mate could see it as well. We eagerly pointed out several pics of Steve and even noticed one shot of Pete Willis early on - fair play to see him recognised as well.

Technically they were all en point as usual, and Joe's voice held up better than I've seen in a while. Of course there were many times when he didn't even have to sing - the crowd was so loud on the classics, he couldn't have been heard anyway. Plus, Sav and Phil fill in nicely on vocals with Phil sounding so much like Joe it's not funny. Joe's voice was terrific on the acoustic set. Only the ranges in Photograph and Armageddon It seem to be too much for him nowadays.

In fact, if I was disappointed about anything at all this show, it was the omission of Make Love Like a Man, only because that's the time I usually get to hear Phil sing his Cockney rhyming rap. Otherwise the set list was perfect, covering all the standards and adding a few new surprises.

After the fully anticipated encore of Rock of Ages, Joe closed the night with his usual signoff: "Deeetroit, Michigan, don't forget us, and we won't forget you!" Don't worry, Joe, we won't. See you all next time at Pine Knob - and there will be a next time!

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