Wantagh/Jones Beach, NY - Media Reviews

Def Leppard rocks the Nikon at Jones Beach Theater in New York By Markos Papadatos

On August 6, English rock band Def Leppard played a show at the Nikon at Jones Beach Theater in Long Island, New York, as part of their 2014 summer tour.

They shared the stage with acclaimed hard rock band Kiss. Def Leppard commenced their set with the rocking "Let It Go" and it was followed by "Animal," which showed their softer side, as green lights dimmed on the stage.

Lead singer Joe Elliott greeted the New York audience, prior to taking them back to their 1983 album Pyromania with "Foolin'," where the stage was graced in purple and blue lights. He wore ripped blue jeans, a white jacket and a black shirt.

Elliott nailed the high notes on the power-ballad "Love Bites" and he held up the microphone stand towards the end.

"Okay, Jones Beach, New York, we have a question for you. Do you want to get rocked?" he asked, prior to segueing into "Let's Get Rocked."

Elliott noted that their truck overturned on the previous day, which is why most the lights on their tour and props were damaged, so they worked with what they had, and he commended their crew for aiding them in getting the show on.

It was followed by a neat acoustic segment, where Elliott sang the ballad "Two Steps Behind" accompanying himself on acoustic guitar, with Vivian Campbell, Phil Collen and Rick Savage on soaring harmonies.

"What do you say Jones Beach?" he asked, prior to singing "Bring' on the Heartbreak," which had a haunting vibe to it and they incorporated it as a sing-along with the crowd.

They continued with the impressive electric instrumental "Switch 625" and "Hysteria," my favorite vocal of theirs of the night, especially since they incorporated archive images and clips of the band in the televised screen which was a real treat, as the stage was decorated in yellow and orange lights.

Elliott returned with a different jacket and sang "Rocket," prior to asking the crowd to give a "very big, New York welcome" to Vivian Campbell, who hails from Northern Ireland.

During "Armageddon It," Elliott shouted, "C'mon boys," midway through the song and they closed with their signature tune, the fan-favorite "Pour Some Sugar on Me."

"A pleasure as always. See you again," Elliott said, in his eloquent British accent, only to return for a two-song encore that included "Rock of Ages" and "Photograph," as their band's logo displayed on the large screen in the background.

The iconic rock group shared their appreciation for the wounded warriors out there, and Elliott took some time to acknowledge their drummer, Rick Allen (who had lost his left arm in the late 80s, as a result of amputation).

"Don't forget us and we won't forget you," Elliott concluded.

The Verdict

Overall, Def Leppard was at the top of their game at Jones Beach Theater in Long Island, New York. They were able to rock out, and fans were still singing "Hysteria" after the concert was over on the way to the parking lot. All five band members were exceptional and their concert garnered an A rating. One of the most puzzling facts about them is that they have yet to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but after tonight, it is safe to say that they certainly deserve to be in the near future.

By Digital Journal 2014.

---

The KISS show that almost never happened By John Soltes

Despite many setbacks, including a truck accident before the concert that changed the lighting arrangements and a curtain that didn’t want to work, KISS came, they destroyed, they rocked it and partied all night long. Fans knew something was up when the Nikon at Jones Beach Theater in beautiful Wantagh, N.Y., didn’t open exactly on time. Around 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 6, the ushers finally let the crowd in, and it became clear that The Dead Daises, the opening act for the co-headlining tour of KISS and Def Leppard, would not be able to take the stage.

No hard feelings, at least that was the vibe among the packed house.

Instead, the fury began at 8 p.m. promptly. Def Leppard, the British rock band famous for “Pour Some Sugar On Me,” among other tunes, took the stage to the backing of the Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again”. It was a fitting introduction to rev up the crowd, who were hungry for some head banging and dancing. Lead singer Joe Elliott still has his impressive rock voice, bringing life to such classics as “Rock of Ages” and “Rocket”. He’s been fronting the band since 1977, and his mastery of the material is quite evident.

In their 80-minute set, the Def Leppard band members seemed in perfect unison with one another. This is likely because the band has been touring for more than 30 years with few lineup changes. There’s a way that Elliott’s voice perfectly matches the guitar riffs of Phil Collen. They jump around the stage as if these rock anthems were still eating up the Top 40 charts.

The packed house at the Jones Beach Theater ate up the entire set, singing along and refusing to sit down. This co-headlining tour means fans get a good chunk of songs packed into a limited time frame. Right after one anthem is done — like “Hysteria” — the band launches into another one with ease.

Def Leppard started their set at 8 p.m. with the sun setting to the back of the audience, casting a picturesque shading on the waters surrounding the theater. By the time 9:20 p.m. rolled around, the venue was brimming with excitement in the darkness of a cool summer night. Elliott was the first to inform the crowd that their truck holding the lighting equipment had crashed, but they had persevered and made it to the show. Before the encore, the band also discussed their dedication to the Wounded Warriors project and how both KISS and Def Leppard hired veterans as roadies for this tour.

At 9:50 p.m., KISS, arguably the best spectacle on a rock stage in the past 40 years, came out with much pyrotechnic fanfare. The audience could care less that the curtain for the band didn’t seem to work. They wanted to hear the songs, and they received an overflowing package of hard rock for 80 minutes.

Lead singer and ever-dancing frontman Paul Stanley joined with legendary bass guitarist Gene Simmons — the two original members of the band — to kick off the opener: “Psycho Circus”. Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer complete the dynamic quartet, and throughout the night they banged out the recognizable beats and offered ear-splitting guitar solos as the audience sang along.

The classic tunes were present and accounted for, including “Deuce”, “Shout It Out Loud” and “Lick It Up”. Stanley, with his iconic makeup, bounced around the stage, ensuring the audience stayed on their feet and clapped with the band. Simmons, in full regalia, commanded attention, stationing himself before the microphone, offering his tongue to the adulators and staring crazily into the throngs of people. Midset Simmons had a bass solo that took him to the heights of the Jones Beach Theater. Stanley one-upped him by gliding out over the crowd on a zip line to sing “Love Gun”.

Throughout their 80-minute set, KISS offered plenty of fire breathing, blood gushing and pyrotechnics. Although the lighting may have been different than previous concerts, they brought the ammo for a full night of spectacle. Highlights had to be Simmons singing “Doctor Love” and the band’s full-on playing of “Black Diamond,” which closed out the main set. Singer beat the drums with a fiery passion while Thayer provided riffs worthy of salivation.

Rather than leaving the stage, Stanley informed the crowd that because of the curfew, they were going to keep playing without the customary break. The two-song encore included their most popular tunes, “Detroit Rock City” and “Rock and Roll All Nite”.

After a storm of confetti, more pyro and a smashed guitar, KISS said goodbye with promises to come back soon. The evening, which Stanley told the crowd almost didn’t happen because of the accident, was another winning concert on KISS’ 40-year anniversary tour. It comes during a big year for the band: They were recently inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. On Wednesday, Aug. 6 in Wantagh, they proved why such an honor was long overdue.

The makeup might have come off and the platform shoes set aside, but the ears still ring with the rhythms and beats of this legendary rock act.

By Hollywood Soapbox 2014.

Back

share this page:

---

---