Allentown, PA - Media Reviews

Def Leppard captures essence of its best at Allentown Fair By John J. Moser

It’s cliché to say that a band turned back the clock with a performance, and that’s not exactly what Def Leppard did Tuesday with its opening-night show at Allentown Fair’s grandstand anyway.

Rather, the band played a new incarnation of its heyday that was matured, much as its audience has – in some ways perhaps losing a step, but also getting better in other ways, and still capturing the musical essence of what made the band so popular 30 years ago, when it sold 25 million albums in nine years.

There was little doubt that was the focus of the night: 10 of the 17 songs the band played in its 90-minute set were from just two albums: 1983’s “Pyromania” and 1987’s “Hysteria.” None of the songs was from this century, and only three from the 1990s.

But rather than play those songs for nostalgia’s sake, Def Leppard played them fresh and furious, in some cases with slight updates.

Singer Joe Elliot’s voice was amazingly good – so good on some songs that it sounded like it likely was enhanced – starting with a wail on the opening “Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop),” the opening cut from “Pyromania.”

“We’re gonna rock you tonight,” he sang, and indeed the band did.

Many of the hits held up extremely well. “Animal” sounded crisp. “Armageddon It,” with its nice guitar work, sounded as fresh as in the ‘80s. And “Foolin’,” deep and intense with its double-guitar attack, was an early highlight.

Some words about that guitar playing: It was the area in which Def Leppard may have improved, if simply because guitar technique has improved in the past 30 years. Guitarist Phil Collin burned from the start, playing shirtless and glistening, coming to the front of the catwalk to play on a good “Let It Go.”

Co-lead guitarist Vivian Campbell’s playing actually elevated some songs, such as a master solo on a slow “Love Bites,” which as well as it was performed had a distinct ‘80s sound, and a nice ending piece that saved one of the few deep cuts Def Leppard played, “Bringin’ on the Heartbreak.”

Especially good was a double-guitar attack on a mid-set cover of David Essex’s “Rock On.” Even the guitar-and-drum-solos exercise of “Switch 625” was good.

Elliot also was strong through the night. He even sang “Two Steps Behind” solo, at the end of the catwalk on acoustic guitar. With a slight aged roughness to his voice, the song took on a deeper meaning – a kind of pledge of support from an older perspective; really cool.

(It could have been even cooler: Elliot said bassist Rick Savage had challenged him to play Billy Joel’s “Allentown,” but he said he didn’t know it. “But when he comes here, tell him we played it, and you sang along because you know it,” Elliot said.)

If there was a weakness to the concert, it was that some of the songs are starting to show their age. “Paper Sun,” though performed well, sounded dated and sludgy – saved by a good Campbell solo. ”Rocket” sounded especially dated, though also not bad.

And even the hit title song to “Hysteria” was largely nostalgic – which the band seemed to realize, since it showed archival 1980s-era photos on the big screen as it played. But even its dual guitar attack was good.

But Def Leppard closed especially well, with the penultimate song of its main set the No. 1 hit “Let’s Get Rocked” – a fun, strong song performed very well. (Elliot made it even more fun, joking that by that time in a concert he usually smelled “something illegal,” but that at the fair he was smelling bacon, making him hungry.)

And the crowd of 8,013 sang gleefully along to the main-set-closing hit “Pour Some Sugar on Me.” The encore of “Rock of Ages” got many in the crowd moving, and a wild closing version of its biggest hit, “Photograph” brought the audience to near, uh, hysteria.

But it was not nostalgia. And that’s why it was so good.

That crowd number gave Del Leppard almost double the audience than saw its last two shows at the fair, in 2000 and 2003, and nearly what it drew in 1999.

Of course, it helped that its supporting act was Styx, which played a 10-song, hourlong set of most of its biggest hits – the most recent being from 1981 (“Too Much Time on My Hands” and “Rocking the Parade.”)

While Styx’s set was very enjoyable, extremely well played and energetic with a lot of showmanship (the band really has the act down), some of its songs sounded even more dated than Def Leppard’s – clearly belonging to the ‘80s. That was true of grandiose the set-opening “The Grand Illusion.”

“Lady” was buried beneath the bombast. And the showmanship made “Come Sail Away” as good as it was, with singer Lawrence Gowan standing atop his keyboard to sing. “Blue Collar Man (Long Night)” was good, with Tommy Shaw adding his best guitar and vocals. Same with “Too Much Time on My Hands.”

James "J.Y." Young played good guitar on the encore songs “Rockin’ The Parade” and “Renegade,” with Gowan jumping and dancing about the stage as he sang the former.

It was interesting that the band played none of the hits that featured former singer Dennis DeYoung – and perhaps was better for it. Though “Babe” was Styx’s biggest hit, it sounds even more dated these days, as do the schmaltzy “Show Me the Way” and “The Best of Times.”

Opening act Tesla gave an extremely enjoyable 45-minute, eight-song opening set. Its 1980s rock stands up far better – such as the hooky “Hang Tough” and “Getting’ Better.” Of course its hit cover of “Signs” was enjoyable, but the best was “Love Song,” which Dave Rude said was being played for the first time on a new Martin guitar.

What made Tesla’s set so good was the fact that the band – especially singer Jeff Keith – performed as if it was giving its all, like it was appreciative to still play such shows to such crowds. It was infectious.

“We’re happy to be here, man,” he said after “Signs.” And it was easy to believe him.

By The Morning Call 2015.

Def Leppard brings the rock, memories to Allentown, PA performance By James Wood

Hard rock legends Def Leppard have been a welcome fixture of The Great Allentown Fair over the years. Performing on the grandstand stage several times in the recent past as well as visiting Allentown several times in the '80s during their monster Pyromania and Hysteria tour runs. This year, the English band whose album sales total more than 100 million opened the 163rd annual fair by performing a ripping set of rock goodness from their near forty-year career.

Taking the stage to the infectious sounds of "Rock! Rock! (Til You Drop)," the band quickly reminded the Pennsylvania faithful of a time when their brand of music ruled the charts. The song, the opening track from Pyromania, was likely the first song American fans heard after rushing out to buy the record in 1983 when the band’s signature hit, “Photograph” became a radio staple. Leppard did no less than three other songs from the Pyromania. All sounding equally as impressive and fresh.

The band’s near ninety-minute set also highlighted several cuts from their High and Dry and Hysteria albums as well. The latter of which including the sweet sounds of “Pour Some Sugar on Me,” “Animal,” “Armageddon It” and the group’s #1 song, “Love Bites”.

But Def Leppard’s show was not just focused on the MTV generation. The band also performed two tracks from the era of grunge. A solo, acoustic version of “Two Steps Behind” from 1993’s Retro Active - with singer Joe Elliott inviting the capacity crowd to “join the band” by singing along, as well as a tasty version of “Paper Sun” from the band’s 1999 album, Euphoria. For having performed this material for so long, Elliott's voice and front man abilities are still a sight to behold.

Guitarist Phil Collen continues to wow audiences. Not just for his chiseled physique (he’s 57, folks), but also for his tenacious fret board attack. Collen is still an inspiration to aspiring players and proof that hard work on the guitar (as well as in the gym) pays off.

Fellow guitarist Vivian Campbell, who had to take a short leave from the group recently due to his own health issues, was also in top form. Watching him take center stage to showcase his guitar prowess while smiling and interacting with the crowd was a cause for celebration.

Bassist Rick Savage and drummer Rick Allen continue to be the heart beat of the Def Leppard. Even thirty years after Allen lost his arm in a tragic accident, there’s no denying he’s still one of best drummers in rock.

The band closed its show by taking center stage together on the cat walk with Elliott thanking the audience while also promising to return again. Based on the jumbo screen message stating Def Leppard’s highly anticipated new album will be released this fall, it’s safe to say that’s one promise he aims to keep.

By Axs 2015.

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