Edmonton, AB - Media Review Quotes

By Sandra Sperounes

This was Def Lep's third visit to Edmonton in four years. They always attract a large crowd - 10,000 fans were at Monday's show - but they seem to be tiring of the road, or at least growing complacent.

Their show seemed rather similar to their previous two gigs - shirtless guitarists, Joe Elliott and his Jesus Christ poses, video screens filled with vintage photos, etcetera.

Perhaps if Def Lep wouldn't come through town so often, their shows wouldn't feel so stale.

By Edmonton Journal 2007.

Read the full review at - edmontonjournal.com

By Mike Ross

While Bon Jovi subjected its crowd to the new "country" sounds of Bon Jovi in its concert earlier this year, Def Leppard did no such thing last night at Rexall Place. The band came out guns a-blazin', all cylinders firing, all horses at full trot, pick your cliche. They opened with Rocket, an up-tempo shuffle about a "satellite of love" on a "collision course with my heart." Then came Animal, another of the Leps' distinctive songs with one-word titles that make the chorus easy to sing along to. And we did. While visuals depicted each of the band members as a circus freak, the crowd of 10,000 screamed as one, A-ni-mal!

He noted the previous night was "quiet" in Calgary and invited the superior Edmonton rock fans to "blow them off the planet." There was the expected reaction. The band, one-armed drummer and all, pounded out the distinctive "hard rock with a pop edge" sound this band is known and loved for. Dependable - that's another appealing trait.

A word now about the classic rock conundrum of "doing one from our new album." Let's face it: No one wants to hear a classic rock band do one from their new album. We'll indulge the old guys, let them have their tune, but it had better be back to our favourite sugary rock hits by the time we get back to our seats with the beer. By press time, Def Leppard had played only one track from Yeah!, called Rock On, a Davis Essex tune also covered by the Smashing Pumpkins (and that's Def Leppard's closest connection to grunge rock).

The rest was wall-to-wall hits. Actually, it wasn't wall-to-wall hits. Several of the lesser known songs, such as Mirror Mirror (Look Into My Eyes), came off like filler. It's when Def Leppard experiments with minor keys that my attention starts to wander. Also, there seemed to be a distinct lack of "oomph" in some of the tunes. Perhaps, as this was the second last show of the tour, they're saving it up for the final show in Saskatoon tonight. They better not diss Edmonton. It sure wasn't quiet last night.

Sun rating: 3 out of 5

By Edmonton Sun 2007.

Read the full review at - edmontonsun.com

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