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By George A. Paul

Brawny anthem "Undefeated" kicked off an otherwise engaging 90-minute set, as images of Muhammad Ali, Nelson Mandela, Michael Phelps and other inspirational figures appeared on large LED screens and stairs. It's one of three solid new studio tracks on the British hard-rock band's three-disc Mirror Ball - Live & More collection, available exclusively at Walmart (fans should also check out the brilliant Queen-styled "Kings of the World").

Shirtless lead guitarist and Laguna Hills resident Phil Collen displayed his fine guitar prowess on an eye-catching array of colorful Jackson electric axes. An extended "Rocket" found him making windmill motions and trading off solos with Vivian Campbell. Following a mercifully short bass solo by Rick Savage, the band's frequent live remake of David Essex's '70s hit "Rock On" was slinky and suited them well (though something else from 2006's covers album Yeah! would have been a nice change of pace).

An acoustic segment, during which Elliott and the musicians headed out to a T-shaped stage extension and dedicated the ballad "Two Steps Behind" to "the lost heroes of 9/11," was a standout. The partially stripped-down "Bringin' on the Heartbreak" started great until the transition back to electric meant more overwhelming bass. The infectious "Armageddon It," the haunting build-up of "Foolin'" and the hard-hitting instrumental "Switch 625" were other highlights.

By OC Register 2011.

Read the full review/25 photos at - ocregister.com

By Dan Harr

Headlining was Def Leppard, who turned in a fantastic, heavy-on-the-hits 90-minute showcase; the only downer being the bass mix that made everything sound a bit muddy. In fact, sometimes the lead guitar solos just didn't sound as mighty as they should have. I'm not the first to note this; writer George A. Paul also wrote this in his review that ran on the Soundcheck blog.

The performance was solid, with Joe Elliott and his long-time band mates belting out hits like "Let's Get Rocked," "Hysteria" and "Pour Some Sugar on Me." A strong lighting component and effective visuals projected on large screens added to the show, notably during the opening "Undefeated" (a new song featured on Def Leppard's recently-issued Mirror Ball - Live & More collection).

Guitarists Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell offered up plenty of flashy solos, with Campbell shining on "Love Bites" and Collen's fretwork shining on "Photograph" and "Foolin'."

The most emotional part of the show came when Def Leppard paid tribute on the eve of the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Performing an acoustic-styled "Two Steps Behind," the group then remained on a small stage that was positioned out in the crowd. After playing that poignant song, the ensemble performed "Bringin' on the Heartbreak" with acoustic guitars most of the way, before Collen and Campbell were handed electric guitars to bring the classic home in full electric glory.

By Music News Nashville 2011.

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