Salt Lake City/West Valley City, UT - Media Review Quotes

By Doug Fox

Collen, who takes the stage shirtless and glistening in sweat as if he just finished getting a pre-show weightlifting session in -- is always entertaining in concert. In addition his excellent lead and rhythm work, the array of sounds and squealing noises he can ring out of a guitar are somewhat amazing. In a new twist, a small camera was mounted to the top of his guitar which offered a unique vantage point looking right down the barrel of his fingerboard and into the audience during encore solos for "Rock of Ages" and "Photograph."

If a Def Leppard show is indeed something of a circus, as the lyrics to "Let's Go" would suggest, then Elliott is indeed the ringmaster of record. Dude knows how to work a crowd in ways that are both obvious and subtle. His between-song banter and storytelling registers on the Goldilocks scale -- not too little or too much, but just right. Especially enjoyable was his long-term memory about getting together with a 16-year-old friend to listen to records, and the pair being mutually inspired by bands like Queen and AC/DC. "We said, 'What do you think if we just put a band together?' Thirty-nine years later, that 16-year-old is still my best friend," Elliott said while introducing Savage. Elliott may have lost some vocal power and range over the ensuing years, but his rock spirit and enthusiasm are still willing.

Rick Allen is somewhat lost visually behind his drum kit, but it was fun when he shared a laugh with the crowd by looking right into a video camera that allowed him to salute fans on the giant video board behind the band. His drum work continues to inspire.

By Daily Herald 2016.

Read the full review at - heraldextra.com

By Pat Reavy

Other than the three new songs, there were no surprises or deep cuts. All the remaining songs were from the band’s biggest selling albums in the ’80s and early ’90s, High-N-Dry, Pyromania, Hysteria and Adrenalize. The crowd clapped, waved their arms, pumped their fists and sang along to “Animal,” “Let It Go,” “Rock of Ages,” “Photograph,” “Pour Some Sugar On Me,” “Let’s Get Rocked,” “Hysteria,” “Bringing on the Hearbreak/Switch 625,” “Armageddon It” and “Love Bites.”

It was basically the same set list the band has been playing for the past 15 years. But again, Elliot’s vocals combined with the enthusiasm of guitarists Phil Collen, Vivian Campbell, bassist Rick Savage and drummer Rick Allen made it seem like they were playing many of those songs for the first time.

Even after the final notes of “Photograph” had been played, the band continued to stay on stage looking out at the crowd for several minutes. Just when you thought they were done, Elliot grabbed the mic and addressed the audience again from the center catwalk, promising that Def Leppard would be back.

By Deseret News 2016.

Read the full review/10 photos at - deseret.com

Back

share this page: