One-Sixteenth: My ears are still ringing!

July 25, 2007

My ears are still ringing!

Now, that was a show! We've seen Def Leppard many times, and that was a great show!

I went the scalper route for good seats, and my goodness, they couldn't have been better. For this tour the band has a catwalk that extends out of the stage into the audience, ending in a "T" 11 rows out. Our seats were in that 11th row. If I sat in my seat, my shoulder touched the T of the catwalk. I could have reached out and touched anyone I pleased.

Styx opened, and were wonderful. Lawrence Gowan is a fine replacement for Dennis DeYoung, down to the flair for showmanship. The band did "Miss America," "Lorelei," "Crystal Ball," "Blue Collar Man," "Renegade," "Foolin' Yourself (Angry Young Man)," "Grand Illusion" ... but the highlight was a cover of "I Am The Walrus." How many bands would try that? It was fantastic!

Def Leppard's set list has been somewhat lacking the last couple of times we've seen them, but last night was much better: "Exciteable," "Foolin'," "Mirror Mirror," and "Another Hit and Run," all right in a row. They did their cover of "Rock On," which is nice on the album, but totally kills live. They did an acoustic bit right down on that "T" bit of the catwalk ... if I'd had my hands out, Phil Collen could have stepped on them. "Bringing on the Heartbreak" started off acoustic, and with the audience singing the choruses, then kicked back into electric and finished off with "Switch 625," the way it should be done. They did not do "Let's Get Rocked," for which we are eternally grateful. (And of course, they did the typical things - "Rocket," "Photograph," "Sugar," "Rock of Ages.")

Somewhere in there Vivian Campbell handed me his guitar pick. He didn't have to toss it, like they usually have to do - he was right there. At the end, Rick Savage came over and slapped my hand (swoon).

Click if you want to see the pictures ...

First, Styx - Tommy Shaw, Chuck Panozzo and JY: