I was initially
disappointed with Def Leppard.
Let me start out with two
caveats. One is that there were many, many people dancing and rocking all over
the place and having the time of their lives. Experiences are subjective and
mine doesn't carry more weight than anyone else's; it's just the only one I am
qualified to give.
The other caveat is that
I felt differently toward the end, and I want to write about getting there.
The first thing I should
point out is that even at my most disappointed, I have already seen a great,
totally rocking Def Leppard show, about twelve years ago at what was probably
PGE Park then. Not only were they on fire but they played every song I wanted
except "When Love And Hate Collide" (which would have been a long
shot).
My favorite Def Leppard
songs are "Pour Some Sugar On Me", "Let's Get Rocked", and
"Armageddon It". They did end up playing all three of those songs
Saturday night, but the concert was starting more in the veins of "Hysteria"
and "Animal". If those distinctions don't seem important to you, then
my feelings probably won't make sense, but for me it felt like they were
quieter and more subdued.
They have been doing this
for 40 years; maybe it wasn't fair to expect otherwise. They have aged, not
that you can tell by Phil Collen's abs. (I still get a kick out of his
inability to perform with a shirt. He did start out with a vest, but it didn't
last.)
While I was still
thinking that they were quieter, their stamina was strong. It was a long set
followed by a generous encore. I also have to admire their continuing to create
new music. "Let's Go" was one of the songs played and it's pretty
good. Also, for a band to get to a point where it is in their fourth decade
that they release the self-titled album, and that feels right, is pretty
impressive.
Then what completely won
me over was "Photograph".
If my earlier statement
of preferences did make sense, you can probably guess that is not one of my
favorite songs. However, they ran a slideshow of old photos during it that took
me back.
I may not have gotten
into Def Leppard until the early 2000s, but Behind the Music filled
me in on what I had missed. Seeing the old pictures of Steve Clark, and Rick
Allen before the accident, and yes, tracing the overall passage of time -- this
is a band of survivors. They have regrouped and done unexpected collaborations
and they just keep going. All of my fondness for the band welled up. It was
touching that they were still there, and good to be there with them.
The 2005 show was still
better (for me), but this show has its own place.
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