http://www.calgarysun.com/perl-bin/niveau2.cgi?s=arts&p=78131.html&a=1

Def Lep neutered at packed 'Dome show

by  Mike Bell
Calgary Sun

The mind is a wonderful thing. It can, for example, shield us from traumatic
past experiences by burying them so deep inside the memory banks that only a
face-to-face encounter can reawaken them.

Case in point, those hideous, sleeveless Union Jack T-shirts made famous by
candy-coated, hairspray-scented British metal band Def Leppard.

So much for the joy of repressed memories.

But for the 10,500 or so fans Sept. 15 at the 'Dome, it was all about
remembering - some came for a goofy retro giggle, others for the serious
reconnection with their party-hard past.

There would be nothing wrong with that if the veteran quintet delivered the
goods.

Sure, the songs themselves were there - Let It Go, Bringin' On the Heartbreak,
Rocket, Hysteria, and 20 or more from Def Lep's waning 25-year career, including
tracks from their tepid latest release, X - but the performances were hardly
inspiring.

Compared to other throwback acts, such as Aerosmith and AC/DC, the band's
on-stage energy level and showmanship has dipped incredibly.

Of course, the members are older, but for the most part they carried themselves
so ... well, so old.

Lumbering frontman Joe Elliott was the epitome of that problem. While vocally
sounding pretty good, Elliot executed half-moves with all of the dexterity of
Brando's chain-smoking older brother.

Even the light show and stage setup were pale reminders of an excessive past -
the arena rock equivalent of minimalist.

All of which goes to undermine the whole idea of a Def Lep concert. It's
supposed to remind you of how good things were, not flaunt the sad reality of
the way they are now.

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