http://greenvilleonline.com/entertainment/2003/04/21/200304215105.htm

Rock's Def Leppard roars
Posted Monday, April 21, 2003 - 11:51 pm

By Donna Isbell Walker
ENTERTAINMENT WRITER
dwalker@greenvillenews.com

Fire is a favorite musical subject of Def Leppard, and after Monday
night's concert at the Bi-Lo Center, it's easy to see why.

Playing a mix of old and new songs, obscure and familiar, the band ignited
a slow-burning fan response that reached its peak an hour or so into the
show and never let up. You could call it rock 'n' roll pyromania, to
borrow a word from the hugely popular 1983 Def Leppard album that started
it all.

Opening with "Ring of Fire," a lesser-known tune from its 1993 outtakes
collection "Retro Active," Def Leppard rocked until fans were ready to
drop - what fans there were, that is. Unfortunately, the arena was less
than half full. Too bad, because fans missed out on one of the most
dynamic rock 'n' roll shows Greenville has seen in a while.

Although the 25-million-selling Def Leppard hasn't had an enormous hit in
a few years, the band didn't fall into the pattern of so many other
once-mega groups whose popularity has moved down a few notches from the
stratosphere: They didn't play a tired greatest-hits show. The new album,
"X," got its share of attention.

As lead singer Joe Elliott said as he introduced the tune "Now," from the
"X" disc, it's "an album we stand behind and believe in and are very proud
of."

Elliott dedicated another new tune, "Long, Long Way to Go" to the American
and British soldiers in Iraq, setting off a deafening cheer.

Still, it was classic Def Leppard that fans came to see, and there was
plenty of it. Early in the show came a lacerating version of "Bringin' on
the Heartbreak," highlighted by Elliott's wailing vocals, followed up with
"Foolin'" and the playfully macho "Make Love Like a Man."

The biggest production number of the evening was an extended version of
"Rocket," with shirtless guitarist Phil Collen in the spotlight,
windmilling like Pete Townshend and falling on his back while still
playing.

Fan favorite "Pour Some Sugar on Me" got the place dancing, followed up
nicely by "Rock of Ages."

Elliott, who has traded in his '80s trademark shredded jeans for black
leather pants, still works the stage like a hyperactive 20-year-old, and
the female fans still scream.

But some of the biggest cheers of the evening were reserved for drummer
Rick Allen, rock 'n' roll's best-known - well, only - one-armed drummer,
who plays a specially designed kit and pounds the living daylights out of
it. He got to shine on a couple of smoking drum solos, and he made the
most of them.

Two hours and a couple gallons of sweat into the show, Def Leppard started
the encores, including "Let's Get Rocked." It's hard to imagine that
anyone in the audience didn't heed that advice.

Wednesday, April 23
Copyright 2003 The Greenville News.