http://www.torontosun.com/entertainment/columnists/jane_stevenson/2009/07/05/10030621-sun.html

Def Leppard still roars
By JANE STEVENSON

Last Updated: 5th July 2009, 10:38pm

"Don't need nothin' but a good time," goes that old rock chesnut by '80s 
glam-metal outfit Poison.

Well, look no further than Saturday night's trio of British heavy metal 
veterans Def Leppard with opening acts '70s pop-rock outfit Cheap Trick and 
Poison fronted by Bret Michaels of Rock Of Love Fame at the Molson Amphitheatre 
for a perfect example of that.

The three name acts drew a nearly sold-out crowd with Poison's party-hearty, 
fun vibe surprisingly giving more polished headliners Def Leppard a run for 
their money.

Cheap Trick got the four hours of music off to a start with a sturdy if 
uneventful 40-minute set which included their most famous hits I Want You To 
Want Me, Dream Police, and Surrender along with some suprising covers like 
Elvis Presley's Don't Be Cruel and The Beatles' A Day In The Life (they are 
going to be performing Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band at the Hilton in 
Las Vegas starting in September backed by a full orchestra.)

Guitarist Rick Nielsen, decked out in a bright purple suit, bow tie, and 
baseball hat, alongside frontman Robin Zander in an eye-straining silver top 
and white top hat, also offered up new tunes like These Days and Sick Man Of 
Europe from their new album, The Latest, but nobody seemed that interested.

Drummer Bun E. Carlos and bassist Tom Petersson rounded out the Cheap Trick 
lineup.

Then it was Poison's turn on stage and the combination of Michaels' non-stop 
earnest banter and gladhanding with fans, the band's reliance on pyrotechnics, 
the sizzling playing of guitarist C.C. Deville and tunes like Look What The Cat 
Dragged In, Every Rose Has Its Thorn, Talk Dirty To Me and Nothin' But A Good 
Time made for an entertaining 45-minute set.

"Contrary to what people might think - Canadians f---king kick ass," summarized 
Michaels, who showed no signs of suffering from the recent bump to the head he 
took from a descending backdrop during Poison's appearance on the Tony Awards.

He also didn't forget to thank the audience for watching the first three 
seasons of Rock Of Love, which have been hilariously parodied on Saturday Night 
Live.

Def Leppard, whose only Canadian date of their current tour is Toronto, clearly 
had its work cut out for them but rose to the occasion.

Major man candy was provided by shirtless and buff guitarist Phil Collen and 
equally attractive fellow axeman Vivian Campbell, with both men providing 
exciting solos that elevated every song in the band's 90-minute set.

The group, who hail from Sheffield, opened with a few bars of God Save The 
Queen and Union Jacks figured prominently whether on bassist Rick Savage's 
instrument or one-armed drummer Rick Allen's vest.

Frontman Joe Elliott, meanwhile, held down the singing end nicely, frequently 
venturing out on a catwalk to get closer to the crowd as did the other band 
members, most memorably during a two-song acoustic set of Two Steps Behind and 
Bringin' On The Heartbreak.

After covering David Essex's Rock On, Def Leppard's performance slowly climaxed 
toward the end with huge hits like Photograph, Pour Some Sugar on Me and Rock 
Of Ages with the show's finale punctuated by a previously planned fireworks 
display at Ontario Place.

SUN RATING: 3.5 OUT OF 5 

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