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REVIEW: Def Leppard not endangered, yet
By: Rob Williams
Updated: August 13 at 10:30 PM CDT

Don't put Def Leppard on the endangered species list just yet.

They haven't had a major hit in more than a decade and their relevancy in 
today's musical climate is practically nil, but the hard-working quintet from 
Sheffield, England refuse to be put down. 

They have never stopped releasing albums and still remain a strong concert 
draw, as witnessed by the 8,000 fans that turned out at the MTS Centre last 
night for a healthy helping of hits from days gone by.

And on that front the band -- playing a make-up date for a cancelled April show 
-- didn't disappoint, offering the nostalgic audience almost everything they 
could want to hear from throughout Def Leppard's 31-year career.

Six of seven singles from 1987's 15-million seller Hysteria were sprinkled 
throughout the 90-minute set -- Hysteria, Rocket, Animal, Armageddon It, Pour 
Some Sugar On Me and Love Bites -- along with highlights from Pyromania and 
Adrenalize, including Foolin', Photograph and Rock of Ages.

The set was similar to their last two appearances here in 2002 and 2005 with 
some songs moved around and material from their new album Songs From the 
Sparkle Lounge replacing whatever new material they were pushing at the time 
(the less said about the album X the better).

For most nostalgia acts, playing new songs is a sure way to get fans out of 
their seats and into beer and washroom lines, but tracks like C'Mon C'Mon and 
Nine Lives held the crowd's attention nicely since both fit comfortably into 
the band's glossy pop-rock template.

Frontman Joe Elliott remains the focal point of the group, running around 
working the crowd and spending plenty of time on an extended T-shaped stage 
that ran into the audience. Guitarists Phil Collen and Viv Campbell and bassist 
Rick Savage prowled the stage chugging out familiar riffs and singing backup 
vocals into microphones scattered all over the setup's three tiers while 
drummer Rick Allen held court centre stage on his own riser in front of a giant 
video screen showing a variety of graphics and clips of the band from days gone 
by.

Allen left the stage while his bandmates gathered at the top of the T-stage 
with acoustic instruments for up close and personal versions of ballads Two 
Steps Behind and Bringing on the Heartache, both which had the audience singing 
along at Elliott's urging. They finished the latter song plugged in on the main 
stage.

Prior to Def Leppard, a youthful looking Billy Idol won over the crowd with 
70-minutes of well known singles from his '80s heyday, pumping his fist and 
sneering while singing hits like Eyes Without a Face, White Wedding, social 
favourite Mony Mony and set closer Rebel Yell. He even showed off his punk rock 
past with a version of Ready Steady Go, one of the best known songs from his 
former band Generation X.

The driving 1978 single fared much better than his misguided version of the 
Doors' L.A. Woman. On that one he pandered to the crowd -- which was already on 
his side -- by changing the lyrics to "Winnipeg woman." Yes, it was as cheesy 
as it sounds.

Idol was taking the place of prog-pop band Styx, who were originally slated to 
open in April, but had their own tour scheduled this month.
3 1/2 STARS 

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