Def Leppard/Journey, 2006
I know, it’s been a while since I’ve blogged… a long while. Sorry. We do have some new videos and things of the kids coming so I’ll blog on those shortly… Right now, though, let’s talk music. Actually, tours… Specifically, last Saturday night’s kick butt show featuring co-headliners Journey and Def Leppard at Bloomington’s new U.S. Cellular Coliseum! Summary: nice venue (some accessibility worries due to lack of possible seats for wheelchairs) and a rockin’ show that was a bit short.
The Coliseum was new in 2005 and hosts indoor football, hockey, and concert/show events. Journey and Def Leppard was the first tour we cared about not being fans of John Mellencamp, Sheryl Crow, or Kenny Rogers. (Eek!) Being a new facility it has pretty good accessibility to wheelchairs although staff seemed a bit confused as to where we were to sit. We ended up on the top floor near the Suites which is OK as refreshments and restrooms are near. However, they put wheelchair parties in 4 sort of “alcoves” that stick out between two long “bar” style rows of seats along the back of the arena. If you look at the Seating Chart for Concerts, the area I refer to is between sections 106 and 111 at the back. That’s it. To top it off, each of the alcoves had a big spotlight set up in the middle which took up at least 4 chair widths left-to-right not to mention 3-4 rows of seats. When we finally got to our spot in 109, the ushers told us that, due to so many wheelchairs, I could sit in front, but Connie would sit behind me! Cozy. We weren’t happy and Connie did a masterfully effective job of communicating it. We were moved and sat side-by-side, but Connie’s brother sat/stood behind us. The one good part is that, unlike many arenas, like the Peoria Civic Center, the row in front of us was so low no one could stand in front of me so I could not see! That was excellent and possibly a first for me in 20+ years of concerts. A small downer is that, for safety, a glass barrier lines that back section so no one falls off. This is good, of course, but in a wheelchair or seated you feel cut off from the crowd and the sound is less loud. Not bad, though. I do want to speak to someone about those limited seating choices.
Now, for the show. We came in while the opening act, Stoll Vaughn, finished. Don’t know anything about him, sorry. Journey and Def Leppard both rocked hard, belying their ages. But, their shows combined were only 2 and one half hours including stage changes. Both bands took advantage of a big projection screen showing both live band shots with background video complimentary to each song. But, Def Leppard’s stage was much more elaborate with stairs, risers, and pyro. Journey’s was fairly plain and only new/temp singer Jeff Scott Soto moved a lot. It made Journey appear to be an opening act to me.
Journey’s set:
Journey only played 15 songs including one encore. Good energy, excellent musicianship. Soto filled in well for Steve Augeri although he looks like the goofy leader of Counting Crows. Connie said it was a good show if you didn’t look at him.
- “Stone In Love” - good choice, but my money was on “Separate Wats” to open.
- “Ask the Lonely.”
- “Wheel In the Sky” - the first of several concert faves that were not hits.
- “Edge of the Blade” - deep cut from the “Frontiers” LP. The first song that made me go “What the…?”
- “I’ll Be All Right Without You” - hit from the way too poppy “Raised on Radio” LP where Steve Perry ruined Journey..
- “Chain Reaction” - another interesting non-hit from “Frontiers”.
- “Lights” - a classic.
- “Open Arms” - ably sung by drummer Dean Castronovo.
- “Lovin’ Touchin’ Squeazin’” - the song that introduced Journey to radio.
- “Escape” - title cut to the LP. Not a big hit, but damn good live tune.
- “Wanted Dead or Alive” - another “Escape” deep cut. Not a hit but rocks.
- “Faithfully” - the huge hit also sung by Castronovo. They included on the video screen clips from the current road tour, the original video (Steve Perry was even on screen) and past family clips which made it cool. Originally about being away from their ladies while on tour, now it’s also about their families. Castronovo held up a picture of his little son at the end and kissed it. He got a big response from the crowd, especially me having my own toddler at home.
- “Don’t Stop Believin’” - huge hit, gotta’ do it.
- “Any Way You Want It” - biggest hit prior to the phenomenon called “Esacpe.” Still makes me think of “Caddyshack.”
- “Separate Ways” - the encore.
Good show and a lot of fun, but it’s odd to me not to hear songs like “Too Late,” “Anytime,” and “Walks Like a Lady.” And, they did nothing from their records with Steve Augeri. I’d been listening to the last, “Generations,” all week and was psyched to hear live versions. Still, Soto did well and I hope Steve Augeri recovers from his ailment that kept him from the tour.
Def Leppard’s set:
- “Let’s Get Rocked” - Joe Elliott joins his bandmates on a dimly lit stage and growls “Do you wanna get rocked?” and the band goes straight to 11.
- “Lit It Go” - from “High n Dry,” the album that really introduced the young Brits from Sheffield to America. This is my 3rd time seeing them in the “modern era” since 2000 (I never saw them in their hedonistic prime) and it’s the first time I’ve seen them play anything pre-”Pyromania” except “Bringing on the Heartbreak.” Joe cannot quite hit the high notes anymore but it still rocked. My brother-in-law and I were in high school flashback Heaven!
- “Foolin” - one of several “Pyromania” hits
- “Bringing on the Heartbreak” - from “High n Dry” and the remixed, reissued version was a big hit after the monster called “Pyromania” made them rock gods.
- “Make Love Like a Man” - from “Adrenalize” which was the last big hit for them, although I think they’ve still made good records since.
- “Hysteria” - title track from their huge comeback record done after Rick Allen lost his arm. Huge album when I was at WIU.
- “20th Century Man” - cover of the T-Rex classic from the new album “Yeah!” It’s all covers but I like it and I guess it’s doing relatively well both critically and commercially. Not “Pyromania” well, but well for the 2006 version of Def Leppard.
- “Rock On” - another cover from “Yeah!” and great live. This was it for “Yeah!” in the show, though. I’d like to have heard more.
- “Rocket” - from “Hysteria”. They could play hits from this record for 30 minutes or more straight. Very long but cool version combined with the light show and video.
- “Photograph” - this one from “Pyromania” made them pop gods and intoduced us to the “Union Jack tee shirt” which I still have and my step-son wears on “Nostalgia Day”. Sigh.
- “Armageddon It” - the radio hits keep coming.
- “Animal” - and keep coming…
- “Rock of Ages” - the “rocker” from “Pyromania” closed the regular show.
- “Love Bites” - a pseudo-ballad starts the encore.
- “Pour Some Sugar On Me” - can’t leave this perennial stripper song off, can we? Good ending to a great show.
Not a bad set list at all. Of course, I would like to hear the acoustic “Two Steps Behind” that I’ve seen them do before and maybe “Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad” but that’s probably ballad overkill in a shortened set. “Let It Go” left me wanting more “old school” from “High N Dry” and “On Through the Night.” You know, they sell t-shirts with “Rock Brigade” on the back but don’t play that one, or its album-mate “Wasted,” live. Why put it on the shirt if you won’t play it? I know they were babies when they made that first record, but it’s what got them touring here and I still think it rocks. And, nothing from the newer “Euphoria” or “X” which have some good tracks, if no huge hits. (”Paper Sun” and “Promises” from “Euphoria” got some rock radio airplay a few years ago. Good rock/pop songs.) And, no “Gods of War” which is way cool live. (It was originally aimed at Reagan and Thatcher in the ’80s but when we saw them in 2005, the video accompanying it was aimed at Bush and Blair and they’re stupid war.) But, in a shortened set, somethings gotta’ go and I guess you do a mix of biggees, concert faves and some from the new record.
Still, good set from the Leppards. And, although they’re older, they still rocked. Phil Collen always ends up shirtless during a show but this time STARTED that way showing off the fact that he’s very much in shape. They all moved about the stage constantly unlike Journey. Again, like Jon Bon Jovi in his 40s, Joe Elliott can’t do the high notes he once could, but he’s still a rocker and so are his bandmates.
A good show and I’ll keep seeing both bands whenever possible. Now, when is TESLA coming back???