Date: Saturday, December 21, 2002
City: Cedar Rapids, IA
Venue: US Cellular Center
Opening act(s): Ricky Warwick
Headlining act: Def Leppard
Def Leppard Soundcheck:
Promises
Rocket
Let It Go
Ricky Warwick Setlist:
The Church Of Paranoia
Three Sides To Every Story
Nothing Is Real
The Genuine Fool
God Only Loves Rich Kids
New Neighbors, Old Fence
Ending Is Better Than Mending
Def Leppard Setlist:
Let It Go
Another Hit And Run
High ‘N’ Dry (Saturday Night)
Bringin’ On The Heartbreak
Switch 625
Foolin’
Too Late For Love
You’re So Beautiful
Hysteria
Long, Long Way To Go
Four Letter Word
Promises
Now
Women
Rocket
Photograph
Animal
Armageddon It
Pour Some Sugar On Me
Rock Of Ages
———————
Love Bites
Let’s Get Rocked
Notes:
- First time seeing the band on the 2002-2003 X Tour.
- First time seeing “High ‘N’ Dry (Saturday Night),” “You’re So Beautiful,” “Long, Long Way To Go,” “Four Letter Word,” and “Now” live.
- First time seeing “Let It Go” open the show. Second opener total. First song to open and close a show that I’ve seen.
- First time seeing “Let It Go” since December 29, 1999 in Peoria, IL (show #4).
- First time seeing “Another Hit And Run” since July 30, 1996 in St. Louis, MO (show #1).
- First time seeing the album version of “Bringin’ On The Heartbreak” and “Switch 625” since July 30, 1996 (show #1).
- First time seeing “Too Late For Love” since September 2, 1999 in Du Quoin, IL (show #3).
- First time seeing the extended album version of “Rocket.”
- The drums went out during “Rock Of Ages.”
- Longest show to date with 22 songs performed.
- Show #1 at this venue.
Audio:
Review:
The return of Def Leppard. The first time seeing them in over two years. Two very long years.
I had kept myself from reading any of the setlists online to return the element of suprise to seeing concerts. For the two Def Leppard concerts in 2000, I had seen what they had been playing ahead of time and it took some fun out of the show knowing what they were going to do. This time I kept myself from seeing anything. I had, however, found out that they had opened with “Ring Of Fire” for some shows, after a fellow fan had sent me an instant message saying they played it and I couldn’t avoid the message.
Since the hotel was connected to the arena, I was able to hear when the band started their soundcheck. I ran downstairs and stood outside of the venue, hearing the band run through “Promises.” Then, much to my surprise, they rehearsed the extended album version of “Rocket.” And finally, they played “Let It Go.” So there were a couple more spoilers for me but I love getting to hear them soundcheck.
Adding to the spoilers was another fan who spotted me while I listened to the band’s soudncheck. He mentioned that he ran into Phil earlier in the day, making me extremely envious, and that Phil told him they were going to open with “High ‘N’ Dry.” I assumed he meant the song “High ‘N’ Dry (Saturday Night),” so I considered the night’s opening song spoiled too. But! I was excited as I hadn’t seen that one live before.
Soon enough, it was show time and my mom and I took our seats near the front row of the second level seats on Viv’s side of the stage.
The opener for this tour is Ricky Warwick, a friend of Joe’s and the former frontman of a band called The Almighty. He’s got guts, as he took the stage all by himself after an introduction from Malvin Mortimer. Just a man and his acoustic guitar. I wasn’t sure what to expect from that, but really enjoyed his short set. Especially the first two songs, “The Church of Paranoia” and “Three Sides To Every Story.”
Then came the longest part of the evening, waiting for Def Leppard to take the stage. Finally, my two-plus year wait to see them again would come to an end.
Many of the same intro songs from the last tour were featured, the last two being Queen’s “We Will Rock You” and Gary Glitter’s “Rock And Roll Part 2.” After that song, the arena went dark, and Def Leppard’s “Disintegrate” came blasting over the PA as the lights went crazy.
Much to my surprise, Def Leppard didn’t open with “High ‘N’ Dry” the song… They opened with the entire first side of the album. Phil kicked things off with the riff of “Let It Go,” catching me off guard since I thought I knew what was coming. The second song also kept me guessing, as they wasted no time in going into “Another Hit And Run.” That song was featured in my very first show in 1996, but at nine years old, I wasn’t very familiar with it. As I got older, I became well acquainted with the High ‘N’ Dry album and “Another Hit And Run” had become one of my favorite songs. So it was awesome to get to see it again. Then came the song I thought was going to open the show, “High ‘N’ Dry (Saturday Night).” As previously mentioned, it was my first time seeing the song live and I loved every minute of it. The band continued with the High ‘N’ Dry album, performing the full electric version of “Bringin’ On The Heartbreak.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, as this opening run of songs was unlike anything the band had ever done. I was even more excited when Sav continued strumming the bass at the end of “Heartbreak,” as I knew that meant they were going to play “Switch 625.”
Finally the band took a breather, as the lights came up for Joe to say “good evening.” That led into the classic sing-a-long, “Foolin’.” The lights stayed down as the intro of “Too Late For Love” started, a song I hadn’t seen played since the early part of the Euphoria tour.
Perhaps my most anticipated part of the show kicked off next, as Joe introduced the X album. It got a pretty good response, and they started off the new songs with my personal favorite song from the new album, “You’re So Beautiful.” It sounded great live.
It went down well, but the crowd made even more noise for the track that followed: “Hysteria.” They kept it slow with one of their best ballads in recent years, “Long, Long Way To Go.” It sounded very good live, even with electric guitars. After this they picked up the pace with the new rock radio song (that was tearing up the charts, according to Joe), “Four Letter Word.” That was followed by the 1999 #1 rock single “Promises” from the Euphoria album. Then came a little story about their latest music video, which was for the X album’s lead single, “Now.” The song sounded extra heavy live and it was neat to see Joe playing acoustic guitar while the band was still fully electric.
The lights went down as Viv played the final notes of “Now.” Then Phil ripped into the intro for “Women,” which was slightly extended.
What followed was the greatest guitar performance I had ever seen as the band played the extended album version of “Rocket,” featuring a long section of guitar dueling between Vivian and Phil. It was similar to what was done on the Adrenalize tour, but updated.
That started the stream of hits, which blasted through “Photograph,” “Animal,” “Armageddon It,” and “Pour Some Sugar On Me” (during which a hot little elf came out and flashed Joe everything…) before coming to a halt to chat a little bit.
Joe introduced the man at the back, Mr. Rick Allen, for the next song. Although the next song, “Rock Of Ages,” was Rick’s big moment, it all seemed to be ripped away during the first few seconds, as suddenly there was almost no sound coming from the drum kit. I knew something was up when the recorded intro for “Rock Of Ages” didn’t play, leaving Joe to say it into the mic. Rick improvised as best he could and played with his arm during the chorus & solo to keep it sounding good. So although there was just Sav keeping the beat during the verses, Rick had his input. Afterwards, Joe came up to him and put his arm around him, showing what being in a band for 25+ years means.
During the encore break, a tech came out to fix the drum kit in the darkness.
When the band returned, Joe told a little story of the Christmas Gremlins getting into the drum kit. Then they played “Love Bites” and “Let’s Get Rocked” to end the night. The lights came on, my voice was gone, and the walk back to the hotel room took just 5 minutes since the arena was connected to a very nice hotel.
The band just happened to be staying there. They must’ve snuck up after the show, but I did meet Malvin after the show in the hotel. It was pretty funny because two women saw him walking along, asked him if he worked for the band, he said no and they said “oh” and kept walking. I knew better though. I talked to him in an elevator, and he was really nice and cool. He even gave me some advice, as he said my best chance to meet the guys in the band would be the next morning when they check out since they liked to check out for themselves, and there would be no rush since tonight was the last show of this leg of the tour.
I got up the next morning and hung out in the lobby with my Cybernauts and X CD booklets & a silver marker ready. Malvin came down and checked out for the guys, not something that usually happens.
After seeing Malvin check out for the guys, I was ready to call it a day. I figured they had either already left or wouldn’t be coming through the lobby, so I made my way to the elevator to head back up to the room. Just then, the elevator opened, and my eyes got as wide as possible at what I saw. It was Phil Collen. There he was, just standing in the elevator. I got on the elevator and talked to him for a few minutes. He asked if I enjoyed the show, and I said that I loved it. Then he signed my CD booklets, even asking if I got the two disc version of the Cybernauts album. He is such a cool guy, very nice.
When we got to the bottom floor, Vivian and Rick Allen were both within walking distance, just outside the doors of the hotel. But since they were doing some stuff for the Make A Wish Foundation (I think, it was a charity though), I didn’t want to bother them. Viv waved at me as he was leaving though, which was very cool.
My seventh Leppard show instantly became my favorite, after an amazing two hour, 22 song setlist that featured so many of my favorite songs and four from their latest album. And it doesn’t get much better than getting to meet one of your heroes the next day!
Media Review:
Def Leppard Delivers Goods
Walking into the Def Leppard concert Saturday night at the U.S. Cellular Center was like tripping into the Twilight Zone. The “Rock of Ages” band apparently has become the “Rock of Aged” band.
Reserved seating? Don’t the organizers know hard rock audiences aren’t reserved?
“Classic rock” radio DJs introducing the evening? Is Def Leppard now Muzak?
No 18- to 25-year-olds in sight? Just their parents?
And as an opening act, Irish folk-rocker Ricky Warwick, with nothing but an acoustic guitar? He sang more eloquently than he spoke, using profanity as adjectives for everything including Christmas. Bah, humbug.
But then a wonderful thing happened. The lights started swirling, the music rose to a deafening din and 4,949 people started screaming like teenagers. The 30- to 50-somethings on the floor stayed by their chairs, but no one sat on them. A few even stood on them.
Fists pounded the energized air as ardently as the night before, when nearly 8,000 kids crammed the arena for a heavy metal marathon.
Def Leppard fans may be older, but they obviously were ready to get rocked. And the band obliged. With the opening crash of “Let it Go,” the British band that formed in 1977 was off and rolling.
It’s fueled by rock steady guitars from Phil Collen and Viv Campbell, relentless rhythms from Rick Allen on drums and Rick Savage on bass, and a voice from Joe Elliott that’s outlasted his melted metal peers from the ’80s.
Despite having the new “X” disc to promote, Def Leppard gave the crowd plenty to roar about. As the familiar strains of hit after hit hit their ears, fans started screaming, dancing and singing with abandon.
Vintage Leppard included “Bringin’ on the Heartbreak,” “Foolin,” “Too Late for Love,” “Rocket,” which launched a flurry of fists and yells, “Photograph,” “Armageddon It,” “Pour Some Sugar on Me,” “Rock of Ages,” “Love Bites” and “Let’s Get Rocked.”
Fans were treated to a preview of coming attractions from “X,” a collection of radio-friendly tunes that stands to put the band back on the airwaves. Tight harmonies and easy-to-grab hooks will reel in the fans, and just might snag their kids, too. That’s a tougher sell.
By Diana Nollen @ Cedar Rapids Gazette, 2002
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