Where do I start on this one? Well, first of all, the ampitheatre was packed! I was talking to one "Hi Fi Buys Ampitheatre Enthusiast" who claimed it was the most crowded it had ever been. No big surprise, however, considering three of the biggest acts of the late 70's thru the 80's were showing up in one show. Def Leppard sure does know how to pick opening acts.

The night started out with The River's Tailgate party where Flyer quenched our classics thirst. At about five, people started to line up and try and be one of the first in, you know...all sneaky-like. At about five twenty, everyone was in line being all sneaky-like. Unfortunately for us, doors didn't open until six, but what's 40 minutes waiting in line? Plus, the heat made at least 10 pounds of water weight just evaporate out of us, so some benefited by waiting in a huddled mass, after all.

It's six, and the doors are opened. Of course there are always the inspectors, making sure you aren't sneaking in something dreaded like a lawn chair, but it's pretty quick getting through. First stop: bathroom duh. Second stop: T-shirt booth, got to beat the crowds, and before we knew it Foreigner was being introduced.

In front of a Foreigner themed backdrop, Mick Jones (the only original member) and company took the stage, and the opening riff of "Double Vision" brought the crowd to it's feet. And we all had a healthy amount of euphoria building up inside us as the wailing guitar intro of "Head Games" blared through the huge speakers. Luckily for us, they took care of some of the heat also, with the next song, "Cold As Ice" but after this I had to temporarily leave the Foreigner-fest. I was off to meet Joe Elliot and Phil Collen of Def Leppard.

There were about 12 or 13 of us outside the Rose Garden (Hi Fi Buy's meet and greet hideaway) anxiously awaiting Joe Elliot, lead singer, and Phil Collen, lead guitarist. I kept a steady music conversation with the friendly couple I met outside, and after the longest 15 minutes of my life, the two people we had been waiting for came out. Genuinely nice, they made my night. Oh, and after Foreigner cancelled their meet and greet we got the consolation prize of a signed picture and live CD, but hey I'm not complaining.

I returned to my seat shortly before Foreigner's last song. However, I could hear and make out each song as they went by and they went on as follows after "Cold As Ice": an excellent rendition of "Dirty White Boy", the classic "Feels Like The First Time", the crowd pleasing "Urgent", and of course the tale of making it to the top, "Juke Box Hero" (accompanied with Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" in the middle done 'Foreigner style'). I was back just in time to go crazy with everyone else as "Hot Blooded" seared through our ears. An interesting side note, by the way, is that it must have been at least 103 degrees outside, so we could all relate with what Kelly Hansen was wailing from behind the mic during this last one.

And just like that, Foreigner was gone, and their set was being torn down. Conversation commenced as we awaited the grand illusionists that are Styx. And as the distorted keyboard introduced my personal favorite song, "Blue Collar Man", you could feel the excitement build. Not long after, we were formally welcomed to the "Grand Illusion" by singer/ keyboardist/ master showman Lawrence Gowan, Dennis DeYoung's replacement and, boy, was he a showman. Throughout the concert he entertained us with a rotary keyboard stand, and he could play his solos with one hand behind his back - literally. Then, the ever popular Tommy Shaw took the mic again as the memorable 'wooshes' (for lack of a better word) opened "Too Much Time On My Hands". "Foolin' Yourself" followed, giving Mr. Shaw much mic time, but I'm not complaining. A short intro followed and everyone's favorite pageant queen criticism anthem (you know, since there are so many), "Miss America", recruited some headbangers bringing JY to the mic at last. Then Lawrence, Mr. Showman, once again started to use those vocal cords. He sang everything from the cliché repeat "Hey-ay-ay-ay-yeah" after me, to the first bars of Queen's "Fat Bottomed Girls". Then, he sang exactly what we wanted to repeat after him, "Come Sail Away, Come Sail Away..."well you know the rest and he manned the keyboards and the lighters came out. I apologize to the person I hit when part of a lighter flew off into the crowd behind me, wherever you are. Upon the climax of "Come Sail Away", Lawrence stood on the keyboard wailing about "the gathering of angels" and before we knew it, the best performance of the night so far was over. Of course, there was an encore; you should've heard the crowd. Tommy started the oh-so-familiar a cappella lines of "Renegade". The calm before the storm. And then they were gone, and I for one, was wondering how Def Leppard was going to follow that.

After the wait, they sure did. Joe belted the familiar "Guitar! Drums!" of "Rocket's" beginning (in the single version that is) and we were off on a collision course to crash into his heart. That was followed by the lust anthem of "Animal" and everyone was excited when "Exciteable" came on. Then things took a turn for the darker side of the British rock icons. Foolin's jangly guitar opening invited us all to sing along, and did we ever as it progressed heavier and heavier. Coming to the concert, I expected every song to be a Pyromania or a Hysteria song. Those were, after all, the epitomes of Def Leppard albums according to critics. For a short while, the much forgotten High and Dry (their second album) ruled the stage, and for this I was elated. They started with the heavy Mirror Mirror (Look Into My Eyes). How heavy was it, you ask? Let's just say Mötley Crüe would've been shaking in their boots. Following this was the second track of that 1981 album, Another Hit and Run, once again bringing the headbanger out in everyone, and things went quiet again. The familiar opening statements of "Love Bites" the classic hurting anthem, had the girls go crazy and I was pretty psyched too, I'm not going to lie. At the end, only "Sav" (Rick Savage) kept playing on that Union Jack bass of his, an extended bass solo, leading into David Essex's "Rock On", which they covered in their 2006 cover album YEAH!. Following that, they broke out the acoustic guitars, but the first song we sang along to was "Happy Birthday to Viv", because it was the second guitarist, Vivian Cambell's birthday. Their 1993 hit single "Two Steps Behind" from the album Retroactive followed. Of course, there was an uproar when "Bringing on the Heartbreak" came next. Def Leppard's gift to us was the chance to sing the chorus each time for them, until after the second one, during which Phil and Viv went to get the electrics. The guitar solo broke out and they finished in style. OK, stay with me here: on the album High and Dry, "Bringing on the Heartbreak" is followed by an instrumental piece by former guitarist, Steve Clark, called "Switch 625", and this could possibly be my favorite Leppard song. Naturally, I was elated when they went straight into it, because they just made my night. We were invited to sing along again when the familiar "Hysteria" off of Hysteria (go figure) (1987) rang out, and then ballad time was over as the Pyromania/ Hysteria selection crowd pleasers were brought in. "Armageddon It" made sure we were all getting it, and then the epitome of 'pining' songs, "Photograph", reminded us why power ballads were called POWER ballads. Finally, what is a Def Leppard concert without a heavy version of their biggest hit, "Pour Some Sugar on Me"? Being the best act of the night, they naturally were brought out for an encore. This last song started with four words every Def Leppard fan loves..."gunter gliben glauten globen" and Rick Allen (their iconic one-armed drummer) cured our cowbell fever with "Rock of Ages" to end the night.

In conclusion, these three bands, although aging, are still on top and showing these new (mostly horrendous) bands who is boss. Leaving was the worst part of the concert.

-JJ Posway

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