Def Leppard, Wembley Arena, London

Tag : Synthetical Suede


Led Zeppelin chose the relative glitz of the O2 Arena for theircomeback. But in Wembley Arena's shed of a rock venue, whereold-fashioned fans feel more comfortable, Def Leppard are carryingon regardless.
The band have been on hard rock's cutting edge twice in theircareers. Thirty years ago, as part of the new wave of heavy metal,they took a punk-like axe to the blowsy solos of Jimmy Page'sgeneration. Then, with producer Mutt Lange, they took rock into the1980s' techno-pop heart with Pyromania (1983), a massive-sellingmonster that duked it out with Michael Jackson in the US, and gavelessons in studio sheen and shag haircuts to Bon Jovi and SpinalTap. The latter also spoofed Leppard's one-armed drummer, RickAllen. His retention after the car crash that cost him a limb showstheir fortitude. But, never taken seriously even by rock fans inthe UK, the cutting edges that Def Leppard found led them nowherespecial.
They open here with their biggest 1980s hits, "Rocket" and"Animal", spliced with material from redundant new album Songs fromthe Sparkle Lounge. The soggy 1995 power ballad "When Love & HateCollide" makes Westlife look hardcore, the acoustic guitars for"Two Steps Behind" only making things worse.
The idea that Leppard connect to rock'n'roll's primal source,suggested on "Blue Suede Shoes"-quoting "Rock On" and others,meanwhile, seems sacrilegious. But it is not wholly wrong, as theyprove when they hit this show's heart.
Singer Joe Elliott tosses the acoustic guitar to a roadie, as if tosignal, "Enough of that". Then "Hysteria" begins. Elliott andbassist Rick Savage bend towards the crowd, and topless guitariststake soloing turns, to authenticate the music's layered harmoniesand undodgeable 1980s synthetic punch. "Pour Some Sugar On Me" hasa metallic smack shared with Sheffield contemporaries ABC, morethan tonight's harder co-headliners, Whitesnake.
"We got something to say," goes "Rock of Ages". But they don't.There's no poetry, meaning or rebellion here. Just asledgeham-mering to success from working-class roots. Carryingmiddle-aged heft in a tossed-on T-shirt, Elliott is barely a rockstar. But, prancing round the stage and hitting high notestechnology lets hang in the air, he does enough. Sheer volume anddrive get even my cynical feet dancing.
All Def Leppard have, really, is a tricked-up version of rock'soriginal beat, and the tenacity to keep playing it when most peoplethink they're a joke. For their fans, that's admirable.
Def Leppard resume their UK tour from 14 to 17 July(www.defleppard.com)
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