Most prominent classic-rock bands either disband or gravitate to the state and county fair circuit two decades after scoring their last big hit. Def Leppard and Poison, however, continue to perform in arenas after the majority of their fans stopped purchasing their latest releases.
With only one exception, both acts enthusiastically played nothing but their most beloved material. It didn’t hurt that every musician who crossed the vast stage seemed remarkably fit and trim, allowing fans to pretend that they’d been magically transported to the late 1980s.
Def Leppard is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its release of “Hysteria,” the 1987 album that’s been characterized as the hard rock version of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” The British hair metal quintet offered faithful renditions of eight of the album’s 12 songs.
The delectable pop of “Love Bites” and the stately shimmer of the title track remain as sweet and refreshing as the frozen drinks served at the convenience store inside the Sprint Center. The absurdly infectious “Pour Some Sugar on Me” and “Armageddon It” make a case for Def Leppard as the definitive arena rock act. Only when vocalist Joe Elliott uttered the unwelcome phrase “this is our new single” did the energy wane.
The band’s technically precise performance was enhanced by flawless sound reproduction. The live and recorded images displayed on seven video screens were similarly pristine. Poison doesn’t require such subtleties. While Def Leppard’s 100-minute set was rigidly orchestrated and immaculately rendered, Poison demonstrated that its members value rugged charm more than perfection in their blistering 55-minute outing.
A sloppy version of Grand Funk Railroad’s “We’re an American Band” epitomized the quartet’s scurrilous sensibility. The cheerfully unpretentious frontman Brett Michaels invested hits including “Look What the Cat Dragged In” and “Talk Dirty to Me” with a carefree swagger. The evening began with a bracing 30-minute showing by rock ’n’ roll veteran Lita Ford.
While Ford hadn’t performed in the area in recent memory, Def Leppard and Poison appeared at the Sprinter Center in 2011. They might have returned too soon. Def Leppard’s concert in August attracted 3,000 more fans than Wednesday’s event. The band certainly won’t be booked at the Johnson County Fair in the foreseeable future, but it might consider taking a well-deserved break from the road.
Poison: Look What the Cat Dragged In, Ride the Wind, We’re an American Band, Your Mama Don’t Dance, Fallen Angel, Unskinny Bop, Every Rose has its Thorn, Talk Dirty to Me, Nothin’ But a Good Time, Lita Ford, The Bitch is Back, Out for Blood, Gotta Let Go, Living Like a Runaway, Branded, Close My Eyes Forever, Kiss Me Deadly
| Bill Brownlee, Special to The Star
How did Lita look? She used to be smokin' hot.
Posted by: Reacher | June 28, 2012 at 01:43 PM
"Pyromania" was the first album I ever bought. I saw them in 1988 and guess I have no desire to see them again.
Posted by: Steve J | June 28, 2012 at 02:03 PM
Reacher, for actual pics of the Sprint Center - LITA FORD gig, go to the Sprint Center Facebook page. They have several of her - still looks great. Anyone remember when LITA FORD did an autograph session at the old Venture store in Overland Park? Must've been at (least) twenty years ago.
Posted by: Bubba | June 28, 2012 at 04:33 PM
Saw Def Leppard in December 1987 at Kemper Arena and they drew 13,000. It was their Hysteria tour and it was in the round and Tesla opened the show.
I thought more would go to this show and they drew 11,000 in 2011. I guess they're touring too often.
Posted by: Kurt | June 28, 2012 at 07:42 PM
Yeah, Kurt - that would be my guess too - that DEF LEPPARD has been touring the U. S. too often. However, they often do have should-see support bands like last year they had HEART and this time around, it was - of course LITA FORD. In 2006, I saw them at Sandstone with co-headliner JOURNEY with one-time vocalist JEFF SCOTT SOTO. I sat in tenth row and I was the only patron that I (knew of) who even knew who SOTO was.
Posted by: Bubba | June 28, 2012 at 08:16 PM
Best Def Lep performance I saw (I've seen them four times over the years) was them opening for Blackfoot, of all bands, at Memorial Hall on the HIGH AND DRY tour back in the early 80's. Missed them this time, but last year's show with Heart wasn't bad, although the Wilson sisters bested them on that night. Just wanted to say that this show would have been better served at Municipal Auditorium, which seats about 10,000. I miss concerts at that place. The sound isn't perfect, but it isn't really all that great at the Sprint Center either. Municipal just has a good vibe, just like Memorial Hall did for shows.
Posted by: Geordan | June 29, 2012 at 08:52 AM
Saw Def Leppard in December 1987 at BSU Pavilion in Boise, ID. It was their Hysteria tour and it was in the round and Tesla opened the show.
I got their autographs at the Red Lion Inn bar after the show, (all except the drummer, he had a drink in his hand). *rim shot*
True Story.
Also, I never have had the desire to see Def Leppard since then. I figured they wouldn't be getting any better than that.
Posted by: KC Jones | June 29, 2012 at 10:34 AM
Bubba, Jeff Scott Soto was with Yngwie Malmsteen and is now with Trans-Siberian Orchestra. He's with their west touring company and TSO has an east touring company also.
It's probably pretty hard for Def Leppard to top that Hysteria tour and it had a massive stage with great lighting and lasers. It was only the 2nd tour I've seen that was in the round and the other was Phil Collins in April 1997 at Kemper Arena.
Posted by: Kurt | June 29, 2012 at 11:32 AM
Kurt, the DEF LEP gig that I saw in 2006 with JOURNEY was damn good! I thought. Yep, I know all about JEFF SCOTT SOTO now being with Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
Geordan, I remember hearing about when DEF LEP had opened for BLACKFOOT in 1981. I, too miss catching shows at Memorial Hall. People often ask me why they don't have shows there anymore. My guess is it might have something to do with the crime rate in that area. Memorial Hall used to be the city's coolest mid-sized venue to catch a show. Now, it seems to be the Midland. I used to LOVE Memorial Hall shows - and going to Griffs burger place after the show or to Go Chicken Go over in that neighborhood. One of the most memorable Memorial Hall shows - ROBERT PLANT - autumn 1993.
Posted by: Bubba | June 29, 2012 at 01:16 PM
Griffs was awesome. Not sure if it's the crime thing as that neighborhood might actually be better now than it was 10-15 years ago. Some hipster and yuppie types starting to move into that area now. I loved Memorial shows, but think their lack of shows has more to do with better, similar-sized venues either opening up or being renovated in recent years. Seems to me that the Midland probably gets alot of the shows that used to end up at Memorial as they were barely a player during MH's heyday. I looked at their website and it looks like they basically just book weddings, graduations and corporate events now.
Posted by: pellboy | June 29, 2012 at 02:00 PM
Bubba, I was at the Robert Plant show, too. Great show. Another memorable show their was Jimmy Page in '88. It was originally scheduled for Kemper Arena, but was moved to Memorial Hall due to low ticket sales. He rocked that place so hard I thought the roof was going to cave in.
Posted by: ron | June 29, 2012 at 08:12 PM
Pellboy, a lot of changes took place in the local music scene in 2007.
More or less,
Sprint Center picked up the high-dollar shows from Kemper and Sandstone.
Midland became like the new Uptown.
Sandstone became like the new City Market Square.
Years prior to that - the Beaumont became like the new Lone Star.
More recently, the Independence Event Center has (sort of) become like the new Municipal Auditorium.
Posted by: Bubba | June 29, 2012 at 10:02 PM
I'm still amazed that Rick Allen is able to manage the drums with only one arm. He lost his arm when, he wrecked his corvette into a wall on December 31, 1984.
Posted by: Kurt | June 30, 2012 at 09:01 AM
I saw Ted Nugent at Memorial Hall in 83? and Def Leppard and Scorpions opened
Posted by: Gary Dean | June 30, 2012 at 12:36 PM
Gary Dean, no no. I have heard about that gig you're speaking of. I've heard from MANY old timers. It was summer 1980. NUGENT opened, SCORPIONS were the 2nd band. DEF LEPPARD were on their first U.S. trek tour support their first lp. In an old Circus Magazine from 1984, there's an article that talks of that very concert. I bought a copy from Recycled Sounds maybe ten (or more) years ago.
Kurt, as for drummer, RICK ALLEN. I'm sure he had a LOT of support from the other band members. Plus his determination has most likely kept him going. He doesn't appear to be struggling to play the drums. I saw them in 2006 and 2007.
Posted by: Bubba | June 30, 2012 at 01:46 PM
Sorry Bro it says right here
I know I burn som brain cells so I check, It was Kemper not Memorial though.
http://www.deflepparduk.com/1980kansascity.html
Tour - On Through The Night/Frenzoid
Fan Recorded - none yet
Venue Website - Here
Area Map - Google
Last Played City - n/a
Capacity - 18,500
Attendance - 9,586
Headliner - Ted Nugent
Support Act - Scorpions
Support Act - Def Leppard
Posted by: Gary Dean | July 01, 2012 at 06:23 PM
I bet that rocked!
Posted by: ron | July 01, 2012 at 08:03 PM
Yes it ROCKED!!! The good old days.
I was at the show, and I guarantee it was at Kemper arena.
Ted came swinging out on the rope in only a loin clothe... and kept going on and on abbout how sad he was that he couldnt eat all that sweet KC pu$$y..... it was kind of funny..... Def Lep was in support of their first album. the Scorp were awesome too, as usual.... it the hight of their spandex days
Posted by: DT | July 02, 2012 at 01:19 PM