Def Leppard Live!
June 30, 2009 with Poison & Cheap Trick at the Comcast Center in Mansfield, Ma.
by Deb Rao
Staff Writer
One of the most anticipated tours of the summer Def Leppard/Poison/Cheap Trick rolled into the Comcast Center in Mansfield, Mass. Tuesday night performing to a near capacity crowd. The audience spanned a generation, as families brought their children to see the two legendary ’80s metal bands that are still at the top of their game today.
Kicking off the nights festivities at 6:45 P.M., Cheap Trick hit the stage for a colorful set, as guitarist Rick Nielsen dressed in a pink suit and 5-neck yellow plaid guitar cranked out the catchy riffs of “I Want You To Want Me”, and “Surrender”. Singer Robin Zander sporting a white hat was in good voice. Highlight of the Cheap Trick set was their hit ballad “The Flame.”
Rock of Love’s Bret Michaels and his band Poison hit the stage at 8 P.M. performing a 60-minute set of pure infectious pop. Opening with “Look What The Cat Dragged In,” Poison delivered a high-energized punch featuring Bret Michaels in pretty good voice for having suffered from the major Tony Awards incident a few weeks ago.
Highlights of the Poison set were the acoustic laden,” Every Rose Has Its Thorn”, and acoustic “Something To Believe In” in which Bret Michaels dedicated this song to the Armed Forces. Also the bluesy intro featuring Michaels on harmonica and C.C. Deville playing the blues was a fan favorite on “Mama Don’t Dance.”
Bret Michaels commented,” Poison has been coming to Boston for the past 22 years. Every year just keeps getting better and better. I am a rock and roll fan too. Every night I get to sit on the side of the stage and listen to Cheap Trick and Def Leppard. I want to thank Def Leppard for letting us be a part of this tour.”
Every Summer for the past nine years, since the Power To The People Tour, I have been coming to see Poison perform. I have to say this year, the band’s performance seemed to be re-energized. Although, the set list was the same, Poison had everyone one their feet and ready to rock.
After the concert Bret Michaels hosted a Bret Michaels after-party at the Hard Rock Cafe in Boston.
Poison Set List:
Look At What The Cat Dragged In
I Want Action
Something To Believe In
Mama Don’t Dance
CC Solo
Unskinny Bop
Rikki drum solo
Every Rose
Talk Dirty To Me
Encore:
Nothing But A Good Time
At 9:30 P.M. one of the most popular bands of the metal genre Def Leppard took the stage with a vengeance. The Def Leppard stage show featured spectacular lighting, a video screen that almost spanned the entire stage, and a catwalk in which every member walk down to showcase their talent. The video screen launched photos of the band from past to present spanning their illustrious career in music.
Singer Joe Elliot owned the stage, with his powerful vocals. Opening with “Rock!Rock!Till You Drop,” the band was surely there to rock unleashing hit after hit to the capacity crowd. Fueled by the extradonairy guitar work of Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell, highlights of the set would include the acoustic performance of “Two Steps Behind,” “Bringing On The Heartbreak”, and new song “Nine Lives.”
The show didn’t end there. Def Leppard packed a powerful end of night punch with “Hysteria,” “Animal,” and “Rock Of Ages.” For one night music fans got to re-live the heyday of their youth with songs that have outlasted the test of time and everyone had nothing but a good time!
Def Leppard Set List:
Rock!Rock!Till You Drop
Rocket
Let’s Get Rocked
Foolin
Too Late
Nine Lives
Rock On
Two Steps Behind
Bringing On The Heartbreak
Hysteria
Animal
Armageddon It
Photograph
Pour Some Sugar On Me
Rock Of Ages