Tagged: Def Leppard
Steel Panther, Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard review from MEN Arena
Three band bill at the Manchester Evening News Arena (MEN Arena). Those names are GIANTS when it comes to live-performances, definitely among the best in the business. Without a doubt always worth a trip to anywhere!
STEEL PANTHER
When we were standing outside the arena, waiting for the doors to open, I admitted that I had never listened to Steel Panther. The clown-thing works in a movie but I didn’t think I would like it in a “real band”. So my expectations were down to zero. When you’ve got no expectations whatsoever, it’s usually a good thing. You can’t get disappointed.
I’ve heard about these guys a lot from a good friend who really digs them, and he’s sent me plenty of links to their videos on Youtube, even from back when they were Metal Skool.
As I was watching the arena fill up, it was crystal clear that a LOT of people had come to see Steel Panther. One silly bad wig after another and lots of tiger- and leopard-spandex everywhere.
Lights went out, intro voice started, crowd screaming…and out came Steel Panther – looking just as ridiculously 80’s as I imagined they would. But they were freaking great.
Even if the whole point of this band is celebrating, or doing a parody of the 80’s glam and sleaze-scene, they are doing it damn well. Not that it’s surprising that the musicianship is top notch – after all it’s a bunch of former session musicians. They know their business and the songs were surprisingly good.
The band had a fantastic energy on stage that was really contageous. Most of all, I was laughing so hard at their silliness, they were too fuckin’ funny! I swear, my FACE was aching from the constant laughing and smiling – so I give Steel Panther a big, fat 10 out of 10 for entertainment value!
Can’t wait to see them again, and next time not from the seated section, but from the front row!
MÖTLEY CRÛE
I’ve seen Motley Crue many, many times over the years – but I’ve never seen them do such an unexpected entry ever…! First there’s a bunch of roadies preparing the stage for the band, the arena is lit and music is playing, people out there buying merch and beer…. When out of the blue, we’re talking seconds, lights go out and the Crue runs in on stage – BAM!!
There’s Vince Neil! Uhm…. and yeah. That was pretty much the only person you really noticed throughout Motley Crues entire set.
Vince was all over the place. He might not be a Pavarotti and he never was – at times his voice sucked really bad. BUT – I salute him for his showmanship.
He is the only one on the stage, except for Tommy Lee, who genuinely seems to be enjoying himself and gives everything he’s got.
I was always a Nikki Sixx-fan, I guess the whole world is… Or was. But I don’t see him enjoying himself really. If he is, he hides it pretty well. There were times when I had to really look hard to find him on the stage from where I was. Even when I’m reading his posts on Facebook, he sounds more like a management than a musician with a true love for rock’n’roll. It shows on stage too.
Yet he is the star and the icon of the band – probably more because he is cool. And he’s hot. I’ll give him that. :)
The entertainers in Mötley are Vince and Tommy.
The drum-solo was WICKEDDDDDD!! It’s just so over the top insane. It’s what makes Motley Crue a band worth seeing – you can be sure that they will bring something new, something crazy, something wild, something that’s just nuts. If you want a SHOW, this is the band to go see. No expenses are spared.
Super cool lightshow, good sound, the classic songs that we can all sing along to. I can’t say I was bored, but I didn’t get a huge kick either – except for maybe when they played my favorite songs.
I’m impressed Mick Mars can do what he does, against all odds – that’s just amazing.
But basically – the stars of the LIVE-band Mötley Crë were Vince and Tommy, for working their asses off on stage. Can’t wait to see them again at Sweden Rock Festival next year!
DEF LEPPARD
Def Leppard did everything right. Yet it didn’t go all the way. I’ve been trying to figure out why, because I can’t point out any particular reason. It was just that “THAT” was lacking. The magic wasn’t there – although everything else was.
Impressive stage production. Flawless sound. And Joe Elliott. He’s always impressed me, cause he’s a one-of-a-kind frontman who always OWNS his stage.
He still had the same presence, very confident, very intense. But it didn’t do anything for me. It felt like watching a Las Vegas-show. Everything picture perfect, yet it was just another day at the office for Def Leppard.
The only time they felt human and close to the crowd, was when they stripped down and performed an acoustic version of “Two Steps Behind“. Suddenly they made Europe’s largest indoor arena, with a 21,000 capacity, feel like an intimate evening at the local pub. That was impressive.
The songs are there and the Leps have done this shit since they were kids. They sure as hell know what they’re doing. It’s just that there always comes a time in every artist’s and every band’s career when they lose their magic – or when it temporarily disappears.
I’d say that this evening should have been reversed – Def Leppard should have opened, followed by Motley Crue and then wrapped up by the high-energy hungry Steel Panther. If performance ruled those things and not record sales, that would have been a lot more interesting. ;P
We left the show before it was over, had a night-bus to catch. When we walked out, it didn’t feel like I was missing out on a whole lot.
BUT – it was still worth the trip, no doubt about it.
Nothing was BAD it just didn’t quite go all the way up to eleven. :-)
Or maybe I’m just getting picky. :-D
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Video clips from MEN Arena last night
Back from the Steel Panther / Mötley Crüe / Def Leppard show – and as anticipated, so crazy tired it’s ridiculous. There will be a story, as soon as I get my brain back in working order. :-)
And there will be a review. Or actually – 3 reviews. Just stick around.
For now, just a few clips from MEN Arena, Manchester last night! (Def Leppard still uploading, will be back with some of that!)
AND – the headliners of the evening – DEF LEPPARD (here in an acoustic version):
Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe and Steel Panther – let’s get ROCKED! :)
Just a few more days until the Steel Panther, Def Leppard and Motley Crue show in Manchester. Going with my friends “Catz” and “Sleazee” and a friend of theirs. Will be a fun trip with good friends. :)
I have to admit that for some reason, I haven’t cared to listen to Steel Panther much. A friend of mine is a huge fan, and he’s sent me links to some of their videos on Youtube but I never took time to really get into them. Guess I took them for another Spinal Tap sort of band but I guess they’re not..really.
So – it will be a nice surprise I’m sure. After all – with Russ Parrish, an ex-Fight member, in the band, it can’t be bad…!
Def Leppard – oh boy. An amazing live band. Probably one of the best live acts ever. First time I saw them was actually pretty late – it was back in 2006 when I flew to Las Vegas for just a few days to attend VH1 Rock Honors at Mandalay Bay. I was one of the chosen for a TV-audience, which means we were not a “regular” crowd per se, we got our tickets for free because we were being directed how to act, what to wear, where to be, by the TV-producers.
The “tryouts” took all day and I remember how surprised I was to learn how it all worked with these TV-galas. The “Black carpet”-thing wasn’t what you would think. It was filmed in the back yard of Mandalay Bay, we were placed where the TV-team wanted us to be and the bands “drove in” from around the corner in the same limo that just went for the next band over and over again. Actually it was a van and a limo and there was no real crowd, just us who were told when to scream and clap our hands, and when to shut up. That’s show business!
(Find the Def Leppard Rock Honors video here:)
Get More: Def Leppard, TV Shows, Full Episode Video, Reality TV Shows
Once we got in, I was actually told to stand somewhere that I didn’t think was close enough to the stage, so when the security guy looked elsewhere, I just sneaked in behind his back and blended with the front-row crowd! I hadn’t come all the way to Vegas to be standing somewhere way in the back like a moron.
[Joe Elliot, Def Leppard – VH 1 Rock Honors, Las Vegas 2006. And me – somewhere uh…Yeah.]
And when PRIEST played…. There was no happier fan anywhere in Vegas! It’s been caught on camera, I remember the camera-guy came running with this huge camera that he pointed straight in my face when I was going crazy over Priest…! :-) It’s out on Youtube somewhere, I’ll see if I can find it.
As for Motley Crue – that’s a band I’ve seen a bunch of times through the years. And some funny memories too. I remember the Dr Feelgood tour in 1989 – Copenhagen, Denmark. They were having a meet and greet-thing organized by the record company at the KB-Hall (which burned down recently…) and they put all of us journalists in one room with the free snacks and drinks.
I think most of the people there were there for the free food more than for the band, because when Nikki, Vince, Tommy and Mick walked in, one of the reporters had the nerve to ask for more peanuts….!
The one detail I remember the most was Mick Mars – cause he had makeup on, some sort of foundation and powder, and when he was that close, you could see how it was all stuck in his bristles…! :-) Not too classy.
The record company representative came over with Nikki and Vince and introduced them to me. “This is Daniela, she came over here from Malmo, Sweden…” and they both went: “Ooooh, wow, all the way from SWEDEN??” It’s like they had no clue it was only 45 minutes away by airboat (this was before the bridge was built).
The meet and greet was a pretty meaningless event actually. They shook hands with people who didn’t really give a shit about them, and then they left. They signed a few things for those who wanted something autographed, but that was about it.
The show that night rocked. But funny enough, the opening act, Skid Row, a new up-and-coming band in 1989, gave them a good run for the money!
It was fun – Motley Crue is always about party, having a good time, over-the-top stage effects…! In Washington, 1998 I think, they shared the bill with Scorpions and a lot of families had shown up to see the outdoor concert. What they didn’t realize was that Motley had some pretty….explicit parts of the show. Two strippers not only getting almost totally naked, but also doing a….ehm, show with eachother. Not sure how to describe it without getting too visual. ;) Use your imagination. I saw mothers dragging their kids out of there covering their eyes with their palms. :)
Many were pissed off, but what the hell, if you don’t know what Motley Crue is about by now, don’t take your KIDS to their gigs! Five-six year olds are not supposed to be at Motley-shows, period.
Vince is not the greatest singer and he never will be. But he’s a great entertainer, the perfect frontman. Nikki used to be hot. He’s not anymore. But it’s still a band that knows how to entertain. And with Def Leppard setting the bar high, there is some healthy competition going on which will most likely bring out the best in both bands!
Looking forward to getting ROCKED on Sunday!
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Does integrity exist in rock’n’roll?
AC/DC and Walmart…. A match made in heaven? I think not.
AC/DC and wallets, backpacks, t-shirts, mugs, baseball-caps, stickers and so on – better? Maybe not, but somehow more accepted because it’s still kept “within the family” so to speak.
I guess in the word integrity in rock’n’roll means “staying away from whatever is mainstream”.
Fans upset signature song used in Walmart commercial
We all know how pissed off fans get whenever their favorite metal band decides to experiement with something new.Van Halen doing “Jump” in 1984 caused a MAJOR protests. Oh-my-god. Blasphemy! KEYBOARDS in metal? What the f***. People back then could maybe stretch their tolerance to hammond-organs but no way in hell synthesizers had any business in metal.
When Judas Priest attempted it two years later with Turbo, they got the same reception. To this day, people feel like their heroes let them down.
Both bands were accused of being sellouts – because they were trying to cater to a wider audience. So they were treated like traitors. Being a metalhead means “keeping it in the family”.
I guess that’s why “real” rockers generally don’t like anything that has to do with stepping outside that frame.
Ozzy doing a reality-show, Judas Priest performing with James Durbin on American Idol, AC/DC selling their music to WALMART?!?! Where does it end, how much can metalheads accept?
We all know that it’s tough to be a musician these days. Nobody buys records anymore. Oh come on – honestly. When was the last time YOU actually BOUGHT a record? Possibly a collector’s item, but mostly, we all download or send mp3’s back and forth via e-mails or chats…. Artists can’t live on pure love and air only. :-) They need to survive.
I guess that’s why we’re seeing more of this now. KISS has always been a money machine. Funny enough, most of us have been perfectly okay with assisting them with that, by buying all kinds of “fun stuff” with the KISS-logo on it. But we did NOT like it when they did “I Was Made For Loving You“, because THAT was a HIT that NON-METALHEADS bought and liked. God forbid! Sellouts!
I guess that’s also why “real” rockers dislike bands like Bon Jovi, Def Leppard or Europe – because those bands actually appealed to everything and anything from kids to teenage girlies to actual music lovers. The reason why people think that Motörhead is a REAL metal band, is because generally, non-metalheads don’t like them.
You won’t see Lemmy in a reality show, he wouldn’t be caught dead doing anything like that. I guess out of most musicians today, he would be the ONLY musician I would say has true integrity that is solid as a rock. He is cool that way, I admire his attitude. It’s brave. I mean, alright, he let “Ace Of Spades” be used for a beer commercial, but that is somehow still rock’n’roll and very Lemmy. Its not WalMart!
Most bands nowadays are acting like whores. They would do anything for money.
One of the worst ways of moneymaking, is the “VIP packages” that are so big in America. Where they CHARGE fans to meet their idols. That is one of those things that I just have a hard time accepting.
What the fuck – I bought the records and the merch, I “liked” them on Facebook and added them on MySpace and Twitter, I’m wearing their freaking t-shirts and I’ve been crushed in the front row at their shows. And they can’t meet their fans for FREE? What’s wrong with that picture?
I realize that you can’t meet everybody, but usually, there are only a few people hanging around before and after the shows. Would it hurt inviting them in to listen to the sound check or have a beer on the bus? Providing they seem fairly normal of course…. I would never, EVER degrade myself to the point where I had to PAY a band to say hello to me, like some beggar. Fuck that.
I remember a girl from New Zealand who was a HUGE Billy Idol-fan that we met in Copenhagen years ago. She was traveling all around the world to see him. God knows how much she spent on tickets, hotels and all that. I should know – I did the same this year going everywhere to see guitar-hero Gus G play with Ozzy and Firewind. It’s not exactly cheap. But you do it for the love of rock’n’roll.
She had bought the most expensive “VIP-package” in several cities, Copenhagen being one of those cities,
I couldn’t believe it when she said how much she had paid, but I forget now the exact amount… Well – they let her in – ten minutes later she was out in the cold again! They “let” her take a photo with Billy and she wasn’t even allowed to use her OWN camera, she got an autograph and a poster and some other junk and after ten minutes it was BYE BYE BABY BYE BYE………..
I’ll never forget that. A die-hard fan like that should be invited in for FREE, get the red carpet for supporting Billy in every possible way. Not be treated like crap – because that was really shitty. I don’t blame Billy for that, he was super cool after the show.
“His people” told fans that Billy would not sign anything because he would risk getting a cold if he stayed outdoors. Billy didn’t give a fuck, he talked to everybody and signed anything people put in front of him.
The VIP-shit is some management’s idea – I would assume…..
But fans generally don’t complain about the “VIP”-bullshit. Cause it’s still “in the family”…
So I guess it’s cool to make money as long as you make sure it’s for the right people. Making money is okay when you’re a rocker, you just need to make sure you do it the right way. Cause integrity for metal-fans is about staying true to yourself, keeping it METAL.
Many people have taken on the heavy metal lifestyle because it’s always been an alternative to whatever is normal and mainstream. It’s a form of escapism, a full-time escapism where you just refuse to be a part of whatever society tries to sell as normal.
So I guess AC/DC stepped WAY out of line in that respect. But as integrity isn’t a big deal in today’s world in general. I guess they are laughing all the way to the bank (and Walmart…)….
IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR 