06/07/05 - CAMPANELLI STADIUM, BROCKTON, MA

Review by Margaret Hawryluk (Boston Enterprise):
Old rockers draw thousands to Brockton stadium
BROCKTON — Blanche McCarthy took advantage of the moment she had been waiting decades for when she saw Def Leppard drummer, Rick Allen, leaning against the fence for a cigarette-break outside the VIP section at the Shaw's Center Wednesday night. "When I realized it was him, I walked over and said, 'I've had a big crush on you since I was 16,'" the Brockton resident said. Allen, McCarthy said, shook her hand and told her, "I can tell you're a diehard." McCarthy was one of more than 7,000 fans who braved the rain and mist to see Def Leppard and singer Bryan Adams perform at the "Rock 'N Roll Double-Header" at Campanelli Stadium on Wednesday. One father and daughter came all the way from Montreal. Stephanie and Joel Raby left their hometown of Montreal at 9:45 a.m. and drove eight hours, struggling with traffic and getting lost, only to make it in time for Adam's closing song. "We still had a good time, though," said Stephanie Raby, who has seen Adams perform three times.

Those who made it in time to see Adams perform said they were impressed with the show. Bryan Adams took the stage at 7:10 p.m., after opener Randy Nelson, and performed classic hits and some new songs from his recent album release, "Room Service." Songs included "Need Somebody," "Look Into My Eyes" and "18 'Till I Die." "It was very good," said Katie Anlaw, of Warwick, R.I. "'Heaven' and 'Summer of '69' were my favorite songs that he performed," said her friend Lacy Renaud, also of Warwick. Anlaw and Renaud, both wearing handmade pink T-shirts that read "Bryan Adams" with hearts around his name, said they have been fans for 20 years. Anlaw said this was her third Adams show, while Renaud said it was her second.

Other fans needed more than two hands to count the number of times they had seen their favorite artist. "This is only my 13th show," Amy Fleischmann of Connecticut laughed. A Def Leppard fan of 18 years, Fleischmann said this was the fourth show she had seen of Def Leppard's summer tour alone. For this show, Def Leppard performed "Love Bites," "No Matter" and "Rock On," among other songs. "I'm wearing my poncho, I'm here no matter what," Fleischmann said. Jay Carvalho of Easton said this was the 170th show he had seen. "It's going to be a good time," the Def Leppard fan said. "To see them in Brockton, it's a treat." Carvalho went to the concert with his friend Chris Benson, who with his multiple tattoos, piercings and long hair, looked as if he could have been a member of the band. "I'm a big 80s metal fan," Benson said. "It influences my look a lot." The weather affected the "look" for Sandy Radula, Rasa Chiras, Angie Roy and Melissa Kelley, all of Worcester. The childhood friends wanted to re-create their big 80s hairstyles for the concert, but the weather was not working in their favor. "We went through the 80s together and loved it," Roy said. The women do an "80s themed-thing" every year. Regardless of the weather, Kelley said they were all having a great time. The rain did not bother the performers either.

After Adams opened his set with "Need Somebody," he took a break to tell the audience, "I can't believe you're here in the pissin' rain." Joe Elliot of Def Leppard said the band had "played 32 shows in a row with rain like this. We will survive." Elliot's wife, Kristine, and daughter were safe from the rain inside Brockton Hospital's "Rocks-a-bye Baby Suite" at the stadium, said Richard Copp, a hospital public relations worker. The two could watch the show from the suite that was equipped with cartoons and a chalkboard for Elliot's young daughter. Def Leppard closed the show with the highly anticipated song, "Pour Some Sugar on Me" and after thunderous applause, Elliot said, "Don't forget us, we won't forget you."

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Review by Linda Laban (Boston Herald):
It's pouring rain in Brockton and Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen is, of course, shirtless. The U.K. '80s metal band might be celebrating its 25th year out in the 'burbs, but little has changed other than the size of the stadiums the band plays. Rolling Stone recently listed this tour with fellow '80s survivor Bryan Adams as one of the summer's hot tickets. Why? Good songs, good fun. And plenty of power chords.

Along with their own magnificent carefree hits - ``Foolin,'' ``Photograph,'' ``Animal,'' ``Rock of Ages,'' ``Pour Some Sugar On Me'' - the band slipped in a cover of Badfinger's ``No Matter What'' and David Essex's ``Rock On,'' which, singer Joe Elliott said, the band has recorded for an upcoming covers album.

Fresh from performing at the Toronto leg of Live 8, Bryan Adams was backed by a four-piece band that gave the Canadian's melodic rock plenty of muscle. ``This Side of Paradise,'' from Adams' 2004 album``Room Service,'' stood up well with such numbers as ``It's Only Love,'' ``Run To You,'' and ``Heaven,'' which Adams dedicated to Mark Pickard, a victim ofThe Station nightclub fire. Were they hits? Simply solid songwriting.

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For this show BA came on first followed by Def.