#hysteria the def leppard story

[elliotts-personal-property]

Okay so after a long time of refusing to watch the Def Leppard movie bc of how bad I heard it was from y’all I finally caved.

And y’all were not wrong😭😭

I watched it last night with my best friend and even she (who knows very little about the band) was getting pressed😭

I feel like that just tells you how bad it was. Anyways, now I’ve gotta go find some way to permanently block this out of my memories🥲

Also I’m convinced the universe didn’t want us to watch it bc we got my old crt tv hooked up to my computer to make it “better fit the vibes”. And we got literally 11 minutes in before my computer restarted out of nowhere and we struggled for 3 hours to get it back up and running again😭

[rcmclachlan]

Fic Writers Q&A

I was tagged by the ever lovely @cecilyv! Thanks <3

How many wips do you have currently?

*stares tiredly into the camera* Like, nine. I'm only actively working on four, though, because I don't think I like the others. They know what they did.

Which one are you finding the hardest to finish? Why do you think that is?

The correct answer is all of them, because the first blush of a new pairing has faded and now I'm settled in, so it's like pulling teeth. I have a million ideas, and every time I start to write one I end up abandoning it for something else. And so it goes, and so it goes. The closest to done is the Tommy & Jee hangout fic. I'm not sure how I want it to end and it's driving me batty.

What does it usually look like when inspiration strikes for you?

It looks like me being woken out of a sound sleep around 4am with a tiny shard of a scene in my head. I then turn over and try to go back to sleep, but the scene is already in its like 20th mitotic division. Finally I give up the ghost and sullenly pull up the notes app on my phone. This is how it happens almost every single time. Y'all, I'm so tired.

Do you curate playlists for each fic or is your process different?

Nah, but I usually will find a song to play on repeat softly in the background—something with a steady beat but isn't too loud or complicated. The flavor of the week is "Hysteria" by Def Leppard.

Do you go balls to the wall and write as you go or are you more organised?

My heart says 'write an outline' but my head says 'no, dummy, haven't you learned by now that when you write an outline I think it means we've gotten the whole story out so we don't actually need to write anything?' It's my curse: every time I write an outline, my brain seems to clap its hands like it's already finished the job and the need to write the actual story completely disappears. So now I just wing it (with varying results).

Tagging: @dadvans, @beefcakekinard, @sonatine, @ripeteeth, @waldorph, @rageprufrock, @lemonistas and anyone else who wants to!

[eternallyblight]

Highlights from Appetite for Distortion Podcast with Brendon Small

Listen to the podcast here

The tour, movie, and album being released around the same time was a deliberate decision. When Brendon started getting this project together around three years ago, he knew he's be putting together a record, a soundtrack, a movie, and a tour all within the same week.

How Brendon approaches writing the Dethalbum IV and creating Army of the Doomstar:

It's not him working. It's Dethklok literally telling him what to do. He's just a jerk with a guitar doing what Skwisgaar tells him to do. For vocals, he's doing what Nathan's telling him to do. When he's voicing them in the movie, those characters are taking over. He'll do the dialogue but they'll surprise him with improve.

Since Brendon's the scriptwriter and director, he's like an Angry God. He'll be like throwing them into ceiling fans or into a fire to see how they get out.

About Guns n'Roses and Snakes n'Barrels.

Slash has been on the show. Twice. (Birthdayface and Tributeklok) He's one of Brendon's favorite guitar players of all time.

Learning about heavy metal happens at an important age. For Brendon, he was around 13/14. He bought two distinct albums. Def Leppard's Hysteria and Guns N'Roses Appetite for Destruction. He was blown away to the astral plane of the music and aggressive guitar playing. It's still one of his favorite albums to this day. He'll take long walks listening to album front to back, top to bottom.

He thought that Pickles was like Dave Grohl. Like in a band like Guns n'Roses and Aerosmith like rock band before he was in Dethklok. There would be songs where Brendon used a top box to play.

One day, Slash was working on an animation at the same company Brendon worked at. There was a package that came with pedals from MXR Dunlop. Slash was there when that box came and they opened the box together and went through all these pedals. Slash looked at the pedals and pointed to Brendon which was one cool, which one he has and uses. Brendon even shows Slash's wall pedal that he also used on the record.

Now some fan questions.

Will Brendon ever release a studio version of Water Horsey Blues from Snakes n'Barrels I?

Brendon was surprised to hear the question. He's glad that people still listen to it all these years later. He wishes he had the time and resources to make music for these kinds of bands in the Metalocalypse universe. Like a Snakes n'Barrels record, a Dr. Rockzo record, even Toki's whimsical dream songs. But there's no plan as of yet.

Will Brendon ever plan on releasing the songs from Metalocalypse that didn't make it to the Dethklok albums. (please Brendon I'm on my knees.) Same answer. :,) He has no plan as of yet.

About the movie under the cut. Not spoiler heavy and mainly about the music.

Brendon does have a lot on his plate at the moment. He's got not one but two albums: Dethalbum IV and Army of the Doomstar Soundtrack.

To Brendon, the soundtrack album is really such an important storytelling part of the movie. As you watch the movie you'll hear the orchestra and synthesizer. (He got the Budapest Orchestra to play this score).

The movie, the narrative, the characters is one thing.

The Dethalbum IV, that's the brutality and the mystical.

Army of the Doomstar Soundtrack, the score, is the emotional center of the movie.

All three go together. If you plan on getting one, Brendon thinks you should get them all (the movie, ost, and album). They all do something completely different but they all come from the same central DNA.

Brendon is thankful to be able to complete the story. He's basically living the dream as the interviewer puts it.

Brendon's last words: It's fun to be creative on your own and make music for yourself to listen to. But the fact that this [Metalocalypse and Dethklok] came together in the way that it did, is because there's a fanbase out there. Without them, none of this would have happened. Thanks [for] everyone for being so vocal over the years and I'm excited for you to check it out.

[shanaraharlyah]

for the music ask game <3 29, 44, 59

@valyrra Thank you for the ask! **Hug**

29. Songs you love to dance to:

I'm not much of a dancer, but dancing alone in my room when I should be cleaning or something? XP

(it says radio edit but this is the original album version not the extended video version so 🤷‍♀️)

44. Have you watched any musician’s biopics? Do you have a favorite?

I guess the only biopic I've watched is Hysteria The Def Leppard Story. I was so obsessed with Lep and Bon Jovi at the time that of course I ate it up. It's an okay film. Probably not on par with the recent biopics, but I also haven't seen any of those.

59. Do you listen to music when it's raining or do you stop to hear the sound of the rain?

Ambient noise doesn't make a difference. I still listen to music when it's raining. Though I like rain at night to help me sleep!

Music Ask Game

[joes-sha-la-la-la-girl]

Hopefully you haven’t done these yet, but how about

27, 29, 49, and 50?💗

I haven't done these ones yet so thank you 💖💖

27: What song/album do you listen to when you need a pick-me-up?

Probably the entire Hysteria album because I remember my Dad playing it in the car when I was little. Whenever I hear it, it brings a smile to my face regardless of my mood.

29: First song that pops into your head, go!

Dazed and Confused - Led Zeppelin

49: You are locked inside a closet with your favourite band member for an entire day/night. What do you talk about/do?

I want to say as it is Joe Elliott I'd probably do something inappropriate. However, that's not realistic. I would talk to him about music, and about his career. I'd like to hear stories about Def Leppard on the road and in the studio. I'd ask what the writing process is like. I would also like to talk to him about other bands and artists. Just kind of have a nice conversation with him.

50: Mini rant about any musical topic, go!

Okay so I have a story. One day I was at a record store and was having a look through just seeing what I could find when there was this person walk through the door. I picked up a Queen record and a Whitesnake one as well. This person looked over at me and then went to the store owner and made a snide comment about how young people don't really know anything about 'decent music'. I was also wearing a Bowie t-shirt. Anyway I knew the owner and he knew that I was a classic rock fan so he didn't pay any mind to this customer.

I carried on with my shopping and went to pay when the same customer told me to leave the older records for the people who will actually listen to them. I was with my Dad that day who burst out laughing and I turned around and asked him if he wanted me to name five songs. Now I was being sarcastic but he tried to call my bluff.

I named ten Queen, five Whitesnake and ten Bowie songs before the owner cut me off and kicked the other person out. Apparently it wasn't the first time he had been rude to another customer.

My Dad couldn't stop laughing and the owner brings it up every time I go back 😂😂

[saucy-mesothelioma]

I wanted to share one of my favorite stories about the human spirit because I'm a metalhead and this story genuinely is a good one.

In December of 1984, Rick Allen who is the drummer of Def Leppard was involved in a serious car crash that completely severed his left arm. Naturally he felt defeated and was ready to stop playing, but his friends, family, and fans supported him to keep going. Even the band did what they could to encourage him, putting their live shows on hiatus and helping him find a specially designed drum kit for him to use. In August of 1986, he made his first live appearance since the accident, but he still faced plenty of personal struggles such as dealing with his trauma in harmful ways during the recording of Def Leppard's album Hysteria.

Today, Allen still plays with the band and co-founded the charity Raven Drum Foundation dedicated to serving, educating, and empowering trauma survivors with a focus on Veterans and First Responders.

[bobcalzone]

Made a list of my top 25 favorite albums because categorization and comparison is my self-love language

Confidently ordered for the top 10, loosely ordered for the rest (key under the cut)

Antimai – The Dear Hunter

Brain Invaders – Zebrahead

30 Seconds to Mars – 30 Seconds to Mars

the first glass beach album – glass beach

Collide with the Sky – Pierce the Veil

plastic death – glass beach

Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge – My Chemical Romance

Manic – Halsey

Act V: Hymns with the Devil in Confessional – The Dear Hunter

Be Here Now – Oasis

Hysteria – Def Leppard

What Separates Me from You – A Day to Remember

The Autumn Effect – 10 Years

Year of the Black Rainbow – Coheed and Cambria

Vaxis - Act II: A WIndow of the Waking Mind – Coheed and Cambria

Ocean Eyes – Owl City

What You Don't See – The Story So Far

The Fall of Hearts – Katatonia

The 2nd Law – Muse

Walk the Plank – Zebrahead

Hot Fuss – The Killers

Viva la Vida – Coldplay

First Temple – Closure in Moscow

Come Clean – Puddle of Mudd

Flood – They Might Be Giants

[veronicaphoenix]

Writings' playlists | 🎶

Find below a list of songs that have inspired some of my works or that I tend to listen to while writing certain scenes/chapters :) Be aware that my music taste is all over the place ✌🏼

ೃ⁀➷ The Inevitability of Love at Second Sight

Given that this fic covers a timespan of nearly thirty years (starting with Noah and Lia being kids), there are some songs that are very chapter/scene specific. For instance, I used to listen to "Feeling a Moment" quite often when I was writing the lake scenes with Noah and Lia, "Sweet Disposition" for their first kiss 💕 and "I'd Come For You" when Lia is in the hospital and she finally wakes up and finds Noah waiting for her 💔 I have a lot of specific songs for certain scenes from Zutto, but I can't say yet, otherwise I'll be spoiling the story 👀

༯ Ikigai - Kids in Love by Mayday Parade - Live & Learn by The Cardigans - No Freedom by Dido - Sweet Disposition by The Temper Trap - Ordinary Love by U2 - Renegades by X Ambassadors - 10 Feet Down by NF (Feat. Ruelle) - Fly by Sleeping with Sirens - Edge of Seventeen by Stevie Nicks - Right Girl by The Maine - Walking Disaster by Sum 41 - Pieces by Sum 41 - Feeling a Moment by Feeder - Don't Cry by Guns N' Roses

༯ Koi No Yokan - January Rain by PVRIS - Just Pretend by Bad Omens - If You Only Knew by Shinedown - Periscope by Papa Roach (Feat. Skylar Grey) - Bones by Young Guns - La Di Die by Nessa Barrett (Feat. Jxden) - You and I by PVRIS - Drown (Acoustic) by Bring Me The Horizon - Save a Place by 1969 - Hurts Like Hell by Fleurie - Have We Lost by Flyleaf - Let You Down by NF - I'd Come For You by Nickelback

༯ Zutto - Hysteria by Def Leppard - Feel Like Home by Papa Roach - Not Afraid Anymore by Halsey - Déjà Vu by Sleeping With Sirens - I'd Do Anything for Love by Meat Loaf - Separate by PVRIS - Affection by Cigarettes After Sex - Take Me Dancing by The Maine - Where the Streets Have No Name by U2

ೃ⁀➷ The Unmaking of a Warrior

I mostly listen to samurai meditation music from Youtube, but these are a few songs that I found myself playing on repeat while writing certain scenes for this fic:

- Samurai/Devotion - For Honor Soundtrack - Bushido by Derek Fiechter - Bushido Beats - Dear God by Lawless - Trojan Horses by Agnes Obel - The Death of Peace of Mind (Nightcore) by Bad Omens - Rain by Sleep Token - The Summoning by Sleep Token - Endless War by Within Temptation - And the World was Gone by Snow Ghosts

ೃ⁀➷ Into the Abyss of Bad Habits

This entire fic is so smutty that I listen to a lot of rock from the past century. Is it just me or are those songs perfect for wild dirty sex?

- Baby Said by Måneskin - Welcome to the Jungle by Guns N' Roses - Bad Habits by Ed Sheeran (Feat. Bring Me the Horizon) - Blood in the Cut by K. Flay - Bad Decisions by Bad Omens - Beautiful is Boring by Bones UK - Going to Hell by The Pretty Reckless - Babydoll by Ari Abdul - Cry Baby by The Neighbourhood - Gasoline by Måneskin - Shameless by Camila Cabello - You Shook Me All Night Long by AC/DC - Pour Some Sugar on Me by Def Leppard - Passion Rules the Game by Scorpions - Cherry Pie by Warrant - Bad Reputation by Joan Jett - Rotten by The Naked and The Famous

ೃ⁀➷ The Sweetness of Love & Pain

This fic is entirely inspired by TDOPM album by Bad Omens. As I progress on the writing, I'll update this section.

[eretriahs]

for the end of year asks! 1, 2, 4, 5, 14, 20

(also, hope you're doing alright <3)

aw thanks love <3 sorry for responding a little late! fatigue had me in its grip. I've been fighting off something this past week and a half now, though luckily today has been a bit better so far!

end of the year asks:

01. song of the year?me & me by the beaches

02. album of the year? i have a few: hysteria by def leppard (according to my apple music stats I played it 519 times), blame my ex by the beaches and turbo 30 by judas priest.

04. movie of the year? the lost boys (1987) for sure

05. tv show of the year? 1899 and Billy the Kid

14. favourite book this year? runway runaway by lorelei shellist, and the girl from the savoy by hazel gaynor

20. what's something you learned this year? small funny story; I reflected on this earlier and ended up with a pretty good list. here are a few that I wish I had been given as advice earlier in the year: borrow library books if/when you can, listen to new music everyday (even just a song), go to concerts you want to see!!, do not worry about things you cannot control, and try to make every day a good day.

[steveinscarlet]

So, because I am a sad obsessed weirdo, I bought (secondhand) the book Mike posted about on Facebook the other day

Full text of the story pasted below, but my highlight is "...guitarist Steve spent the first half running rings around Maurice with fancy hip movements, nutmegs and far too many giggles"

(a nutmeg is when you avoid being tackled by kicking the ball between the opposing player's legs and running round them to retrieve it)

The Pink Elephant on Molesworth Street in Dublin was the nightclub of choice for many in the music business, usually followed by a trip over to Suesey Street on Leeson Street until the wee hours of the morning, where the only grub was a packet of Hula Hoops* washed down by very low-grade but highly priced wine. We hung out there with a few English bands who were over to record at Windmill Lane Studios. We met the Bay City Rollers, the Thompson Twins and the wonderful Def Leppard, who were working on the album Hysteria with Mutt Lange. We struck up a great friendship with Def Leppard and met often at launches, charity dinners, house parties and of course the nightclubs. On one occasion they boasted of their prowess on the football pitch, claiming they could all have been professional footballers after their successful trials with Sheffield United. We had our own team of sorts and played a few celebrity charity matches, including some memorable battles with Hot Press staff, offering the perfect opportunity to right a negative review. We were well ready to take on some would-be pros when the Leppards laid down the gauntlet to the Wing. We beat them every single time, and enjoyed plenty of victory pints at the Galloping Green pub in Stillorgan. One game out in Mounttown in Dun Laoghaire turned dirty, when guitarist Steve spent the first half running rings around Maurice with fancy hip movements, nutmegs and far too many giggles - uncalled for in a gentlemen's game. Maurice eventually had enough and decided to employ a move from the Leitrim school of defending. Steve was just about to pirouette when Maurice lunged and sent him into the air, hitting the ground with a clatter. A litany of abuse followed. The game carried on until minutes later, Steve was on the rampage again, headed straight for Maurice, but somehow hit a brick wall and lay there writhing in pain. He was forced to limp off to the side and sit out the remainder of the game. Back in the pub for post-match pints, we reminded Steve, as is the Irish custom, of his inability to round a humble amateur Leitrim man - and he nearly after signing for the English first division.

*Hula Hoops are a potato-based snack like crisps/chips

[elliotts-personal-property]

Apparently there is a Leppard movie but it's really bad and Joe hates it so much 😭 I haven't really looked into it tho

I can’t blame Joe for hating it, it’s so bad. Like I can’t even put into words how bad it was😭 I just watched it a couple days ago for the first time with my friend and even she (who knows very little about them) was getting pressed at all this added fake drama they had. Like I would tell you to go and watch it just to see how bad it is but honestly that seems kind of mean😭

[lulamadison]

🎵 music tag game 🎵

Tagged by @phoomwhoosh thank you!

13 songs I’ve been listening to lately :

I've gone through my YouTube history for this, so it is somewhat questionable lol

Desert song by Def Leppard - The source of the title of my fic The Sky is Falling on this Setting Son. I was searching lyrics for fic titles and came across this one, then fell in love with the song!

Undefeated by Def Leppard - The most Cobra Kai song I've ever heard that hasn't been in the show 😉 I have named three fics after lyrics from this song lol, although two of them haven't been posted yet.

Design for Life by Manic Street Preachers - My lifelong favourite band! I just booked tickets to see them on tour next year, so I've been listening to lots of their songs again

I'm Just Ken by Ryan Gosling - I kept waking up singing this song every single Saturday morning and could never figure out why. A quick investigation of my YouTube history one weekend revealed that I was listening to it every Friday night while drunk 🤣

Kings of the World Drastic Symphonies Orchestral Version by Def Leppard - I adore this song, and this version is amazing!

Husavik from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga - Another one of my Friday night drinking songs lol

A Real Hero by Electric Youth & College - I adore this song, but it was part of my recent post Barbie Ryan Gosling film phase that lasted all of three days

November Rain by Guns N Roses - I love this song so much

Ralph Macchio by Annie - I listened to it for a laugh, but I actually genuinely like this song now!

Motorcycle Emptiness by Manic Street Preachers - They are so awesome 😍

Pour Some Sugar on Me by Def Leppard - I regret not going to see them when they toured 😔

I Can't Fight This Feeling by REO Speedwagon - I have used this song so many times in fics lol

Hysteria by Def Leppard - Love this one 😀

If you feel like doing this @russolaw @usaonetwothree @an-sceal and @zappedbyzabka you have been tagged :-D

[i-dont-want-your-hysteria]

Highlights of Mike's latest letter to me

For those who are new and don't know who Mike Rogers is *cracks knuckles*:

he was Phil's guitar tech/roadie through the making of Pyromania, through most of the making of Hysteria

He lived with the guys and was friends with them for years

he is basically the Forrest Gump of Def Leppard (as in he was there for all these huge events yet no one seems to know)

He also wrote a book called Fabulist Icons and you can search on my blog for all things Mike-related

he also has a Fabulsit Icons facebook page where he posts articles and never before seen photos and stories of DL

Mike and I have been pen pals for the past 2 years because I sent him a letter after reading his book (@ballistic-lipstick-dream-machine got tangled up in this too)

he's basically our rock and roll grandpa

Mike's also been in a few TV specials for Leppard on REELZ channel if you can find those anywhere

when I talked to Rick in April, we briefly talked about Mike, and Rick wanted me to get Mike's address to him because they'd been separated for decades and Rick never knew how to get a hold of him (necessary to understand some things in this post)

ANYWAY- obviously I'm not gonna post the whole thing bc that's between me and him, but I do want you guys to hear some of this bc I love him:

it's obvious his favorite song from DSH is Liquid Dust bc he quoted it in the first paragraph

also he wrote nearly 4 FULL PAGES

Mike writes in such a romantic and poetic way, like he said "your letter resting upon a William 1V wine table." *chefs kiss*

him talking about the Hershey show and saying "did you go to a Hershey bar for refreshments? Yes, I can be that silly."

him asking me if I will study photography and me having a crisis about it internally

Shakespeare quotes

he loved the story of Rick noticing me and Rachel in the crowd at Hershey

"I am quite sure Rick recognized you." I literally threw the letter and SCREAMED

"He and the rest of operation Def 'do' look into audiences at every show- if something strikes a note, it will be remembered."

he said he hasn't heard from Rick yet :( not surprised but a lil sad

Mike saying when he went to Dublin during covid to do the interviews for Reelz he "near had a mental breakdown" bc he felt unprofessional and so out of touch

"Your comments about our Def Leppard connections has touched me in a way, er, taken me by surprise. I was not expecting a surge of emotion such as I experienced through your letter." catch me crying ;O;

I keep forgetting Mike was a guitar tech for Pink Floyd's The Wall

him talking about how he used to live at his sister's house and would arrive "at all hours, sit in her kitchenette, have a joint and then bed down on the fleecy sitting room rugs."

him saying "I just plunged in headlong, loved Phil,"

him saying he would "meet the intimate families of the band when hopping back and forth in Sheffield during rehearsals"

him saying "Can I have a little break and make a cuppa tea?" and then putting a big paragraph break

him proceeding to talk about Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead for the next 2 paragraphs

him saying he's never listened to Slang or anything else post-Hysteria apart from DSH

him thinking that Sav is "making a much greater contribution to what is going forth than many realize"

"his influence on much of the current material has added the spice that captain Clark used to deliver to a song"

"Sav's creativity is all over this material. Not just as a player, but as a writer"

"The last time Sav and I exchanged emails was when he gave the green light, so to speak, on my 'Icons' project. He quipped on one occasion, 'I would write more but I am trying to find an augmented fifth for a song in the works'. Not your usual heavy rock musician banter."

(insert mini critique of DSH being awesome here)

(insert Mike being contacted by what became of his old record label to see if he was still alive here)

Mike wanting to send me this interview with his old label

"What must you think of me? You started this, Ma'am, with your letter and all this 'stuff' came barreling along, unstoppable."

"I loved your letter and I attach evidence that 'I' kept your last Christmas card on top of my copier" (on the back of the last sheet there is a photocopy of my Snowman Joe christmas card design that I sent him last year)

"I hope this epistle lightens your day Rachel" yes yes it did ;-; <3

Mike saying he was contacted by the editor of Definitely because he has the only known image of Rick and Jeff Rich (Status Quo drummer who was Rick's support drummer for his first live shows after his accident) at the Limerick Savoy in 1986 during the 'Live Rehearsal dates'

him saying I write really well and have "good words in good style" and "I like it a lot!"

"very best wishes, as ever, Mike"

[lord-of-the-weird]

33 and 55 for the movie ask thing! :D

33. untamed heart (1993)

it was a little weird but incredibly sweet. so it’s a love story about this man a woman who work at the same diner. everyone thinks he’s weird and ignores him including woman, but she starts hanging out with him after he saves her from tw: sexual assault. overall it was really sweet, even though i really don’t like romantic movies watch it again! 7/10

55. hysteria: the def leppard story (2001)

technically this was probably the 30th movie but oh well

so most people in the def leppard fandom absolutely hate this movie, i am not one of them. it’s an inaccurate depiction of the beginning of the band through the making of fourth studio album ‘hysteria’. and objectively it is terrible, but it’s terribleness it’s funny! 2/10

[thebowerypresents]

A Triple Headliner of Fun: Def Leppard, Journey and Steve Miller Band Unleash Good Times on Citi Field

Def Leppard/Journey/Steve Miller Band – Citi Field – August 7, 2024

I mean, who can resist it: a triple shot of classic tunes everybody knows, steamy outdoor weather, the ballpark, this-is-working-for-me vibes all over the place? Def Leppard, Journey, Steve Miller Band. A triple headliner. What you thought you were going to get was exactly what you got, and it was dead-of-summer dopamine.

At Citi Field on Wednesday evening, the fun got started early with the Miller Band. Miller, at 80, looks and sounds positively ageless — affable as ever in both vocal delivery and banter. He and the band rolled through the classics — stopping only for a quick story about a mentor, Les Paul — from “Swingtown,” “Fly Like an Eagle” and “Abracadabra” to “Jet Airliner” and “The Joker.” Best of all was an extra-choogling “Take the Money and Run,” which opened to guitar and keyboard solos.

Journey took a similar tack, building energy over the course of a 90-minute set that had an early peak with the big-stadium ballads (“Faithfully,” “Open Arms”) and closed with a murderer’s row of radio staples: “Lights,” “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart),” “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Any Way You Want It.” Comfortable and confident mining a rich vocal legacy, Arnel Pineda, the touring band’s vocalist since 2007, is no longer “the new singer.” Neal Schon, as the last remaining original band member, was also all smiles, digging into the big, crunchy Journey riffs that sound as familiar as traffic sounds in the city. 

Def Leppard were last in the row and worked the stage real estate, including four songs on an extended stage. It was all heading to the big “Pour Some Sugar on Me” climax — and it got there, and pow — but the show before that prowled all over their catalog, emphasizing the Hysteria and Pyromania album rosters with about six songs from each. They too were a precision machine — on time, packed tight, well managed — but like Journey and Miller didn’t feel workmanlike in the least, joyed to rock out with the throngs. —Chad Berndtson | @Cberndtson

Photos courtesy of Adela Loconte | www.adelaloconte.com

[smashpages]

SDCC | Def Leppard + Vault Comics team for a graphic novel named after the band’s iconic album ‘Hysteria’

Def Leppard’s Phil Collen teams with Eliot Rahal and Alex Schlitz on the story of the world’s most dangerous guitar.