ARTISTS: DEF LEPPARD AND MOTLEY CRUE
VENUE: SUNCORP STADIUM, BRISBANE
DATE: NOVEMBER 8TH 2023
PHOTOGRAPHER: ANDREW TREADWELL
REVIEWER: HAYLEY TREADWELL
Australia has waited a long time for what was originally billed as The Stadium Tour to head our way. Many people were also hoping we would get the US line-up which also included Poison, Joan Jett and Classless Act, but alas it was not to be. Early talks had Alice Cooper joining the tour, but the planets didn’t align. That did not stop two of hard rocks greatest acts from delivering a one two punch to Brisbane
Motley Crue were the first act up tonight. Now lets be honest, if you go to Motley Crue and expect some operatic shit, you are at the wrong show. They are not virtuosos (Well John 5 and Tommy Lee are two of the greatest players of their respective instruments), but they are showman, and they gave Brisbane a show. Kicking off with “Wild Side” and “Shout At The Devil”, I was a little surprised at the fact that there was no pyro but the sheer volume was probably heard for miles.
The Crue don’t go past Decade Of Decadence in the set list, with the exception of new track The Dirt, and while I would love to hear something like “Hell On High Heels” from New Tattoo or “Find Myself” from Generation Swine, the band are smart by weighting the set list to the well known songs for the casual fan. The one stand out was the covers medley made up of “Rock and Roll, Part 2 / Smokin’ in the Boys Room / Helter Skelter / Anarchy in the U.K. / Blitzkrieg Bop / Fight for Your Right” which went over well. While no one will replace Mick Mars, honestly John 5 is just fucking brilliant. You cannot fault him for taking the gig.
Nikki Sixx stalked the stage throughout stopping to grab a few fans up onstage for selfies, and its not a Motley show if the Tommy Lee “Titty-Cam” doesn’t appear. MC will never be PC that’s for sure. The boys ended with the mega hit Kickstart My Heart and a quick blast of cannon fire style pyro and bid Brisbane a good night with their short and sharp set.
With a quick set change the Sheffield UK born Rock N Roll Hall Of Famers, Def Leppard, took to the stage with little fan fare and for the next 90 minutes let the music do the talking. Starting off with “Take What You Want” from the newest album Diamond Star Halos, was a great and ballsy move, considering many people would be unfamiliar with anything not off Pyromania, Hysteria, and Adrenalize, but the crowd dug it. The people waiting for the hits didn’t have to wait long with “Let’s Get Rocked” leading straight into “Animal”. Lead singer Joe Elliot was in amazing form and he seems to have found a comfortable lower register that still lets him deliver the classic songs with the same emotion. But in saying that everyone in the band are not only great singers, but great players too. So many people think Def Leppard are on tape but I can tell you right now, there was a few minor flubs from Phil Collen last night, and if that was on tape, that’s a bad tape. Phil laughed it off and took it in his stride. He and Viv Campbell are an amazing duo and some of the harmony guitar parts are just astounding!
Huge highlight for me was watching Joe and Rick Savage head to the lip of the cat walk to deliver a gorgeous version of “When Love And Hate Collide”, as well as another new track “This Guitar” also from the newest album.
Of course we got treated to a quick drum solo from the Thunder God, Rick Allen who beat the shit out of his kit smiling the whole time.
The Lepps just kept delivering hit after hit, ending the night with “Pour Some Sugar On Me”, “Rock Of Ages” and “Photograph” which put the band over the 10.30pm curfew as the stadium house lights came on to remind the band. Joe wasn’t having it as he yelled “Fuck The Curfew” and he and the Leppard boys finished off the set in style.
There are two more shows on this run in Sydney and Melbourne, and if you want to remember when music was fun, you will get your butts to one of the shows and have a great night
Thanks to Live Nation and Revolutions Per Minute PR for having us along
