Def Leppard @ Sweden Rock Festival 2023-06-07
7/10
Joe Elliott
Personally I have a love/hate relationship with Def Leppard. Pyromania blew me away when it was released back in 1983 and I played it over and over again on my Walkman. At the same time Def Leppard’s major breakthrough signaled the start of a very sad period in the history of hardrock. Suddenly all bands realized there was money in a more melodic, over produced sound and even NWOBHM bands like Saxon and Judas Priest all of a sudden started using keyboards.
Today’s Def Leppard are still true to their history. Everything sounds perfect – a little bit too perfect. The band has never tried to hide the fact that they use plenty of prerecorded keyboards, drums etc. But at the same time Joe Elliott sings as good as ever.
Speaking of artificial elements – drum solos are a plague that should be eradicated altogether – but a drum solo by a one-armed drummer with prerecorded electronic drums? Please…
If you like Def Leppard they won’t disappoint you. They are professionals all the way and even though a bit of spontaneity never killed anyone this is a good show.
Who: Def Leppard
Where: Sweden Rock Festival
When: 2023-06-07
Rate: 7/10
