I just returned from possibly the greatest concert that has ever been:  Styx, REO Speedwagon, and, of course, Def Leppard.  This was my first "true" concert experience where I had to pay a lot of money for the tickets and buy something for parking and everything.  Before it's always been buy tickets at the door, or stand in front of Borders because we were too young.  I have to say that I couldn't have asked for a better first concert experience.  Styx came on first and had a nice set- including Come Sail Away.  For their encore, they played one of my personal favorites, Renegade.  They were nice and energetic, which was pretty much perfect to get the thousands of people there going.

REO Speedwagon came on next, and I have to say, I was a little disappointed.  I mean, they played Riding the Storm Out and Keep on Lovin' You, but there was no Can't Fight This Feelin' or Take It on the Run...and those were two I was truly waiting on.  The lead singer (Kevin Cronin) just kept talking about the new songs he had written and how terrific they were.  His voice irritated me.  They tried, but their new songs had no effect on the crowd.  I felt bad for them at first, but then I heard the songs and I went right along with everyone else...most of whom were shouting, "Sing something we know!"  Mean?  Maybe...but even more true.

However, when Def Leppard hit the stage, it was all over.  They started out with Rocket and did just that: They rocked it.  There was not a dull moment in their entire set.  Even for the few new songs I hadn't heard yet, I wasn't bored or anything like I was during REO's set.  They played all of the good ones, Photograph, Hysteria, Animal, and, of course, Pour Some Sugar on Me.  They closed with that last one, but their encore was Rock of Ages, which was probably the best one to leave on with a lyric like "It's better to burn out than fade away" something that they seem to be living proof of.  They're still waiting to burn out.  The thousands of people who sat in the hot sun on that lawn behind us served as a testament to that.

It was really funny to watch the drunken middle aged people because, you know what?  All they wanted to do was enjoy their alcohol and the show.  And they all did just that.  They danced, they threw up their rock hands, and they sang along loudly with Joe Elliott (as did I).  At that concert, they hadn't aged a bit since 1985, when everything was right with the world and their hair was still locked in place each day with an entire can of Aqua Net. 

I thoroughly enjoyed myself and if the opportunity EVER arises again that I can go see those boys play, then you all know where I'll be.

                                                           Live Well and Be Good Friends,

                                                                                    Alf