Review by Richard Henry for MPM
Now that’s a line up, bit like the last time I saw Def Leppard at Marley Park, stacked triple bill, local lads, Sweet Savage and Viv’s first band, the Boston’s Extreme who I am very excited to see, as this is my first time and then the mighty Def Leppard! Also, there are three sixes on today’s date, so surely a good day for metal!
Sweet Savage
Bang – Literally hitting the stage with a bang, we are off with a song lifted straight from the new album, that’s a detuned riff to “bang” into, now this is the heaviest band we are going to see all night, Ray commanding the front of the stage all smiles, drummer Marty pile driving away all night with guitarist Phil on stage left and Michal on stage right, who tonight, is his second gig with the band, however he has played in Brian Downeys alive and dangerous for a while now and well known in the scene, the band are as tight as a drum and vicious as well, that’s a hell of a track to open with, full of punkish energy and aggression!
Bad F Robot – Staying on the new album, that’s a heavy ass riff again comes slamming in, Rays vocals are strong and some good backups from Phil as well, but these guys are on a mission tonight that’s for sure, absolute headbanger this one, great solo then comes in, but that riff behind it is just a piledriver, the it breaks down to the riff again before the drums come stomping back in for the chorus again, what a track!
Eye of the Storm – From Killing Time, that has just a nasty almost pre thrash sort of feel to it, that riff though, absolutely killer, it’s a bang to the face this one, you can tell where bands like Metallica have definitely taken massive inspiration from these early NWOBHM bands, like these guys were back in 79, great solo comes in before we get back into that riff again, savage track!
Regenerator – Love that semi clean guitar part at the start with Ray spitting the lyrics over the top before it builds and builds up into the chorus part of “I am Regenerator”, then a really low down and dirty floor tom groove for the second verse part, then it just builds into a real heavy riff before the second chorus, lovely lead work again and then the double bass comes in for that chorus, cracking song!
Leave Me Alone – New album again, having just saw Alter Bridge last night, that riff totally reminds me of something they would do, love the vocal harmony parts on this as well, almost like an Alice in Chains sort of thing, it’s just such a bouncy catchy riff, then that chorus comes in and it really lifts the whole track up, great solo comes in there as well, some lovely playing and shredding there, just the kind of playing I like, tasty melodic and with a little bit of flash, Michal ruling up there, great track, I have to be honest I think I have slept on the new album, I really need to go and listen to it!
Chosen One – We head back to the new album “Bang”, again a really heavy drop tuned riff to kick it off, before the verse comes in, Rays vocal soaring on this, then it builds up into the chorus after a little half time section with double bass from Marty to boot, before we hit the chorus, Rays voice sounds great on these songs, just a great pounding metal track, Michal shredding away on the solo, some great playing in there but still nice and melodic at the same time before that huge chorus part comes in again, another banger!
No Guts No Glory – Back to Regeneration again, down tuned bad ass riffery again right from the off and this is a definite headbanger, almost like a Motorhead vibe to this track, love that build up to the chorus with the guitar chords, before we have a mass sing along of the chorus, just crushing, again nice to have the contrast between these guys and the other bands on the bill tonight, nice bit of double bass just before the solos kick in, seriously floored by these guys tonight!
Killing Time – Now don’t ask me for the lottery numbers, but I had been saying all week, I am sure Viv is going to come out and play this song saying its he played on it back in the day and we are in Belfast tonight, well there we go, on strides Mr. Campbell, with Casper then white Les Paul studio in tow, and off we go, for a song nearly as old as me, it’s still vibrant and punchy, I think there are so many people know this from the Metallica version, this tonight has something their version doesn’t have, Viv on guitar, just standing center stage peeling off a blistering solo, that was a beautiful thing to behold, what a set closer!!
These guys are back playing the Limelight in December, with a few special guests, I wouldn’t miss it if I were you, love the new line up with Michal on guitar, really fitted in well, do not miss them later this year, I definitely won’t!!
Extreme
Decadence Dance – Now that’s a strong opener from “Pornograffiti”, all I have to say is wow, the backstage is a neon version of the album cover, and it looks amazing, Nuno kicking us off, and Gary comes racing onto the stage, the energy levels are 100% right from the off, Gary left, right out onto the catwalk, just all over the place while Pat and Nuno are on their sides, guitar players rejoice, that tone on the solo, playing his Nuno guitars and Marshalls and he sounds immense, what an opening statement!
Rebel – Onto new album “SIX”, no rest and then the riff kicks in, this one hits hard with that opening riff, the stage show is class, but you spend your time just watching the musicians and not the spectacle with these guys, love the little harmonics throughout that riff after the chorus, Gary getting us all to sing the nahh nahh nahh part, before that sort of breakdown section that comes up next, then comes in the sublime solo from Mr. Bettencourt, lovely phrasing and you know he uses less distortion than I thought, so articulate in everything he does, great second track, a good one two punch!
Rest in Peace – From Extreme 3, I love this track, from the violin intro, then the drums bust in with Nuno’s neck pickup riff, with the bass stabs, everything they play has just so much groove and pocket and as much as everyone focusses on Gary and Nuno, Pat on bass and drummer Kevin just really nail the band down, the vocals are spot on as well, the harmonies in the chorus, so I admit, I recorded quite a few solos, this was one, he just does it right, melody, taste, great tone, before quoting Hendrix coming out of the solo before hitting the last chorus, the crowd are lapping these guys up!
Play With Me – I mean, did you hear it first on Bill and Teds, it did you hear it on the self-titled debut, Kevin slams in with the drums at the start of this one before Gary asks do we want to play, the guy is high energy, all over the place on the stage, contorting himself around, and just being damn entertaining, and isn’t that what a frontman is supposed to do, now if I am being honest as good as this song is, I am waiting for the solo, and as expected, absolutely note for note, I have a man crush on Nuno, and unlike what he said, not all the guitar players where standing watching him with their arms folded, i was standing with my mouth open, back to the song, you can see a load of people signing the chorus back at the band, the energy has been frantic!
Hole Hearted – “Pornograffiti” for this one, Nuno wants to know who had seen them for the first time, then well where have you been it’s been nearly 40 years, it’s time for the acoustic part of the set now, with Kevin coming down the front with a single bass drum and China cymbal, to keep beat on this one, everyone helping out by clapping away, and as you would expect, plenty of audience participation on this one, now here’s the thing, you get an acoustic guitar and not much else and all those vocals can really be heard, and they were spot on, Kevin adding some high harmonies from what I could see as well, absolutely perfect rendition of this!
Midnight Express – We head to the “Waiting for a Punchline” album, this is Nuno’s tour de force on an acoustic, now as much as I never heard it back in the day, this really, reminds me a stuff Steve Vai would later do on an acoustic, sitting on his own on the front ramp with the percussion track playing through the P.A, it’s so hard to get that attack on an acoustic and he is playing some really percussive stuff in there with his signature muted pull offs on display in this, however the one thing it never loses is the groove and I love that, it was so nice to actually hear this one live!
More Than Words – Back to “Pornograffiti”, do I even need to write anything about this song, every word, every chorus sang back to the band, it was a beautiful noise coming from the crowd tonight, and again the thing is, so delicate, even playing a festival stage, you really could feel the dynamics and the atmosphere coming down to a whisper in parts where it needed to be and going back up again, with Gary orchestrating the crowd, sublime!
Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee – Ah there it is, apparently there are a lot of mosquitos in Belfast tonight, you can hear them buzzing and then that metronome noise comes over the pa and the delay guitar intro to He Man Woman Hater, Nuno’s eruption really if you think about it, it’s tough playing with a delay at any time, but that is some control, then again we all know Nuno is a master at work here, and also a great front person, doing a load of the talking to the crowd tonight!
Get the Funk Out – Banger of a tune from “Pornograffiti”, but first there is a birthday in the house, and Nuno has his brother Luis on the stage for this one, 70 today, and i tell you something, having watched the footage taken from the stage, the guy can play as well, that was a pretty awesome experience for Belfast to be fair to share in that, the song itself, absolute banger as we all know but I thought that was incredibly cool to witness that tonight!
Rise – Finally I get to see this solo in person, back to the new album “SIX” for this one, you forget because it’s out nearly 3 years what a banger of a track this is, from the sledgehammer of a riff at the start, to then Gary tearing about the stage, to then audience participation on the lift you up part, then it happens, the solo, you knew when he put his foot on the monitor, that was absolutely glorious to witness that live, what a tune!
I Don’t Know/Bark at the Moon/Crazy Train – Now I did see this on some of the festival previous setlists, what a cool way to end the show, Gary did a really good version of these, but Nuno absolutely nailed the Randy and the Jake solos on these, all where sort of truncated versions of the originals, verse/chorus/solo into the next but what a class way to end the show! On point, tight as anything, just a great rock n roll band, you’re watching 4 guys, just on point, seriously impressed, first time seeing them live despite hearing them back in 91 for the first time, blown away!
Def Leppard
Rejoice – Kicking off with the new single, c’mon new album and another tour, sorry yes, it’s only started, it’s a good bit more riffy and driving, and the drum sound seems really open, before it hits the verse and gets a bit more electronic, I suppose the advantage of that drum kit, you can change patches during the songs, the pre chorus is just classic Def Leppard, then a huge sing along chorus with Phil doing a droning guitar part on the sustainer during it, now is it just me or is that a quote to We Will Rock You in that guitar solo just before the end run….., really great opener and so energetic, also the stage and the visuals, just look amazing!
Animal – Not long before we hit a monster from “Hysteria”, I mean a lot of bands would hold the hits till near the end of the set, but as we all know, these guys have a bit of a roster of smash songs, now you can hear the crowd really hit on this one, even the pre chorus there are people dancing around and singing, then everyone kicks in the for chorus on this one, Joe asking for us to be louder, Phil falling out of the chorus with a big bar dive on the guitar, Phil then walks up the cat walk to take center stage on the solo before the dive down ad back into that massive chorus!
Let’s Get Rocked – Heading back to the “Adrenalize” album, well we get asked the question from Joe, Belfast, “do you wanna get rocked”, and the noise from everyone here is deafening, I think that means yes Joe, we do, I loved it last time and the same this time, Phil shredding the crap out of that guitar in the Chopin Beethoven part, also and they did it the last time, Viv takes the first couple of bars of the solo and then Phil takes the shred part at the end, I love the use of the stage as well, everyone taking full advantage so your always looking to see where people are at, visually really entertaining!
Personal Jesus – Yeah, it is what you are thinking, a cover of a Depeche Mode song, again I think having the video screens makes a massive difference with the church windows on the big screen and then having the band members faces in them for certain parts of the song, very clever production wise, I actually really enjoyed this version of the track, definitely heavier but still retains the feel of the original song as well, very cool!
Bringing on the Heartbreak – we are in the way back machine for this one from 81’s High N Dry album, from that twin guitar intro, it just gives me goosebumps, is it my fav era of Leppard, it nearly is, I love the first couple of albums, definitely different but when it hits that chorus, you know exactly where they built things from, and fair play to Joe that’s high in the chorus also the backing is way up there, absolutely nailed on, great solo from Viv on this one as well, full of taste and aggression as well, just what we know he can do, before its back into the chorus again, classic track!
Switch 625 – Yes, staying on the same album, they move into the song proper which is an instrumental song, gives Joe a bit of a rest as well I suppose, love seeing these two guys get to stretch out, we all know they can play and I suppose the very essence of Def Leppard is not to, so love the inclusion of this track in the set!
Just Like 73 – Released as a single in 2024, originally with Tom Morello on it, again this one has that T-Rex sort of vibe to it, that rolling drum beat to it, and the wow ooh part at the stop, before the song comes in, it’s a massive sing along in the chorus parts, I really love the vibe of this song, it just has a real, feel good feel about it, lots of hands waving from side to side in time with the band, really nice melodic solo then we are back into that intro part again for everyone to sing along to! Short and to the point!
Rocket – Hysteria again for this one, love the backdrop on the screens for this one, crazy people Joe says, think he meant us out in the crowd, that bass line just bops away, the backing vocals though are stratospheric, and Joe is way up there as well before the chorus, where everyone in the pace gets in on the action, not so many on the satellite of love part right enough, lots of guitar abuse in that middle section before we come back in with that chorus, it’s almost like you aren’t getting a breath, you are being batter with hit after hit since the band came onto the stage!
Rock On – So this is a cover of a David Essex song, with a very funky bass line from Sav at the start of it, with a rather fetching white bass with a lovely graphic on it, it’s very 70s funk sounding, love the guitar part that comes in, it’s a really cool break in the set when you think about it, a cover with a different feel, I really liked it, and I hadn’t heard this version of it before, only the original, very cool!
White Lightening – Hitting Adrenalize again, Phil using the sustainer to create an almost eastern atmosphere at the start of this one with a drone note playing out as he does that and then Viv comes in as well before the song kicks in, it’s a proper riff on that with a really cool guitar melody over the top of it, that driving bass line just propels this one along, love the chorus of this one, some great playing from the two guitarists on this one, I had sort of forgotten about this track, but going to have to go back and listen to it again!
Slang – From the album of the same name, now this was the first tour I saw Def Leppard on back in 96 in the Ulster Hall, I know this album got a hard time when it came out, but I think it has aged pretty well, definitely different, but it still sounds like Leppard, and now is that James Brown in there, quotes from Get Up Offa that Thing in there, and something else as well but I couldn’t pick up the song, someone can help me out with that one!
Promises – 1999’s “Euphoria” album, I loved that, they started this one with an acapella vocal, before the track comes in, and for those cynics, it’s not on a track, because there was someone just slightly wobbled on a word and it would have been perfect if it was on tape, and personally give me that any day, then the riff kicks in and so do the band, love that little arpeggiated guitar figure on the verse, it’s just a driving right ahead song, with Sav’s bass line, then you get everyone in the place chanting back the chorus to the guys on stage, you just can’t beat the vibe the band has brought to the place tonight, smiles everywhere, people swaying arm in arm, just awesome!
Armageddon It – Back to Hysteria, Belfast, are you getting it, are you really getting it, this really is sort of like 20th century boy in the verse part, and it never really clicked with me until hearing it tonight, again the crowd are getting in on the action with Joe wanting us louder on this one, and we most certainly obliged him, on the Armageddon it part, I love the solo on this one, it’s just so lyrical and bouncy, just wow!
Love Bites – Staying with the same album, I think this is the first song I ever heard by these guys, what an absolute classic, from the clean guitars in the verse to the sparse drumbeat, then that pre chorus kicks in and the crowd noise just keeps increasing until we hit the chorus, now a few brave souls tried the “its bringing me to my knees” part Joe was doing, fair play to you, I love that little guitar figure that Phil plays behind the chorus, great solo comes up there in the middle, before the vocals and the crowd come in again, Belfast you are doing them proud tonight, that’s for sure!
Rock of Ages – Off to the “Pyromania” album, now I wasn’t expecting an animated Owl, to give us the intro to this one, but there you go, then Rick comes in with that drum groove, before Joe has something to say, then bang the song comes right in, what do you want Belfast, I want rock and roll we sing back to Joe, by the time we hit the chorus, every voice in the place is singing the chorus line back, when you see on the screen the amount of people in here its mad, you don’t have any idea when you are standing there, it’s just one hit after another here tonight!
Photograph – It’s a one-two punch from the same album, love the footage on the screen, and showing Steve up there as well, I think is so cool, some old collages from back in the day up on the screen behind the band, great lights as well, the stage is so well lit and the whole show you could tell would be amazing indoors like the Vegas residency they had been on, lovely solo from Viv right there, we are right in party central tonight, forget Vegas, Belfast is where it is tonight! Joe telling us we are the best crowd, followed by yes everyone says that, but I mean it, we have been coming here since 83, through the troubles and we always have a great time in Belfast, and just like that the main part of the set is over!
When Love and Hate Collide – After about 5 mins the band comes back onto the stage for the encore. Lots of arms waving from side to side, from the 20 thousand plus people in the venue tonight, great crowd participation on the chorus part of this, we are being eased back in again after the break, the backup vocals are bang on point as well, Viv, Phil and Sav all lined up backing Joe, it’s a slick operation, the whole spectacle on the screens and the musicianship, just world class
Hysteria – I mean c’mon, when you have an album like this, you’re going to be playing a lot, and we all want to hear it, loved the visuals on the screens as well, with the triangles from the album cover coming in and morphing during the song, there are times you find yourself watching the screens and then going, hang on the band is right in front of me, Viv and Phil taking a duel solo on this one and walking to the front of the ramp for it, all smiles and the crowd yet again, so loud singing the chorus back at the guys, it’s just hit after hit tonight and let’s face it, this is the band to keep dishing them out!
Pour Some Sugar on Me – Last track of the night and is it still their most well-known song, even people who don’t know the band know this song, and what a way to close the set, now you know this is going to be the biggest crowd noise of the night and not one person was not singing pretty much every word back to Joe on the stage, if ever there was an ultimate feel good song to close a set with, there is none better, and just like that we are done, an absolutely amazing set from the guys, just perfection, and so good to see them back in Belfast again, something Joe made mention to earlier in the set that they always come back again!
Thank you, Belfast, until the next, and there will be a next time, Mr. Elliotts words at the end of the set and let’s hope that we see them again on the next tour, phenomenal evening, great sets from all the bands, exceptional!
Photography by MPM
