Think I got decent seats for the price, lower upper section, middle side of arena...$46.50 (x2) + tax/service charges.

Also got tickets for next Red Rock & Blue show...

Atomic Punks (DLR VH)
5150 (Sammy Hagar VH)
Mötley Inc. (Mötley Crüe)

Was disappointed with no Def Leppard tribute this year, but as luck would have it...

2018 is quickly becoming a great year for 70's/80's Rock!

Published yesterday...
When Def Leppard and Journey tour together, expect the hits

Already getting jazzed about this one, although I doubt we'll go bobbsey...




Had me thinking...

With Steve Smith (drummer) back in Journey, the lineup is the same as it was in the early-to-mid 80's (albums Escape, Frontiers, Raised on Radio, maybe one more). But with the very big exception of Steve Perry...

Neal Schon – lead guitar, backing vocals (1973–present)
Ross Valory – bass, backing vocals (1973–1985, 1995–present)
Steve Smith – drums, percussion (1978–1985, 1995–1998, 2015–present)
Jonathan Cain – keyboards, rhythm guitar, backing vocals (1980–present)
Arnel Pineda – lead vocals (2007–present)

Is Journey really Journey without Perry? Nah, I don't think so. I think they're more of a glorified tribute band (the replacement singer was from a Journey tribute band when they found him). I have no problem with that (I enjoy tribute bands) as long as I'm paying a tribute band price. ~$25.00 (per band) to see this so-called Journey works for me (as it did for Kansas without Steve Walsh).

What I *can't* do is pay $81.00 for upper level, practically behind the stage, to see the Eagles coming to Smoothie King this year. I love the Eagles, went to "Hell Freezes Over" in the mid-90's, great concert! But without Don Felder and *especially* without Glenn Fry, I'm not paying those prices (anything decent starting at around $120.00). It's even worse for Chicago and Little River Band, maybe one or two original members (no one currently in LRB had anything to do with their hits) with jacked up prices, I'm not paying for a name. Sure the shows are great, just about every tribute band I see is fantastic no matter what they call themselves (Brit Floyd), but I want a price that reflects reality!

Question is, would I rather see "Journey" for $25.00 up in the higher seats, or see a good Journey tribute band for $10.00 while standing in front of the stage? That's a tough one, lots of factors including price, drive distances (tributes are always local), traffic and crowds, etc. Plus, a local tribute has us getting home early enough that...well, my evening is guaranteed to have a happy ending. Not so with driving home late from New Orleans (and we always wait out the heavy traffic, in the arena and then parking garage), although that was usually after seeing Rush (quite a mindset difference between Tom Sawyer and Open Arms). Ah, getting old sucks. But I think this concert is going to be seriously nostalgic for us, big grins all the way home (unless I get a room in N.O., it's just that everything within walking distance is so damn expensive).

Anyway, the "new" singer Arnel Pineda is very good from what I've heard. I wouldn't mind hearing him in his own tribute band (Frontiers) belting out Steve Perry songs at the Varsity at LSU.

++++++++++

I know less about the names in Def Leppard than I do Journey, except that Steve Clark (lead guitarist) died from alcohol after their major 80's success and that the drummer lost his arm in an accident shortly after Pyromania (I remember seeing his one-arm drumming for the first time in the Animal video)...

Joe Elliott – lead vocals, occasional rhythm guitar (1977–present)
Rick Savage – bass guitar, backing vocals (1977–present)
Rick Allen – drums, percussion, backing vocals (1978–present)
Phil Collen – guitars, backing vocals (1982–present)
Vivian Campbell – guitars, backing vocals (1992–present)

Looks to me like a very early lineup is still mostly in tack.

That is the same Def lineup since the release of Pyromania in 1983, Vivian Campbell replaced Steve Clark (RIP) in 1992.
Phil Collen replaced original guitarist Pete WIllis during the recording of Pyromania.

I love Pyromania big time but their 2nd album High 'n' Dry is still my favorite.






Here is Journey last year at their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction



I saw Journey twice back in the day, mainly going to see the opening acts Bryan Adams and Loverboy.
I do remember for some reason we got the most excited when they did this song from Neil Schon's album with Jan Hammer

Good stuff, David. Although not on Pyromania, Bringin' On The Heartbreak has always been my favorite Def Leppard song, I'm going to have to give High 'N' Dry a listen.

++++++++++

If it were up to me, the Def Leppard setlist would be...

Rock Rock (Till You Drop)
Photograph
Too Late For Love
Foolin'
Rock Of Ages

<Or even do a full Pyromania, adding...

Stagefright
Die Hard The Hunter
Comin' Under Fire
Action! Not Words
Billy's Got A Gun>


Also...

[EDIT Added:] Let It Go
Love Bites
Two Steps Behind
Animal
Hysteria
Bringin' On The Heartbreak
[EDIT Added:] Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad
[EDIT Added:] Miss You In A Heartbeat
[EDIT Added:] When Love & Hate Collide

++++++++++

Songs I don't care to hear, even though I know some of them I will... [EDIT: The following songs are ok if buzzed...]

Pour Some Sugar On Me
Let's Get Rocked
Rocket
Armageddon It

++++++++++

Songs that torture my ears (I won't count "Sugar" as I know they're going to play it [as do the Molly Ringwalds at practically every show] so I'm trying to tolerate it)...

Make Love Like A Man
(and lots of others post-Pyromania)

Guess I have a love/hate with Def Leppard. I'll come back with my hopeful Journey setlist later.

Bryan Adams and Loverboy, eh? I'd go see both.

On to Journey...

Journey has had three eras (IMO, that matter):

- Pre-Steve Perry
- Steve Perry / Gregg Rolie
- Steve Perry / Jonathan Cain

I didn't know of a pre-Steve Perry Journey until I picked up this mini-box set...
Time3



In more-or-less chronological order, Perry comes in at song # 7. Like with Styx's early works (Wooden Nickel), I have no excuse for dragging my feet with checking out pre-Perry Journey, and judging by the first 6 songs on Time3, I might enjoy it. Also procrastinating on Peter Gabriel Genesis, still wearing out the Phil Collins stuff.

Anyway, I had late-70's Perry / Rolie Journey on 8-track (Infinity, Evolution, Departure), thought it was great and wore it out. But I *really* got into Journey with early-mid-80's Perry / Cain (Escape, Frontiers), especially after acquiring a girlfriend (now wife) who enjoyed the sappier Journey.

Sooo, here's what I'm hoping for with Journey (not including *many* of my favorites, just being realistic)...

Feeling That Way
Anytime
Lights
Majestic/Too Late
Send Her My Love
Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'
Stone In Love
Who's Cryin' Now
Any Way You Want It
Faithfully
Wheel In The Sky
Walks Like A Lady
Just The Same Way
Open Arms
I'll Be Alright Without You

Notice no Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) and Don't Stop Believin'. Meh, I get enough of those with the Ringwalds, and since it won't be Steve Perry singing anyway (although I'm sure they're going to play them).

I dunno, so many songs I haven't listed (and some I have) won't be the same without Perry singing them. Heck, I pretty much like all Journey from Infinity to Frontiers (1978 - 1983) and a few singles after that, so the setlist doesn't really matter. So far, as with Brit Floyd in NYC, I've refrained from looking at current setlists of these bands (other than the songs mentioned in the interview article I posted above). I doubt I'll get any surprises.


Oh yeah...

Lovin Touchin Squeezin/City of The Angels...



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV_aiRLbM0Y


Dixie Highway...



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csiiWd3ZcvA

I've decided that as long as I have a good buzz going (peaking off 4 x 1.5 oz. shots), I can probably tolerate the Def Leppard songs I don't care for. 5 to 6 shots (given my weight and rare drinking these days) and I might even groove to them. I know women love Pour Some Sugar On Me (I see it at Molly Ringwald shows), so I can't fault the band for the song.

But damn, I'd have to down even more to enjoy this one (Make Love Like A Man)...



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5P2wtm79YI

...and I quit heavy drinking years ago.


The good news is that, being on a Monday night, the nearby Holiday Inn (Downtown/Superdome) is reasonably priced at ~$90.00. Check-in at 3PM and park, gives us plenty of time to walk the French Quarter (among Classic Rockers, the Quarter is always enjoyable the day of a concert), go back to the hotel to grab our drinks (yes I'm cheap bringing my own booze), and then walk to the arena. I won't have to drive until the next day.

++++++++++

And with those plans, I've added more sap to my hopeful Def Leppard setlist:

Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad
Miss You In A Heartbeat
When Love & Hate Collide

++++++++++

EDIT: Guess the point is to not always take music so seriously, sometimes you just gotta have fun with it.

I remember watching these when they first came out, what a cool show it was...

Def Leppard - Behind The Music...



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiuYU1YZaj4


Journey - Behind The Music...



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elLRt16I46w&list=PLYQjSwft03o-GKq_l1E_wBteql-40YSWd

I think you will like this Def Leppard tribute band



I did not even know they did this ha

They were doing a residency in Vegas performing the full Hysteria album and they had "The World's Greatest Def Leppard Tribute Band" open for them.

They were doing stuff off of the early albums and deep cuts, this is the Def Leppard I would love to see on tour

I was at the Buffalo show this past Saturday night. A couple things to know: the bands are "co-headliners" and alternate opening and closing. The first show of the tour, Def Leppard opened, Journey opened when I was there.
Phil Collen left the tour due to a family emergency. I think I read somewhere that his wife is ill and undergoing treatment.

The setlist for the tour is available online, I saw it before the show and from what I recall it was pretty accurate.

I saw Journey back in the 80's with Steve Perry, and he was phenomenal live. The new guy is damn near as good. In fact, he even sounds a LOT like Perry. There was a documentary about him joining the band on Netflix, definitely worth the watch. Journey opens with "Separate Ways." Real strong tune, good opener. All the main instrumentalists have a feature solo. Neil Schon's is basically a technique show - not very musical but very demanding. Got old quick though. Jonathan Cain's solo was meh. Steve Smith stole the show with his though. Very well developed musically, and some fun technique schtick that played well on the video. They played a lot of their hits, I can't recall any I wanted to hear but didn't. "Don't Stop Believin'" was the closer with "Lovin' Touchin & Squeezin'" as the encore (an odd choice IMHO.)

Def Leppard isn't one of my top bands, so they didn't do much for me. The wife thought it was too loud and we wound up leaving about halfway through the show. The tickets were free, so I didn't mind. Journey was who I was really there to see. The Def Leppard fans were definitely groovin to the band though.

Here's a couple of pics.





]

Lol, David. I started watching the video before reading the rest of your post, it hadn't clicked yet...

Thinking, "Wow, these guys are a good tribute band, maybe taking it a bit far with the drummer playing with only one arm!"

Oh man, Stagefright! (will watch the rest later this evening).

++++++++++

JohnnyChemo, thanks for the review and pics.

Journey vs. Def Leppard, man that's a tough one for me. Overall I'd pick Journey as I've been listening to them since the early-80's (albums dating back to the late-70's). Def Leppard to me was only one album (Pyromania - 1983) and a handful of singles off other albums (I also have Hysteria, Adrenalize and the original Vault [Greatest Hits], about to add High 'n' Dry). Pyromania was still peaking around the time I met my wife (upon switching high schools after Christmas/New Year's break, starting off the new year of 1984), but so was Frontiers (1983). We listened to Pyromania, Escape and Frontiers a lot in her car that first year or two, Escape/Frontiers being excellent parking albums (cassettes) IMO, except for Frontiers' Back Talk (still not as bad as Mother on Synchronicity...lol).

So I dunno, we'll slow dance to Faithfully at a Ringwalds show, but wife also likes to (very subtly) 'dance' against me to the upbeat chicky Def Leppard songs (Sugar, Rocket, Armageddon, etc). Which reminds me, another advantage to a local small venue is that it's floor standing (unless you choose to take a seat in the back) which I prefer, allowing for more movement (usually swaying vs. dancing) than standing at your seat in an arena.

Glad you had a good time, and wishing Phil Collen's wife a speedy recovery.

Been giving Def Leppard a real listen this weekend, now including pre-Pyromania and post-Adrenalize, finding lots of songs I enjoy listening to. I'm sold, I think they're a solid band, even beyond their 80's success. Their music over the decades has changed, reflecting their maturing age I guess, and I'm ok with that...same with a lot of later Rush that's grown on me.

Also, I was encouraged by David Kennard's "tribute band" video above. For example, from the Behind the Music documentary, I got the impression that Vivian Campbell wasn't much of a guitarist, that they chose him mostly for friendship than his abilities. But after watching the tribute video, he sounds pretty darn impressive to me!

I made a new playlist Friday evening and included the Def Leppard songs I don't care for, they all pass the test...while slightly buzzed. Maybe they were hammered when they made those songs (definitely with Rocket).


So we have Journey, the ultimate romantic power ballad band (Open Arms, Faithfully, Send Her My Love, etc.)...

"Lying beside you, here in the dark
Feeling your heart beat with mine
Softly you whisper, you're so sincere
How could our love be so blind
We sailed on together
We drifted apart
And here you are by my side"

- Open Arms (Escape)


,,,and then we have Def Leppard...

"Oh, every day, every night
Take her little heart 'till it beats like a hammer, yeah, oh
Come on, do it good, do it right
Crazy little girl gonna stutter 'n' stammer"

- Make Love Like A Man (Adrenalize)


Lol. New Orleans is going to eat this up (always an energetic crowd)!...

"If you want to go to hell you should take a trip
to the Sodom and Gomorrah on the Mississip."

I couldn't take it anymore, had to look up the setlists for the current tour (and I already knew some of it, mentioned in this thread and interview link)...

Def Leppard
==========
Rocket
Animal
Foolin'
When Love and Hate Collide
Let's Get Rocked
Armageddon It
Rock On (David Essex cover)
Two Steps Behind
Man Enough
Love Bites
Bringin' on the Heartbreak
Switch 625
Hysteria
Pour Some Sugar on Me

Encore:
Rock of Ages
Photograph


Journey
==========
Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)
Only the Young
Be Good to Yourself
Stone in Love
Neal Schon Guitar Solo #1
Escape
Any Way You Want It
Lights
Jonathan Cain Keyboard Solo
Open Arms
Who's Crying Now
La Do Da
Steve Smith Drum Solo
Neal Schon Guitar Solo #2
Wheel in the Sky
Faithfully
Don't Stop Believin'

Encore:
Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'


Oh man, this is going to take me back to my senior year of HS so hard I may never recover!

The biggest and most pleasant surprise to me is...



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-hDh_0wN8w

++++++++++

Although I didn't see Journey in their heyday (and it wouldn't be the same today, Steve Perry has long since retired from singing), I think the music can be bigger than the artist. That's the mentality I have to have to enjoy tribute bands, as long as someone is on stage competently playing the songs I want to hear and for a reasonable price, I'll be there.

I remember turning down a similar concert a couple of years ago or so (Styx, Journey, Tesla). I don't remember why except that I was still on the fence about tributes and "oldie acts" (especially with replacement singers). I've gotten past that, I love the Classic Rock concert scene too much, the anticipation and energetic crowds (the one time crowds are a good thing ), and having married a gal who also loves Classic Rock and live performances. We'll enjoy it for as long as we can.

I listened to the concert playlist all day while doing yard work, and if my setlists are accurate, there's only one real disappointment, plus a semi-disappointment (not counting a butt load of other songs I wouldn't mind hearing live).

Missing Send Her My Love (Frontiers)...



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InyWhQLfO7A

Yet another romantic power ballad, I know. But this one to me has an edge to it (I don't know how else to describe it, other than not being so sappy ).


Also, no Mother, Father (Escape), just a fantastic freaking song, IMO...



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IsAdOXDGAU

++++++++++

On another note, Def Leppard has one newer song on their setlist, with a groovy bassline. It's kinda cool, I guess...



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0i7Xh6Grs3U

Yeah, "Send Her My Love" is a great tune, alright! But the setlist writer in me (I do that plenty for the band I play in) can't stomach doing that many ballads
in an hour and a half. Hell, I wouldn't put two in that length of a set, but I don't see you could have Journey leave out "Faithfully" or "Open Arms."

I can see that being a bit much, even with Journey.

There's about a dozen or so power ballads (or similar - off the top of my head) that are *always* on my MP3 player, songs I never seem to tire of no matter how many times I hear them...

Just Between You And Me - April Wine
I Remember You - Skid Row
Love Song - Tesla
Faithfully - Journey
Heaven - Bryan Adams
Home Sweet Home - Mötley Crüe
Sister Christian - Night Ranger
Bringin' On The Heartbreak - Def Leppard
Straight From The Heart - Bryan Adams
Keep On Loving You - REO Speedwagon
Every Rose Has Its Thorn - Poison
What Kind Of Fool Am I? - Rick Springfield
When You Close Your Eyes - Night Ranger
Send Her My Love - Journey
Tuesday's Gone - Lynyrd Skynyrd
Cuts Like A Knife - Bryan Adams
Take It On The Run - REO Speedwagon
Still Loving You - Scorpions
Wait - White Lion

...and I'm getting two of those in one evening, and from two different bands! So I can't complain (Open Arms doesn't make the cut, but I'll be happy to hear it).

Sometimes when I'm pissed off, I make a decision to either go outside to the 'barn' and beat the hell out of my speedbag (something I learned from my father) or I scurry off to my man cave, slip on the headphones and lose myself in music. It's like calming yourself with prescription meds, how can you stay mad at *anything* after consuming three songs from Air Supply's Greatest Hits?

Just know that when you're playing (I don't know what instrument or music you play) and slip in a ballad, you're probably igniting sparks somewhere in your audience. Some dudes are silently thanking you, while others might decide it's time for a piss/bar break

I’m not saying ballads don’t have their place, and I’m also not playing for thousands in an arena, but a ballad can suck the energy out of a room, esp if it falls flat. It’s a matter of keeping the party going. Having said that, sometimes we will start with a ballad at a wedding or private gig to get people up on the floor and follow it up with a guaranteed dance tune (example - September by EWF) and go fro there. Or if we’ve been pumping out dance tune after dance tune and you see people leaving the floor it might be good to slow things down then. So for me it’s situational. Oh and my main instrument is trumpet.

I always think of the movie “Heavy Metal” when I hear open arms. Can’t link to a video cuz it’s NSFW, but that’s what that tune always reminds me of.

With "Open Arms" I think of "Heavy Metal" as well (love the soundtrack). Also featured in "The Last American Virgin."

EW&F, Commodores, Chicago, Steely Dan...man I freaking *love* those horns!

BTW, lots of softer songs I didn't list as they're not power ballads, but EW&F's "After The Love Has Gone" is at the top of my romance playlist.

I imagine you gotta break out the slow jams if your audience is a bunch of stiff white folks who (like myself) don't really do any other kinds of dancing, at least not without excessive liquid courage.

Even stiff white people will dance with the proper social lubrication! The old adage about feeding off a crowd is true - it does feel, better when you’ve got a crowd who,is into it.
Of course, sometimes you get a listening crowd and you can never really tell until the night is over whether or not they dug it. Nice thing is that when you get a listening crowd you can ditch the dance stuff and play the more “out there” charts we tend to enjoy.

Of course sometimes eve the esoteric charts have a good beat and you can dance to it!



(I Like Your Style by Tower of Power)]

You mention " listening crowd." I think that's what we were at Rush concerts. I mean, I took it so seriously that I never had alcohol at a Rush show, mainly because I didn't want to dull my senses *at all*, picking up on every note.

In fact, the only time I drink (and very moderately) before or during a live performance, is when I consider the evening to be a romantic date. I enjoy the uncharacteristic looseness we both have under a light buzz, otherwise I'm there to fully take in the performance (which I mostly do anyway). I also love being part of an energized crowd (drinking or not). Being 50, the shows we see usually draw in a mostly middle-age audience, the crowd can be still be energetic and even slightly crazy sometimes, but not overly rambunctious.

Phil Collen is back on tour, wife and newborn son ok...

==========
Def Leppard’s Phil Collen Reveals Child Birth Incident Led to May 2018 Tour Exit

http://loudwire.com/def-leppard-phil-collen-child-birth-incident-may-2018-tour-exit/

"Back in May, shortly after Def Leppard had kicked off their North American co-headlining tour with Journey, guitarist Phil Collen abruptly left the trek citing a family emergency. The band turned to Trixter guitarist Steve Brown to fill in -- he had filled in for the band in the past -- but the events that led to Collen's absence had not been revealed until the guitarist recently spoke about it on the Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon podcast.

During his chat, Collen revealed a rather scary ordeal that his family went through as his wife Helen was giving birth to the couple's son, Jackson. "She actually died and they brought her back to life," Collen told Lafon. "[There was] internal bleeding and just craziness... So I was actually on tour and when this happened. I obviously had to go to California [to be with her]."

Collen reached out to Brown, who had filled-in for fellow guitarist Vivian Campbell while the musician had been treated for Hodgkins Lymphoma in recent years. The guitarist stepped in two days later at the band's May 25 stop in Hershey, Pa., meaning that the tour did not have to stop.

"He learned my parts, and my vocal parts, which is more serious than the guitar parts, I think. In our band, we have backing vocals — it's an instrument," says Collen. "So it was a no-brainer. And I said, 'Can you step in for me?' Everyone was cool; they said, 'Go.' I went, and everything was fine."

Brown handled the guitar duties for three dates before Collen returned. Both Collen's wife and son are doing well."
==========

One of my most anticipated concerts and weekends ever.