I saw Def Leppard at Brixton Academy on Thursday 27th February 2003; we got to the venue at just after 7.00 and immediately queued up for the merchandise. The place was mobbed, but people queued patiently the downside to Brixton is that they had only one point of sale, which when you have 4,000 people in the place makes for an interesting experience.

Once I had my programme we walked into the downstairs standing area, at Brixton only the upstairs is seated and set further back and soon after we got in there Ricky Warwick came onstage, he was really good and got a really great response from the crowd, and for one song Vivian Campbell came out to do a song with him.

He told the crowd that he had spent some time at Joe’s Garage and said what a cool bloke Joe was, he also told of a story of a cow that had got into Joe’s front garden and Joe threatened to get his gun and sort it out.
After Ricky Warwick came The Darkness, I had heard a download of them on the Net and I wasn’t impressed but thought that playing live they may be better. The guitars had a great sound and the singer was entertaining and funny with a flamboyant dress sense but his voice I just found so strange against the guitars, sort of a Led Zeppelin meets Sparks.

But with all things considered they were entertaining and the crowd loved them. We then had a long wait whilst The Darkness’s equipment was taken off stage and at just after 9.00pm The Leps finally made it onstage.
The set was excellent and Joe really got the crowd dancing and singing along with him, much was made of the fact that Phil was back in his home town and the shirt lasted for all of about 3 songs.

Rick Savage really surprised me after reading so much about him being the shy one of the group his attitude and flirtatious nature really came to the fore and he really looked like he was enjoying himself.

Joe was exactly as I thought he would be and at one point someone threw a Sheffield United scarf at him which he put on, after a chorus of boos at the scarf he turned round and commented that you can’t mock the afflicted.

Obviously Sheffield United’s recent performance has affected him somewhat.

For encores they did Pour Some Sugar on Me, Armageddon It and finally Rock of Ages. The place was jam packed but there was not shoving and people really got into the music.

Now the English fans sometimes feel that they get a raw deal with concerts and CD/DVD releases being delayed or non existent but considering how successful this part of the tour was for them I hope that this will change attitudes about English fans loyalty.

The concert finished at just before 11.00pm and we all went home very tired but thrilled that we had seen such a good show and I have no doubt that if they had played a bigger London Venue then they would have sold out there as well.
Let It Go
Action
Make Love Like a Man
Bringin´ On The Heartbreak
Switch 625
Foolin´
You´re So Beautiful
Hysteria
Long Long Way To Go
Slang
Four Letter Word
Promises
Two Steps Behind (acoustic)
Now 
Women
Rocket (extended)
Armageddon It
Photograph
Animal
Pour Some Sugar On Me
Rock Of Ages

Encore 1
When Love And Hate Collide
Let´s Get Rocked

Encore 2
Wasted
Setlist