Halifax, NS - When Def Leppard played in Halifax, in the round for Hysteria, I didn't get tickets in time to go. I had a good friend at the time who was a die hard fan that I listened to the next day, recounting every spectacular moment. All of these years later, with their album "X", I was able to get more than a taste of what she was talking about.

Halifax was the victim of much needed rain and rain it did. The trip to the Halifax Metro Centre was an adventure in itself. When we arrived (my sister and I) we were terribly early, so we stationed ourselves on a bench in the box office area to get refuge from the downpour. We were sitting and talking quietly when a chap passed us by. I looked up in mid-conversation and continued to talk, then was struck by who it actually was. Rick Allen, drummer for the Leps, strolled right passed us sitting there. I elbowed my sister to look. We let him pass by without so much as a hello. There was crowd in there by this time and I knew if I'd stopped him, he'd have been faced with a hoard of people. I respectfully let him pass and smiled at our good fortune. I wonder if he wandered out the wrong door or something though. He was headed in the wrong direction (it seemed) and he had a look of 'uh oh' on his face.

On we went inside at around 6:30pm. The doors opened and the crowd filed in, mullets and all, in an orderly fashion. We stopped and bought my wonder friends in Victoria, BC t-shirts and was disappointed to see there were no tour programs. We grabbed a quick bite to eat and went to take our seats.

The Halifax Metro Centre is a great venue for a concert. There really isn't a bad seat in the house. Our seats in section 10, row M, seats one and two were decent. We had a great view of the stage. I clutched the bag holding the t-shirts and my umbrella and waited for opening act Ricky Warick to hit the stage. The pre-show music was fantastic. They played music by AC/DC, Alice In Chains, The Cure, Depeche Mode, The Stones, Queen and Guns N' Roses. They were all perfect songs to get this music lover amped for what was to come.

I wasn't wearing a watch so I don't know if the show started on time or not. I wasn't interested in watching the clock as much as I was interested watching a stellar rock show. Out comes this Irish bloke with an acoustic guitar and gets on with his set of 'americana' fuelled songs. From a distance he reminded me a lot of Joe Stummer but singing Bruce Springsteen style songs. He was really great and was well received by the crowd, still filing in and some dipping out for another cold one. I was pleased that Warick enjoyed Halifax as much as he did. While on stage he recounted some of the previous night and basically waged that Halifax gave him a big hangover and that he was having a great time. Viv Campbell joined him for one song and that was electric. Was cool to see two men with guitars, rocking out. His set was short but entertaining. I noticed they were selling his CD along with the Def Leppard merchandise and I hope he sold a few. His album, Tattoos and Alibis, was produced by non other than Joe Elliott.

A quick change of stage, tweaking and apparently waiting for Phil Collen to arrive from Boston. Later after getting home, I learned that he almost didn't make it to the show. However, when the boys started their show, he was right where he was supposed to be. The house lights shut off and an array of green laser lights and heart-thumping music sounded. The people on the floor jumped to their feet and then the stage lit up, and a powerful, 20-odd-year-old band took their signature stage by frickin' storm! They opened with 'Let It Go', a perfect opener, and from the moment they started until the last note of the encore they, to quote Joe, 'blew the roof off the place'.

We were sitting in a place where it wasn't cool to stand up and dance. People would get pissed off if you stood up and they couldn't see. The ushers were also trying to maintain the calm and telling people who were standing to sit back down. Who wants to sit down?? I wanted to dance and enjoy myself, ya know! I am not a fan of policed rock shows, you can't have a good time when you're worrying whether or not someone else can see. I was getting restless in my seat and spied a little section on the other side of the venue that was empty and close to the stage. We whipped around the arena and snuck into the seats at stage right. We were less than twenty feet away. The closeness made the experience that much more intense. When you're able to make eye contact with performers it seals the deal.

Joe Elliott is an imperial performer. He commands the attention of the audience and once he's got you he doesn't let you go. The crowd was a little slow getting to the point of no return but once they achieved it, they in turn commanded the band's attention. They all know how to work a crowd and do it well.

The two hour show was a dream set. I was on my feet and singing along with some of their best stuff, like Rock Of Ages, Bringin' On The Heartbreak, Animal, the highly energized Pour Some Sugar On Me, Women, Photograph, Slang. Make Love Like A Man, Let's Get Rocked, Armageddon It, and of course Love Bites, among many others.

Two songs stand out for me as pinnacle moments. Their performance of 'Two Steps Behind' was gorgeous and moved me to tears. They opted for acoustic guitars and stools for it and the whole damn place sang every word right along with them. There is nothing like a moment like that, for a band, I would think, and certainly for the audience. You can feel a power surge, a direct connection with something so much bigger than you are at those moments. It was just incredible.

'Rocket', for me was the highlight. Watching Sav and Rick alone on the stage, playing that driving middle section, was a religious rock and roll experience. When Joe returned to the microphone, he went into a little of Golden Earring's 'Radar Love' which the crowd devoured. It was absolutely spectacular.

Rick Allen is a tremendous drummer. I am in awe of his 'animal' if you will. Rick Savage is a bass god. I am a huge fan of bass and have a lot of respect for arresting players like John Taylor (Duran Duran) and Sting - Sav is another one that just takes my breath away. I have never seen a bass player play so hard and with such precision. He was astounding. So much so that he broke a string.

Phil Collen and Viv Campbell, duelling guitar players, were both on fire. Both men have a lot of charisma and personality that they use to their advantage to entertain and rock you. Their harmonies are tight and tremendous.

I can't say enough about Joe Elliott. He is a true rock and roll hero. They all are, really! This band has been together since 1977 and they have been through a lot, have the scars and the union jack tees to prove it and yet, here they are some twenty odd years later, doing what they love and better than ever.

Joe graced us with his kingly presence, cris-crossing the stage in leather pants and a cut off black t-shirt, carrying his white microphone stand - singing his guts out despite battling strep throat and stirring the crowd up with his story-telling and band introductions.

Def Leppard played a solid show to five thousand appreciative fans. For me, growing up with their music, associating them with some of the best times of my youth - their show was more than a night of music. It was almost like revisiting old friends and that part of me I hadn't acknowledged for a very long time.

They blew me away. I am speechless, in awe and can't wait for them to come back. I'll be there. I am now a Lep for life.
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