REO Speedwagon, Def Leppard Rock
The Pearl at Palms Resort & Casino
Two iconic rock bands filled The Pearl concert venue with fans on
Friday, April 25th. Opening act, REO Speedwagon kicked off the evening
when shirtless drummer Bryan Hitt (great name for a drummer, formerly
with Wang Chung) banged on a huge silver gong situated directly behind
his set to launch the band into the first strains of “Don’t Let Him Go”
to rapturous approval from the capacity crowd.
Lead singer Kevin Cronin took the stage in red silk shirt and black
leather pants in a high energy performance full of enthusiasm that had
to be toned down for the follow-up number, “Heard It From A Friend.”
Joined on stage by bassist Bruce Hall, Neal Doughty on keyboards (a
founding member) and Dave Amato (formerly with Ted Nugent, Richie
Zambora) on lead guitar, the quintet proceeded to perform the title
track from their newest release, “Find Your Own Way Home” and their
iconic “Can’t Fight This Feeling Anymore”, which Cronin dedicated to his
wife, Lisa.
Throughout the recognizable set which included “Time for Me to Fly” and
the bass-heavy “Back on the Road Again” featuring Bruce Hall on lead
vocals, Cronin shed his shirt in favor of a black tee, which officially
put him in sync with the rock uniform of the rest of his crew. Hitt
never donned a shirt – avoiding anything that might restrict his
flailing arms during his spectacular percussive finish to this piece.
Cronin provided the piano introduction to “Keep On Loving You” and the
entire audience squeezed in just a bit closer for the rock ballad. You
can’t keep things slow for too long, so the band proceeded to “Roll With
The Changes” as the slender lead singer engaged the rest of his crew to
travel around the stage with him.
A satisfying encore of “Ridin’ the Storm Out” which Cronin pointed out
was the song which “put us on the map” and “157 Riverside Avenue” which
featured a piano solo by the enthusiastic Cronin had the band completing
its set triumphantly, like the experienced showmen they are.
Completely impressed by the performance, I wondered what the British
headliners, up next, could offer to top it. After a 15-minute break, I
found out.
The two large video screens that flanked the stage were put to good use
as they sprang to life with a Union Jack, and other animated and live
footage, including a rocket that roared across from right to left as Def
Leppard front man Joe Elliott took the stage for an absolutely
electrifying rendition of “Rocket.”
Fellow band mates Rick Allen on drums, Vivian Campbell on lead guitar
(despite the first name, he’s male, from Northern Ireland, formerly with
Dio and Whitesnake) Rick Savage on bass (a founding member), Phil Collen
on guitar (formerly with Girl) joined Elliott onstage in a flurry of
movement that continued through “Animal”, with its two-clap refrain that
deserved and got audience participation.
The hard driving force of these guys epitomizes what rock is. Allen’s
drumbeats can be felt as if they are emanating from your chest cavity,
prompting your heartbeat to synchronize. Allen plays barefoot on a
customized electronic drum kit from British manufacturer Simmons. The
effect is awe-inspiring, as the strength needed for such thunder came
from a man with one arm and the habit of playing barefoot.
Throughout the band’s set, which included “Let’s Get Rocked”, “Foolin’”,
and “Mirror, Mirror”, Elliott and company did indeed rock the house into
a frenzy with electrifying guitar riffs, vocals and a beat that left
most wanting a cigarette afterward.
“Nine Lives” the band’s collaborative effort with Country superstar Tim
McGraw, is from their just-released ninth studio album, “Songs From The
Sparkle Lounge.” Elliott’s Sheffield accent was most apparent in this
song’s pronunciation, an endearing reminder that these rockers are from
across the pond – and damn good at what they do.
A bass-heavy rendition of the David Essex classic “Blue Jean Baby Queen”
had appreciative fans marveling at the ease with which this band can
handle the old, the new, and the remake without breaking a sweat,
maintaining a head-banging stage presence and audio artisanship that
left me awestruck at several intervals.
Elliott appeared onstage with an acoustic guitar for the next two
numbers, “Two Steps Behind” and “Bringin’ On The Heartbreak.” The latter
had fans on their feet, hugging each other in entire rows, and
practically disbelieving what they were hearing and seeing. “Hysteria”
just about caused the condition in some audience members.
Rounding out their performance with “Armageddon It”, “Photograph” and
the iconic anthem “Pour Some Sugar On Me”, the band dutifully pretended
to leave the stage for the evening, like they weren’t going to have an
encore. This little subterfuge always amuses me. Minutes went by,
lighters were held aloft, and the venue finally went dark for a
screamingly seizure-inducing version of “Rock of Ages.”
The three guitarists shed their shirts at various intervals throughout
the show to put that “rock” badge of approval on the proceedings. Lights
were vibrantly monochromatic at times, strobed and blinding at others,
all psychologically constructed to deliver an indelible impression, a
memory branded on the brain through sight and sound. It worked.
Fortunately, this was a concert with a double bill and not the
Revolutionary War. The Brits would have definitely won this one, taking
our homegrown musical genre and blasting it back at us with a stunning
power and showmanship that made me want to surrender willingly. If
you’re lucky enough to experience these guys with “Def” in their band’s
title, you’ll be extremely glad that you aren’t.
About the Pearl:
With a capacity of 1,100 to 2,500, no seat in this three-level facility
is farther than 120 feet away from the stage, which is just four feet
from the floor. The high-tech lighting, video and sound systems rival
that of larger venues.
The ground floor accommodates either seated or standing audiences, while
all three levels feature beverage stations and restrooms. Eighteen
private and semi-private sky boxes offer exclusive bars, lounges and
restrooms. The theater has several tiers of seating in a large
crescent-shaped room with towering ceilings and no obstructed views.
Stage action is broadcast across two 14-foot by 16-foot video screens
while powerful 60 JBL Vertec series loudspeakers fill the space with
sound. This venue seems both big and small (intimate and immense at the
same time, evoking the grandeur of an opera house incorporating a
high-tech, state of the art modernism.
Additionally, The Pearl is hard wired to The Studio at The Palms,
allowing the artists who perform there to easily create albums live from
Las Vegas.
For further information about upcoming shows:
http://www.palmspearl.com
About the bands:
http://www.speedwagon.com
http://www.defleppard.com
