Three classic rock bands are headlining huge venues across North America
Def Leppard and Journey, along with Steve Miller Band, have teamed up for another powerhouse iteration of The Stadium Tour. A concert series that kicked off in 2022 with the reunion of Motley Crue co-headlining with the likes of Def Leppard, along with Poison and Joan Jett, the trek has reconfigured its lineup for the past two summers.
At Hersheypark Stadium on Thursday, July 25th, Steve Miller Band took the stage first and ran through a dozen of his hits. “Rockin’ Me,” “Fly Like an Eagle,” “Abracadabra,” and of course “Jet Airliner” were all present. He left the crowd for want of nothing, except maybe more time with this legend.
Miller offered a few blues standards before starting on his catalog. “Rockin’ Me” and “The Joker” proved the biggest singalongs. Miller also shared a bit of history with guitar maker Les Paul, which was interesting.
Journey was up next. Having seen Arnel Pineda make their iconic catalog his own twice in the past–and rating it my top show of 2023–I was particularly excited to hear his uncontainable voice in a venue with no roof. The same goes for Neal Schon and his guitar. He can still shred. And place him on an open-air stage, his chords reach outer space.
“Faithfully” was particularly magical. The cool night breeze flowed through the stadium in time with Jonathan Cain’s iconic instrumental hook—carrying it along the wide berth of the stadium. It was the kind of perfect moment outdoor concerts are made for.
Journey ended with “Don’t Stop Believin’” dialed up to 11. Lead singer Pineda made what had to be his 20th loop around the massive stage apron, joyfully letting the crowd have a 30,000-person karaoke session.
Def Leppard closed the night. Joe Elliott kicked the set off by reaching his “Brian Johnson range” with “Rock! Rock! (Til You Drop).” The Lepps followed that up with “Rocket.”
Elliott noted that this tour celebrates the 40th anniversary of Pyromania. They then started a high-energy rendition of “Foolin.’”
They showcased their pop-metal chops with a strong setlist of hits and surprises. One surprise was the tour debut of “Billy’s Got A Gun,” a deep cut from Pyromania added to celebrate the aforementioned 40th celebration.
“Just Like ‘73” is a hard-driving rocker that Def Leppard just released in June. But it could be right at home on any record of theirs. That’s perhaps the secret to Def Leppard’s decades-long success: they know their sound, and they know how to stay true to it.
Live, Def Leppard is unmatched for their ability to entertain. Joe Elliott’s voice practically injects rock and roll into your bloodstream. You can’t help but throw a fist up and bounce along.
These Stadium Tour iterations have endured because, to many, the era they represent was the last era of good “real music.” I sat next to a millennial the same age as me. She knew the words to every Steve Miller, Journey, and Leppard song. She was raised on that music and started a vinyl collection with a Steve Miller Band album.
So it’s quite obvious that as long as there are people who won’t Stop Believin’ in the Rock of Ages, the classic bands will Keep On Rockin’ You, Baby.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C95krxKS7TE
https://www.instagram.com/p/C95kgvjSTIF
https://www.instagram.com/p/C95kXGlyk5o
