Def Leppard/Journey concert roadtrip: part one

This one is going to be long, so consider yourself warned. I'm posting two parts. Part one is the concert and part two, sometime this week, is the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

This past week I took a concert road trip with my sister to see my favorite band. Anyone who reads my blog or knows me, likely knows that's Def Leppard. They were playing in Cleveland at the Quicken Loans Arena with Journey. I live in CT and she's in NY, but since she's always wanted to see the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, we decided to see them in Cleveland and make it a mini-vacation.

I drove to NY last Sunday (a four hour drive) and spent the night at her house. We left early Monday morning around 7:00 am in order to get to Cleveland (a five hour drive) check into the hotel and make it over to the arena by 4:30 pm.  When we got to the hotel we were able to check in right away, which was nice because it gave us a couple hours to relax, unpack and change clothes--we had to look nice to meet the boys from Def Leppard!

We stayed at the Renaissance, which is across from Public Square. It's an old hotel, so the rooms were a bit smaller than we're used to.  We had to hunt down the in-room coffee maker, which was on a shelf in the nightstand, and there wasn't room to keep our suitcases out, but overall it was good and the bed was comfy (very important for me!). The service staff were very friendly. My one gripe was that there was only one restaurant in the hotel, which served lunch and dinner only. Kind of a pain when you want some breakfast and don't want to go far. We had to walk out into the mall, which is attached, and head to Dunkin Donuts. I actually liked the mall being there, as it connected several buildings and a casino. You can basically go for several blocks and not have to go outside at all. Actually, we were able to walk from our hotel to the arena without having to go outside in the 90+ degree heat. (And that was especially nice, walking back at 11:00 pm at night after the concert.)

I mentioned having to be at the arena by 4:30 pm. That's because we decided to go all out for this show and buy the front row meet & greet package for Def Leppard. (We had a pretty rough year last year and decided we needed to indulge ourselves a bit.) Check-in time was 4:30 pm and We got to the arena around 4:00 pm.  The check-in tables for Journey and Def Leppard were side by side, and there were many more people for Def Leppard. (Although, Journey wasn't doing a meet and greet so that's probably why.) While waiting in line we discovered we'd forgotten several items that we always bring, probably because I switched purses and we relaxed a little too much beforehand (oh, those pesky Lifetime movies!):  Sharpie markers, just in case we met any band members other than at the meet and greet; my ear plugs, since I'm old and can't take the volume level anymore; and a mirror and lipstick, so we look picture perfect to meet the boys.

We got checked in, got our goody bags and wrist bands, and then went through security. The goody bag was a canvas travel bag with the Def Leppard logo, and inside was a nice set of luggage tags and a travel wallet, along with Def Leppard postcards. We also got a signed poster.

We then waited around until 5:00 pm, when the hostess brought us into the arena for our group photo on stage. It wasn't with the band, just the group of concert-goers. It was pretty cool, though, to be up on stage in front of Rick Allen's drum kit with "Def Leppard" on the screens in back of us. We chatted with the security guys, who were very friendly. (This is always a good thing--butter them up so they don't harass you for taking pictures, or maybe they'll be nice and give you the guitar pick that landed on the floor in front of them.)

We then headed back to meet the guys. For some reason I thought it would be a longer walk when we got out of the seating area, but it was quite close. Seemed like just a few steps, really. While waiting in line they drew the raffle--the prize being the privilege of standing on the side of the stage for the first two songs. Unfortunately we didn't win; however, we preferred to see the beginning of the show from the front anyway, so we weren't upset. Then it was time to meet the guys!! While we waited, Stuart, Vivian's dog, made an appearance. He was trotting around while the band's assistant waited.  I was hoping to pet him, but she didn't let him go too far. It was a treat to see him, though.  Kind of makes you realize that even though the band are rock stars, they're human just like the rest of us. (If anyone wants to follow Stuart on Instagram, he has his own page:  Rockstarstu.) As we got closer to the front of the line, my sister was quite nervous and made me go first, even though we were meeting them together. When we peeked around the corner, it was a little surprising to see just how close they all were to the line for the meet and greet--they were only about three feet away! First up was Sav, then Vivian, Joe, and then Rick. Unfortunately Phil wasn't there because he had to fly home a couple days earlier to deal with a family emergency. I was disappointed--he's my favorite--but I understood. I've met him a couple times before, anyway. I honestly would have been way more upset if Sav wasn't there, as he is my sister's favorite and she would have been devastated to not meet him after waiting 35 years for the opportunity! We each shook hands with them and introduced ourselves. I said my name and then, "Nice to meet you" and that's about it. Oh, and I told them TWICE that she and I are sisters; I'm not very smooth socially. My sister asked for and got a big hug from Sav. We posed for the pictures and then it was over. I don't think it took three minutes from intro to exit, but that's the way organized meet and greets go. Autographs and extended conversation aren't allowed since they typically have about 100 people to push through in a certain amount of time so the band can get ready and get on stage in time.  I knew that going in, though, since I did the meet and greet in Las Vegas in 2013. I still felt it was worth it. They're my favorite band, after all, and I've been listening since I was nine years old. When it was over we went to our seats in the FRONT ROW, right in front of Vivian's spot. For whatever reason, security was having an issue putting on everyone's wristbands so it took a few extra minutes to get there.

We then had some time to kill until showtime so we walked around to try and find Def Leppard's new beer. We wanted to have the can as a souvenir (see below). We found it, but unfortunately the vendor didn't tell us that we can't have the empty can until after they poured the beer. We didn't think to ask, as it didn't occur to us that we wouldn't be able to keep it. The venue's policy is that everything is poured and no cans or bottles, even opened/uncapped, are allowed in the venue at all. Since neither of us drink beer, that was $10.00 a piece down the drain. I later saw online that some people were able to keep the can, but I wasn't about to walk around all night trying to find the right vendor. We checked a few, but was it.


We went back to our seats and watched the countdown. As usual, I spent the time making sure my camera was ready to go.  I always bring my Pansonic Lumix point-and-shoot camera. It's been good to me over the years; however, this time I found that my cell phone actually took better pictures, so I ditched the camera about three minutes into the show in favor of my phone. It was hard letting go since I'm a freak about taking great concert pictures, but I did it.

Finally, it was showtime!  Def Leppard was on first, as they are rotating the opening and closing with Journey. The intro started with the beginning of Excitable.  I was hoping to see the same intro on the video screen as the previous shows, which was kind of a montage of their albums along with sang snippets from each album; however, it just showed the city name and then rose up above the stage when the show started.  From then on, the show was a big blur. The set opened with Rocket and they cranked out the usual hits, one after the other. Sav did his usual bass solo that leads into Rock On, which was followed by the acoustic version of Two Steps Behind. Then came my favorite part, one of their new songs:  Man Enough. Lots of people don't like this song, but it has quickly become a favorite of mine and, man, does it rock live!  And I love the screen graphics for this one, which I posted below. The show ended with Photograph.

Here are a few of the pictures I took. I took 400+! I have to admit that they came out pretty decent for a cell phone camera, but I'm thinking I might look for a new camera next year. It seems like no matter what I use, it just can't handle the light shining off of Joe's blond hair, so Joe is a bit overexposed in a lot of pictures this time around. (Note:  You're welcome to download these pictures for your own personal viewing, but please don't post them on Facebook or other social media, you blog, other websites, etc.)

"Rocket! Yeah!"

I think this is my favorite out of all the pictures. Sav is looking pretty good!

This is one of the best out of the pics I took of Joe.

 These were the graphics during Man Enough.

 Vivian Campbell

 The Thunder God himself, always smiling. He was pretty tough to get a picture of this time.

The guys sounded great, as usual, and had lots of energy. I mentioned that Phil wasn't at the show. Steve Brown of Trixter took his place. Just about everyone had positive things to say about him, and so do I:  he was a great fill-in for Phil, had lots of energy, seemed to be having fun, and was respectful. And the guys treated him like he was a part of the band, which was nice to see. There was one person who said that no matter how good he was, he'd never be a Lepp. Well, he's not trying to be a Lepp. He's a friend of that band and is filling in for a few shows (Phil is now back on tour). I'm guessing that person would rather have seen the shows cancelled...

Next up was Journey. I have to admit, once Def Leppard was done, I didn't have a whole lot of enthusiasm to see Journey. I like their music and I like seeing them...when they're the opener. It just seemed really odd for them to be the closer, and it continued to feel odd even after the show was over. Def Leppard's music is different, as is their overall energy level and feel, and it seemed like a big energy dip when Journey came on. The first few songs were a little slow. Not in the beat, but in getting the crowd going. It picked up soon, though, and they put on a good show. At the end of Don't Stop Believing they shot off confetti and streamers.  It was cool, but I definitely felt bad for the people that had to clean all that up. Arnel, the lead singer, has a fantastic voice and has so much energy. He sounds similar to Steve Perry. Even though the guy has been with Journey for 11 years, people were still saying (online) that "he's no Steve Perry." Well, no, he's not. No one is Steve Perry except Steve Perry. Arnel was the guy they chose to replace Steve 11 years ago and they've continued to perform. Would people rather Journey called it quits?? Arnel was very interactive with the crowd, too, especially the kids. One had a sign that said it was his first concert, so Arnel pulled him up on stage. I think the kid was in shock. LOL.  My only real complaint about Journey was the solos. The drum solo, while absolutely amazing, was LONG. Neal Schon's guitar solo was agonizingly long, too. He always plays The Star Spangled Banner, but it seems more like the Star Mangled Banner when he's done with it.  I know, artists have their own take on things, but I just wish it sounded more like the actual song and wasn't quite so long.

Arnel Pineda. This guy has a ton of energy!

Neal Schon

Steve Smith's drum solo. Amazing!

Jonathon Cain

The end of Don't Stop Believing. So much confetti...

Still more confetti coming down.

And then it was all over. Time to go back to the hotel. It was so nice being able to walk inside and not have to venture outside in the dark late at night. Nothing was open in the mall, so we went over to the casino and hit up the food court. I got a breakfast burrito, which was delicious. I saved half for the following day. I didn't win any money, but I only lost $20.00, so that's not bad at all. We got back to the room around 2:00 am and then I flipped through my concert pictures until I decided around 3:00 am it was time to go to sleep. I tried to sleep, but it wasn't easy with the ringing in my ears! I tried to buy ear plugs at the venue, but they didn't have them. I asked Security, but they weren't allowed to hand them out. Oh well. My hearing got back to normal by Tuesday night.

Part two will be posted later in the week. Thanks for reading!

another def leppard concert under my belt

Monday night my sister and I went to see our favorite boys in concert in Syracuse, NY. Always the best time of year for me. Even better than Christmas.

It was at the newly-built Lakeview Amphitheater, which was a total surprise to us--for some reason both of us assumed it was at the NY State Fairgrounds.  I wasn't on the ball this year.  Normally when I buy tickets for a concert, I spend a lot of time researching the venue, the seating charts, the general area, etc.  I want to know where I'm going, where the good restaurants are, and, most importantly, what kind of view I can expect from my seat.  This time?  I didn't even look to see where it was being held.  I'm slipping in my old age, I guess. Or getting lazy. Good thing I checked the ticket before we left the hotel!

The theater is a quick drive from the hotel we stayed at, maybe 15 minutes; however, the person at Hotel Reception suggested we leave at least an hour, maybe more, before the show started. Apparently there can be a lot of traffic in that area and it's a long walk from the parking lot.  He wasn't kidding--the theater FAQ says that two of the parking lots are a 30 minute walk from the venue!!  Luckily we were able to park in the Orange lot, which was about a 10 minute walk.  And it was very hot and dusty.  The parking lot is all dirt and gravel.  (Note to self:  if I go there again, I WILL NOT wear black leather boots.  What a mess!)

The amphitheater.

We had great seats in the 7th row on Sav's side; however, that was the side where the sun sets.  So, we baked until about 8:45 pm when the sun finally went down.  We went outside a few times and stood near the side gate.  Someone famous was talking to various concert-goers and taking pics with them, but I had no idea who it was.  His sticker said he was a guest of Def Leppard.  I wanted to approach him, but I didn't.  I'm shy like that.

Tesla opened up and played for 45 minutes.  For some reason, I'm not a fan of listening to Tesla on the radio or on CD; however, I do like their music live. They were pretty good.

Next up was REO Speedwagon.  They played for an hour.  I always enjoy seeing them.  I noticed that a couple songs seemed to be slowed down a bit, which make me wonder if Kevin Cronin was having issues with his voice. It didn't seem as powerful as the last time we saw them.  It was a great set, though.

Then came the main attraction: Def Leppard!  They played the usual 90 minutes (please play longer!!).  The show started off with the curtain covering the stage.  They started playing "Let's Go"--a new song--and then the curtain was whisked away.  Then it all went by in a blur, as it usually does. They sounded great and Joe's voice seemed to be healed.  I was thrilled they played "Let it Go."  It's one of my favorites to hear live. They also played "Dangerous"--another new song--and it seemed to go over well.  I was really hoping they would play "Man Enough," but no such luck.

My only complaint was the security guard.  He kept letting people move up when seats became empty.  That's OK with me, but rather than letting us move up, he let the two people behind us move up.  So, my panties were in a bunch for a bit, but I got over it.  When the row in front of the thrust/cat walk opened up, my sister and I ran over to take some last minute pics as the guys were saying goodnight.  And then it was over.

Next was breakfast at Denny's at 1:30 am.  They got slammed with people after the concert, so it took awhile to get the food.  When we finally got it, it was good.  There was definitely a subdued vibe in the restaurant.  Most people seemed tired.  Or maybe they were half deaf and their ears were ringing. (Not me!  I wore my ear plugs.  Yeah, I'm old...)

I think this is my favorite picture. 

I went to bed around 3 am, an hour I haven't seen in a very long time.  Then I got up at 7 am and did my workout.  OMG that workout was so hard!!  Obviously, I was very tired, my back, knees and feet hurt from standing the previous night, plus there was the four-hour drive there.  But I got through it. It was hard, but I was so happy I got it over with.  (That's actually my new motto:  Just get it over with. Seriously.) I'm also happy to report I didn't eat a bunch of junk food.  I had bought trail mix, but I put it in the trunk for the drive up there.  I knew if I had it in the car I would polish off most of it.  And trail mix has a crazy amount of calories!

On my way home I stopped at Wegman's, a huge grocery store in the Northeast.  It's kind of like a giant Whole Foods, but with much better prices.  I got some hot food for the ride, and also stocked up on cheese blocks.  Then I drove home.

And that's a wrap.  Another concert that has come and gone. I had a great time with my sister and we had a great time in general.

another concert road trip--so sad it's over

I found this on the Internet today and thought it was funny.  Pretty indicative of my life with cats, also.

Last Friday I took off from work early and headed to Lancaster, PA, to visit my favorite cousin for a few days.  We watched lots of movies, had a "jammie day" (spent all day in our pajamas and watched movies), and went to a few used book stores--I'm always on the lookout for cookbooks.  We also visited the big candy store so I could get the cocoa powder I like, along with some sugar-free candy and some treats for my team members at work. I had a great time as usual and was sad to see it come to an end.

Here are my new used cookbooks. German Cooking, because Bob and I are both part German.  The New Best Recipe, because it's put out by Cooks Illustrated, my most favorite cooking magazine. Gastronomique, because I thought I was buying the other book called Gastronomique. And The Cheese Bible, because...well...cheese.

But the trip wasn't over yet...

On Tuesday I headed out to Allentown, PA, to meet my sister for the Def Leppard concert.  I stopped at Wegman's, a regional grocery store.  I'd heard a lot about it.  Everyone told me that it's like Whole Foods, but huge and not quite as expensive.  They were right.  The bakery section was huge, as was the meat department.  I bought a few bakery items, a couple prepared dinners, some tea, and a few protein bars. I then promptly left before I could pack any more items into my basket.

We got to the show late due to traffic around the fairgrounds; I have to say I was a little surprised that the fairgrounds were in the middle of the city.  We got there halfway through Tesla's set, which is fine since I'm not big on Tesla; I like them live, but I don't usually listen to them in general.  They were good and played songs I recognized, such as Signs and Love Song.

Next up was Styx.  I had heard some of Styx's songs, but was never a fan...until I saw them with Def Leppard in 2006.  They are fantastic in concert!  So much energy and they all seem happy to be on stage.  Entertaining, too.  Tommy Shaw sang most of the songs, but Lawrence Gowan sang a few, too.  Most notably Come Sail Away, which always blows the roof off the place.  The crowd goes nuts and it's a giant sing-along.  He has a great voice.

Finally, it was time for my favorite band:  Def Leppard.  They put up a big curtain in front of the stage and then it was pulled down when they came on; they kept that from the Viva! Hysteria residency a couple years ago.  They started the show off with Rock! Rock!, which was a refreshing change.  They played Let it Go, much to my enjoyment; I love hearing the older stuff.  Surprisingly, they played Paper Sun.  They put on a great show.  They didn't seem quite as lively as usual--they're usually running around the stage a lot--but maybe that's because of Viv's cancer treatments or something else.  

Our seats were great:  middle section on the floor, 19 rows back, dead center.  It wasn't front row (it's so hard to go back once you've been front row!!), but I really liked the perspective of seeing the whole stage dead-on.  Of course, I missed seeing the guys up close, and being able to see the sweat on their faces and the stitches in their clothing, but the seats really were great.  Inevitably I got stuck behind a tall guy so had to bob and weave a little. But then I looked behind me and saw a really short guy doing the same thing. I always feel bad when there's a short person behind me--I'm almost six feet tall.

As usual, the show--and the whole trip--seemed way too short and was over way too soon.  But as Joe always says, "There will be a next time!"