@t6,03
@^@f01@t1@cDEF LEPPARD

@cNEC 30 April 1992


@f00@t4   Its  been  a  long  time  coming but
finally  they  were back.  Leppard were
back  in  Brum for the first time since
the  Hysteria  tour  of 1988.  Now with
the  new  album  'ADRENALIZE' and a new
guitarist,  Mr Campbell the prospect of
the  Leppard  concert  was something to
look forward to.

   The  evening for me started at 17:45
with  a  non  scene friend of mine Carl
(fame  at last for you mate) came round
to  pick  me  up.  We went round to the
local  where I had a few beers to relax
myself  for  the gig.  Carl had gone on
the  Monday  night and was happy enough
driving us there.

@^




   We  got  to the NEC at around 18:40,
got  parked  and  made  our  way to the
Arena.  I purchased my tour T-Shirt and
we  went  to  find  out  where  we were
sitting  for the evening.  Block 16 Row
C  seat  39  was where I was so we made
our way back out of the sitting area to
check  out  the  girlies and to meet up
with  some mates.  1.20 for a bottle of
Skol  was a little pricey, a good job I
had had a few before getting there.

   By  7:30  the  support  band were on
stage.   The  guys  from  GUN  played 4
songs  including  their  new single and
`Better days'.
@#

@t6,03
@^@f00@t4   They  finished  with  a rendition of
`Steal your Fire' during which the lead
singer  decided  to go for a run around
the audience.  Because the stage was in
the  round  the  band  jumped  and  ran
around  a  lot  but  it  did nothing to
spice  an  otherwise  boring set.  Then
again I did not go to watch GUN, I went
to see Leppard.

   All  the seats were sold out and not
until  GUN had finished had most of the
seats  been  filled.   At 8 oclock when
GUN  had finished a black cloth went up
around  the  stage  and the new Leppard
set  was  being prepared.  It took half
an  hour  before  they had finished.  I
was  wondering  how  the  roadies  were
going  to  get  the  band  to the stage
because they were in the round with the
audience all around them.  They brought
them  in using two flight boxes, and by
8:30  the lights had gone down and they
@^were ready to start.

   Some clever lazers were used to send
PYROMANIA,   HYSTERIA   and  ADRENALIZE
logos  onto the black cloth.  They used
the  old  Clint  Eastwood sample at the
start  like  they  did  at the Hysteria
gig.

   The set started with the multi chord
change  track  'STAGEFRIGHT' from their
album.   The  sound  was  great and the
guys  were  in  top form.  All the best
tracks were blasted out brilliantly and
with  Joe saying things like ' They say
were  BIG  in  America, well this seems
pretty  fucking  big to me', he had the
crowd  behind  him all the way through.
The  songs  they  played  include White
Lightning,  Armageddon  it,  Rocket and
Bringing  on the heartbreak.  They also
asked  if  we  wanted to get rocked and
told  us  to make love like a man.  The
@#

@t6,03
@^@f00@t4night went by quickly and suddenly they
had said their goodbyes.  They played a
couple  of  tracks  as  an encore, Love
Bites  and Rock of Ages.  Joe and Ricky
got   everyone  going  by  doing  their
audience  partition  bit.  Each section
of  the  audience  were asked what they
wanted  to  which  they shouted 'I want
ROCK AND ROLL'.

   Low  points  of the evening were the
YAWN,   YAWN   guitar   solos  and  the
extended  Rocket  middle  section which
gave Ricky Allen an opportunity to rise
up  and  spin  round on his all dancing
all   singing  drum  kit  stand.   High
points were the songs `Women' and `Make
Love Like A Man'.

   The  night  finished  at  10:40 when
they  said  goodbye  and  promised they
would  not  leave it 4 years next time.
I  hope  not,  'cause this gig was just
@^BRILLIANT !!!

   Hellos  to  Cheryl,  Louise,  Peter,
Mike, John, and Tracy who we met there.
Hi ya also to Lynne, and your sexy rock
and roll bum !!!

             @t8Bob of End Of Century 1999
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