Sparkle Lounge tour ends in Auckland

Last week, Def Leppard played the last show of their highly successful Sparkle Lounge World Tour 2008 in Auckland, New Zealand. Check out these pictures of the last goodbye from the band (for now at least), and a message that the crew left for the guys.

(photos by Chuck Beckler)

Slipknot's Chris digs Def Leppard

It's not the greatest of pictures, but here's a nice shot of the band (minus Sav) and Slipknot drummer Chris Fehn (in between Phil and Rick) and friends taken after the show in Perth, Australia. According to reports, "Chris sat cross-legged on stage left for the whole show really digging it". Afterwards, he wrote a note to the band thanking them for inspiration and renewed energy.

11.14 Auckland show review

By Scott Kara

Step inside, walk this way and prepare to be Leppardised. As Sheffield's favourite hair metal sons arrived on stage at Vector and cracked into "ROCKET" the sold-out crowd rocketed to their feet - and they stayed that way for 90-minutes of pomp'n'roll. This was stadium rock 80s-style, people.

Any thoughts Def Leppard might be hair metal has-beens - because, let's face it, 1983's "PYROMANIA" and 1987's "HYSTERIA" were the band at their best - were blown away as they made their first appearance in New Zealand in 16 years. As an example of Def Leppard's enduring pulling-power, many in the crowd would have barely been born when "HYSTERIA" came out. While they played some songs off new album "SONGS FROM THE SPARKLE LOUNGE", like "NINE LIVES", this was a crowd-pleasing greatest-hits set, with special attention paid to those two classic albums mentioned earlier.

It was a draw between "LOVE BITES" and "POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME" for the best sing-a-long. Even the most hardened ballad hater could not have resisted belting out "you're bringing me to my knees". No band does microphone sharing quite like Def Leppard, with rough-looking, hard-strutting singer Joe Elliott and guitarist Phil Collen teaming up many-a time. And they're still a no-shirt-required-type band with guitarists Collen and Vivian Campbell both getting their tops off.

Elliott's paunch is a little bit larger these days and he stays covered. Not so bass player Rick Savage, who wears his flab with pride, and his mane of blond 80s heavy metal hair is pretty well intact. Then there's one-armed, barefoot drumming machine Rick Allen up back on his own platform, hammering away franticly. Elliott's voice is still powerful and he hits the notes that matter (like the ones in "HYSTERIA") - although it's lost some of its piercing clarity that made "LOVE BITES" and "POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME" so anthemic.

But after this many years of throat-shredding gigs he's savvy and lets the crowd take over a number of times, and the rest of the band are in fine voice. The end of the show comes with two highlights: "PYROMANIA"'s "ROCK OF AGES" and the Motley Crue-style romp of "LET'S GET ROCKED" from 1992's "ADRENALIZE".

We were put through the "Leppard meat grinder" - to borrow a phrase from Elliott - during this, the last show of the band's world tour, and we loved it. It tasted even better with a bit of Sugar seasoning on top.

11.14 Auckland show review

By Jeremy Redmore

Def Leppard front man Joe Elliott ended the band's Auckland show with the words, "Don't forget us, and we won't forget you". On that basis his band will not be forgetting the fans who packed out Vector Arena in a hurry.

Returning for their first show in New Zealand in 16 years, the British Gods of '80s rock music took the same fans who listened to their records 20 years ago on a whirlwind nostalgia tour through their greatest hits. The band were under no illusions as to what songs the crowd wanted to hear as they played hit anthem after hit ballad over an hour-and-a-half on a stage stacked with guitar and bass cabs and a two-metre riser for one-armed drummer Rick Allen.

Singer Elliott started the show to a frenzy of applause as he uttered the famous beggining to "ROCKET": "Guitar! ... Drums!". From then on the crowd were treated to what could have been a concert straight out of the late '80s - minus a few strands of hair on guitarist Phil Collen and drummer Allen. Luckily, Elliott, bassist Rick Savage and guitarist Vivian Campbell still manage to sport impressive mops of classic heavy-metal hair.

Campbell provided one of the crowd-pleasing highlights of the night by breaking into Crowded House's "BETTER BE HOME SOON" on his acoustic guitar. That came before the band brought the whole arena wildly to its feet with "POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME", a true highlight of the evening. Def Leppard ended its main set with the fittingly titled "ROCK OF AGES", proving their songs have been able to last 31 years. A three-song encore followed, ending with one of their most successful singles ever in "LET'S GET ROCKED" as the stage's elaborate lighting and visual displays hit their peak.

As the band congregated at the front of the stage to salute the crowd and sign off on their world tour, one got the feeling that this show would be talked about for a long time among fans who had come out to experience the revival of one of the greatest British rock bands of all time.

Man Raze's "SURREAL" available December 1st

Previously only available in North America, the debut album of Phil's band Man Raze now finally has an officially confirmed UK/European release date of DECEMBER 1st. UK fans can now pre-order it from HMV.com, European fans can go to Play.com.

The UK/European release will feature the same twelve tracks as the original American release, plus a bonus disc with five additional tracks. The full tracklisting is as follows:

DISC ONE:

• This Is
• Turn It Up
• Runnin' Me Up
• Every Second Of Every Day
• Spinning Out
• Can't Find My Own Way
• Skin Crawl
• Low
• Connected To You
• Halo
• It's Entertainment
• Shadow Man

DISC TWO:

• You're So Wrong
• Low (Live In Burbank '08)
• Turn It Up (Deep Dub)
• Runnin' Me Up (Instrumental Dub)
• Can't Find My Own Way (Live Acoustic)

To celebrate and promote the release of their debut album, the band (featuring Phil on guitars and vocals, ex-GIRL bassist Simon Laffy and Sex Pistols drummer Paul Cook) will be playing four special gigs in December:

• DEC 3: Manchester - Roadhouse
• DEC 4: Birmingham - Barfly
• DEC 8: London - Barfly
• DEC 9: London - Water Rats

Tickets are EXTREMELY limited (the clubs' capacities are around 200) and are priced £9 (London £10), subject to booking fee. You can book them through www.barflyclub.com (both Barflys), www.gigsandtours.com (Manchester) and www.ticketweb.co.uk (Water Rats). Doors will be at 7pm. Man Raze will be onstage at 9pm.

Shots from Japan

Check out these great shots, taken by our friend Tami from Nagoya on the last night of the Japanese tour!

A message to our fans in New Zealand

Man Raze UK shows

To celebrate and promote the UK release of their debut album "SURREAL", available on November 17, Phil's other band MAN RAZE will be playing four special gigs in December:

• DEC 3: Manchester - Roadhouse
• DEC 4: Birmingham - Barfly
• DEC 8: London - Barfly
• DEC 9: London - Water Rats

Tickets are EXTREMELY limited (the clubs' capacities are around 200) and are priced £9 (London £10), subject to booking fee. You can book them through www.barflyclub.com (both Barflys), www.gigsandtours.com (Manchester) and www.ticketweb.co.uk (Water Rats). Doors will be at 7pm. Man Raze will be onstage at 9pm.

More details on the "Shots From The Sparkle Tour" book

Pricing info for the upcoming coffee table photo book "SHOTS FROM THE SPARKLE TOUR" (see our previous news story) has been announced! The Deluxe signed edition (autographed by all five band members and numbered 1-250) will cost $299.99, whereas the unsigned edition (individually numbered 251-500) will cost $149.99. Please note that these Deluxe editions are strictly limited to 500 copies!

The first hundred copies (numbered 1-100) will be reserved for members of the Def Leppard Fan Club, so if you are a collector who's set on getting the lowest number possible, that's where you'll have to go!

Please stay tuned for more information. Sign up for updates here and enter your email address (and mobile number, if applicable) and we'll let you know when more ordering info becomes available!

Happy birthday Rick!

While taking the "Sparkle Lounge" tour to Australian stages, Rick Allen celebrates his 45th birthday today.

Happy birthday Rick!