Concert Review: Def Leppard & Journey in Queens, New York

International rock legends Def Leppard, Journey, and Steve Miller Band took their “Stadium Tour 2024” to Queens, New York’s Citi Field on August 7th, 2024. This is the second "Stadium Tour" headlined by Def Leppard; the prior occurred in 2022 when Leppard teamed with Mötley Crüe, Poison, and Joan Jett for a massive run across North America.

Def Leppard is among a select few bands to sell more than 10 million copies of two records – 1987’s Hysteria and 1983’s Pyromania. Hysteria – with a remarkable seven singles – is the band’s most famous and commercially successful release, but they ascended to stardom upon the release of Pyromania. During this “Stadium Tour”, the Lepps highlighted these two landmark releases with a particular focus on the 1983 classic.

The Pyro emphasis during the ninety-minute set was immediate as the band opened with the explosive opening track 'Rock! Rock! (Til You Drop),' with 'Foolin' as the third song. However, four Hysteria singles were among the first six in the set – 'Rocket,' 'Armageddon It,' 'Animal,' and 'Love Bites.'

Leppard then showcased its recent single 'Just Like ‘73', an anthemic rocker the band debuted on this tour after it was released earlier in 2024.

Next was 'Billy’s Got a Gun,' arguably the deepest cut of the evening. During the tour, the band alternated between this final Pyromania track and the fantastic 'Comin’ Under Fire,' which had not been performed live until 2024 (though the fans at Progressive Field in Cleveland were fortunate to see the band feature both songs at a recent concert).

Thereafter, the band immediately played another two Pyromania songs – 'Too Late for Love' and an abbreviated version of “Die Hard the Hunter.”

Continuing with tradition, Def Leppard then performed a three song largely acoustic “mini set” consisting of 'Two Steps Behind' (a song released on a soundtrack), 'This Guitar' from 2022's Diamond Star Halos, and High ‘n’ Dry classic ballad 'Bringin’ on the Heartbreak' (which transitioned to a full band electric guitar rendition prior to the solo). The band wrapped up the Pyromania-heavy portion of the set with singles 'Rock of Ages' and 'Photograph' (highlighted by a pair of extended Phil Collen solos) before a two-song encore of the Hysteria title track and superhit 'Pour Some Sugar on Me.'

Thanks to the massive stage production that featured several platforms and ramps extending the main stage about thirty yards into the crowd, the band members took turns performing on the stage extension ramps. Bassist Rick Savage interacted with the crowd throughout the evening, while frontman Joe Elliott sang several songs while away from the main stage. Vivian Campbell and Collen took turns handling solo duties while also providing the trademark backing vocals on songs such as 'Armageddon It', and drummer Rick Allen never ceases to amaze on the kit.

Def Leppard offered numerous merchandise options, with the highlight being an “online exclusive” city-specific t-shirt and pennant that featured the event date.

Billed as a co-headlining tour, Journey also performed for 1.5 hours and similarly played nineteen songs. The band sold more than 100 million records during its Rock & Roll Hall of Fame career and had no shortage of timeless material to thrill the crowd. 'Only the Young' and 'Be Good To Yourself' instantly brought the mostly capacity crowd to its feet, while Infinity's stellar 'Wheel in the Sky' was the standout of the evening amidst a set littered with radio rock anthems and staples. The final three songs – 'Separate Ways', 'Don’t Stop Believin’,' and 'Any Way You Want It' - were crowd-pleading singalongs.

Vocalist Arnel Pineda – now in the band for nearly twenty years – showcased his powerful voice throughout the evening. Neal Schon was his typical jovial self while handling solo duties and making his presence felt across the extended stage ramps. As he tends to do, rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Jonathan Cain wore a jersey of the team that plays in the stadium hosting the event - New York Mets’ Darryl Strawberry #18. Despite an escalating legal battle between Schon and Cain concerning the band’s finances, they were both in fine form and showed no ill-will. This tour illustrated yet again Journey can thrive in the live setting and endure despite the absence of lead vocalist Steve Perry, who was an integral part of the band’s rise to stardom in the late-1970s.

Steve Miller Band opened the festivities with an eleven-song set, starting with 'Swingtown', continuing with the popular 'Living in the U.S.A.', and closing with a cover of 'Jet Airliner.'