Def Leppard, Journey, and Steve Miller Band returned to Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium on Aug. 25 for a night of career-spanning hard rock hits, building upon the trio’s enduring legacies and globe-straddling musical allure.
Behind The Summer Stadium Tour, Ep. 3 – Def Leppard
It’s not everyday you see three Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inducted bands in one go, but Def Leppard’s 2024 Summer Stadium Tour made that dream a reality on Sunday night with fellow rock veterans Journey and Steve Miller Band.
At 6:00, Steve Miller Band took SoFi Stadium’s stage, easing the still-filling 70,000 person venue into the night with Book of Dreams’ “Swingtown” and Fly Like An Eagle’s “Serenade,” which had select attendees up and out of their seats to dance. Band leader Steve Miller then recalled Eminem calling him for permission to sample “Abracadabra” on his new single “Houdini,” and thanked him for being a straight-shooter in the current record business – a business he noted is quite different from when the single originally reached #1 in 1982.
Miller suggested we visit the “dark side” of Swingtown, “where only one side of the street is paved,” and broke into “Rock’n Me” next. Released as Fly Like An Eagle’s second single, the musician was inspired by his opening slot for Pink Floyd’s 1975 Knebworth appearance to craft a song capable of upstaging even the biggest of headliners.
The last three of the 12-song setlist consisted of mega-hits “Take the Money and Run,” “The Joker” and “Jet Airliner,” the second of which included the iconic “pompatus of love” line – a phrase he’s admitted he misheard in a doo-wop song. All in all, the band left the crowd with an all killer, no filler set that energized them for the magic to come.
Some people call me the space cowboy, yeah
Some call me the gangster of love
Some people call me Maurice
‘Cause I speak of the pompatus of love
– “The Joker,” Steve Miller Band
Journey, who’ve been in headlines recently due to ongoing legal battles between lead guitarist Neal Schon and keyboardist Jonathan Cain, showed no signs of visible tension as their 19-song setlist commenced. Vocalist Arnel Pineda kicked off the set with ever-smooth delivery on “Only The Young,” as Schon’s hypnotic refrains once again got the stadium up and moving to the rhythm.
It was sure to be a memorable performance. This marked my third time seeing the musical pioneers live, but the first time I’d seen them play in California – the place where it all began in 1973 when ex-Santana guitarist Schon founded the then-Golden Gate Rhythm Section in San Francisco.
Things kicked up a notch with “Be Good To Yourself,” and once “Stone In Love” dawned on fans, generations came together to sing the soaring chorus and clap along to the infectious beat. As is typical for late summer in the Los Angeles area, the weather and music worked together in perfect harmony, allowing for a sea of short-sleeves while the sun shared its last few hours with us.
“Who’s Crying Now” was a particularly strong moment, and Schon’s lengthy solo kept the crowd glued to the screens surrounding the stage for every note. I couldn’t help but reflect on their 1981 Escape Tour videos, and how despite the replacement of singer Steve Perry after his 1998 departure, the song’s message of romantic tension and longing translates just as strongly today as it did upon the song’s release 43 years ago.
One love, feeds the fire
One heart, burns desire
I wonder who’s crying now?
Two hearts, born to run
Who’ll be the lonely one?
I wonder who’s crying now?
– “Who’s Crying Now,” Journey
Another highpoint in “Faithfully” followed. Cain described it to The Tennessean as being about when “you have that innocence and that transparency and you’re able to let your guard down as a man, and tell a woman that you’re forever hers.” He penned the lyrics on a napkin in his tour bunk, having been inspired by the sacrifices made by crew, and the band themselves, in taking time away from loved ones whilst on the road. He dedicated the song additionally to the US Armed Forces in its live intro.
“Send Her My Love” was noticeably missing from the set, but the aforementioned power ballad more than made up for its absence, especially when Pineda encouraged fans to sing along during the poignant outro – and sing, everyone did. A little boy in front of me, probably seven or eight years old, recited every word, even mustering the courage to wave to those around him and urge them to participate.
They say that the road
ain’t no place to start a family
Right down the line, it’s been you and me
And lovin’ a music man
ain’t always what it’s supposed to be
Oh, girl, you stand by me
I’m forever yours, faithfully
– “Faithfully,” Journey
Unsurprisingly, it seemed every single attendee sang along to “Don’t Stop Believin,” inarguably one of, if not the most recognizable song on the planet. When the lights returned and the band made their final bow, it would’ve been easy to assume no one could possibly follow a moment of collective effervescence that big up. But this is a rock concert we’re talking about, and I’ve come to expect the unexpected.
Def Leppard opened their headlining set at 9:30 with an atmospheric “Gods Of War” intro, which segued into Pyromania’s “Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop).” The English rockers – Joe Elliott on lead vocals, Vivian Campbell and Phil Collen on guitars, Rick Savage on bass and Rick Allen on drums – moved quickly into “Rocket,” solidifying the 18-song setlist as heavy on both 1987’s Hysteria and 1983’s Pyromania, which enjoyed #1 and #2 slots respectively on the Billboard Hot 200 upon their releases.
“Foolin’” arrived soon thereafter, which acted as a nostalgic crowd-rowser brimmed with certitude. “Lady luck never smiles / So lend your love to me a while / Do with me what you will / Break the spell, take your fill,” Elliott delivered, taking full advantage of the elaborate stage design and making sure to attend to every side of the catwalk.
My vantage point was right in front of the built-out stage, granting me dreamlike views of the band the whole way through, though I’ll admit I didn’t know how to handle repeated eye contact with Elliott. At one point I was smiling like an idiot and he smiled back, mouthing “What?” with his arms out, as if to jokingly challenge me. Nothing prepares you for that.
Heading straight back into Hysteria, the band thundered through “Armageddon It,” “Animal” and “Love Bites” – three of the greatest songs ever recorded, in my opinion. The 1987 release was three years in the making, most notably affected by the Dec. 1984 car crash that cost Allen his left arm. “I felt defeated, self-conscious, wanted to just disappear,” Allen once said of the aftermath, “but my family, friends and hundreds of thousands of letters from all over the planet put me in a different head-space. I discovered the power of the human spirit, and that was a springboard into where I am now.”
Allen’s technique now involves a number of foot pedals to substitute what he used to play with his left arm. If anything, his power as a drummer has increased tenfold in the past few decades, fueled by his passion and unfailing persistence behind the impressive kit. “Animal” is given voltage and soul by his distinct style, though every track is benefited greatly by his involvement and creative input. For anyone inspired by his playing, a full rundown of his kit can be found here.
Cry wolf baby, cry tough
Going to hunt you like an a-a-animal
Going to take your love and run
I got to feel it in my blood, whoa
I need your touch,
don’t need your love, whoa!
– “Animal,” Def Leppard
The band performed their new single “Just Like 73” next, and while incorporating newer material sometimes turns off an audience accustomed to the older hits, all 70,000 attendees seemed to take incredibly well to the fresh addition. A few acoustic numbers were featured on the setlist as well, with versions of “Two Steps Behind” and “This Guitar,” as well as a “Happy Birthday” singalong for Campbell, performed on the Thrust Stage. Halfway through “Bringin’ On The Heartbreak,” the band switched back to electric and Allen’s drums kicked back in, adding extra unpredictability to an already invigorating show.
It’s difficult to not mention any one entry on the setlist. “Rock Of Ages,” “Photograph” and “Hysteria” all deserve their own lengthy praise, a true testament to Def Leppard’s track record of crafting one hard rock hit after the next. “Hysteria” in particular translated more potently live than on recording, thanks to Campbell and Collen’s interactive, timeless intro parts, so revitalizing they seemed to give the whole audience a second burst of energy for the home stretch.
Out of touch, out of reach, yeah
You could try to get closer to me
I’m in love, I’m in deep, yeah
Hypnotized, I’m shakin’ to my knees
I gotta know tonight
If you’re alone tonight
Can’t stop this feeling
Can’t stop this fire
– “Hysteria,” Def Leppard
It was during “Photograph,” of course, that the band showcased photos from tour and studio sessions through the years on the big screen. Fans took some of their own with the performance as their lively backdrop, as Elliott powerfully sang one of their biggest, most recognizable hits, still roaming the catwalk and keeping spirits high.
“Bringin’ on the Heartbreak’ knocked on the door, but “Photograph” kicked it off its fucking hinges,” Elliott said earlier this year. “It was the combination of radio — the song was absolutely produced to sound good on FM, there’s no doubt, it was [producer] Mutt Lange’s job to do that — and the video.” Described by the vocalist as being about “something you can’t ever get your hands on,” Pyromania’s lead single was ranked among the greatest hard rock songs of all time by VH1.
You got some kind of hold on me
You’re all wrapped up in mystery
So wild and free, so far from me
You’re all I want, my fantasy
Oh, look what you’ve done
to this rock n’ roll clown
– “Photograph,” Def Leppard
“Pour Some Sugar on Me,” the last song of the night, commenced, and the whole crowd was as engaged as the minute the show began. Lange had instructed the band to set the song at a pace fit for dancing, so it’s no wonder the rockers had all of SoFi Stadium on their feet for the final encore.
“[Mutt] wasn’t talking about ballroom dancing,” Elliott said in 2022. “He was talking about pole dancing. Normally we would have probably played it a bit faster, but it had to have that sleaziness and slowness to it.”
When the end of the night found each concert-goer back in SoFi’s expansive parking lot, it was safe to say the show was a success worth remembering, thanks to the three class-act bands that made it possible. There’s no better feeling after a show than falling asleep in a tour shirt that just about swallows you – except for knowing that, as Elliott promised at the end of the set, they “will be back” to do it all again in due time.
Def Leppard, Journey and Steve Miller Band will continue onto San Francisco’s Oracle Park on Aug. 28 and San Diego’s Petco Park on Aug. 30, then will be joined by openers Cheap Trick for stops in Oregon, Washington and Colorado at the start of September. Additional dates and tickets can be found here, and Summer Stadium tour-exclusive merchandise can be purchased here.
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