Some (joyless) folks may rag on older bands for continuing past their prime, but Def Leppard and Journey’s Camping World Stadium show on Wednesday was a testament that no matter the age, if they can still rock, they can still rock.
Although each band had a distinct sound, the rock legends blended seamlessly together as double headliners, garnering a large crowd of their overlapping fanbases. If you weren’t wearing a piece of merch from a Leppard or Journey show of years past, you were in the minority of audience members.
The Summer Stadium Tour kicked off in St. Louis on July 6, meaning Orlando was one of the lucky first stops as the bands continue around the country through September. This came with some special perks, such as hearing Journey’s tour debut of “Dead or Alive.”
Special guests Cheap Trick kicked off the evening, a fitting choice for the show to come. One of the highlights of their set was a vocal turn from frontman Robin Zander’s son, now a full-time member of Cheap Trick who you can see takes much musical influence from his father.
Journey kicked off their performances with current frontman Arnel Pineda leading the band through an 18-song set, and his energy was infectious. Fans immediately sprang to their feet, singing and dancing along to radio songs they had grown up loving and listening to. Although old-time Journey fans may still prefer Steve Perry’s iconic vocals, Pineda has been able to match his vigor and range with exceptional style.
Band members Neal Schon (guitarist, last original member standing), Jonathan Cain (keyboards), Deen Castronovo (drums), Jason Derlatka (keyboard) and Todd Jensen (bass) brought a fiery spirit to the set, showcasing that even after over half a century of the band’s formation and a plethora of lineup changes, the spark is still there.
The audience took “Lights” literally, with thousands of phone flashlights going up in unsion during the fan-favorite song, complimenting the visuals of the San Francisco bay that flashed behind the band.
Performances of “Any Way You Want It” and “Don’t Stop Believin’” served as reminders as to Journey’s enduring appeal. Kids, parents and their grandparents were all jumping, hooting and hollering as confetti poured down to celebrate the live performances of these unforgettable anthems.
Def Leppard’s set brought audiences back to 1973 and beyond (somewhat literally, with a performance of their newest single, “Back to ’73”) with an 18-song set that paid homage to some of their most iconic albums, pulling a majority from both 1987’s Hysteria and ’83’s Pyromania.
Vocalist Joe Elliott, bassist Rick Savage and guitarists Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell treated the pit well, strutting up and down the walkways, shredding during solos and head-banging along with the fans screaming above and below.
The band bounced back and forth between some of their heavier rock hits and slower ballads, with audience sing-a-long sections for “Bringin’ on the Heartbreak” and a gentle solo version of “Two Steps Behind” from Elliott.
Drummer Rick Allen brought the crowd to life with a drum solo at the end of “Switch 625,” leading into a run of the band’s most iconic hits to end the set, from “Rock of Ages” to “Pour Some Sugar on Me.”
Throughout both sets, both Journey and Leppard proved to audiences that each band member still has that passion that took them to the top years and years ago. Even with time, their love for rock hasn’t faded, and neither have their fans.
