Def Leppard with Styx: The Best Concert of 2007

Since I was a teenager back in the '80s, my favorite rock and roll band has always been the one-and-only Def Leppard. They are the greatest rock and roll group to have ever lived, in my opinion.

I was in heaven when I heard that they were going to be in Michigan last July. I knew I had to get tickets. Def Leppard was performing at DTE Music Theatre in Clarkston, Michigan, roughly 30 miles north of Detroit.

Not only were they going to be performing there, they were bringing special guest stars Styx. Another '80s group that mainly plays on the pop and soft rock venue. They are famous for their song Mr. Roboto.

I ended up taking my 15-year-old daughter to the concert with me. I thought it would be a good experience for her to see what life was like for me back in the 80's.

One cool thing that happened to us just before we got to the concert was that we were trying to check into a local hotel near by where we were going to be staying. I had a bit of hard time locating it and drove up and down the highway looking for it. When I did finally find it, it was hard to get to; it was behind several other hotels. So I pulled into the parking lot of the Hilton to turn around, and to my surprise while driving around back I noticed there were two large tour buses, and there was a scurry of people walking from a back door to the bus. Sure enough it was the Def Leppard tour bus, my curiousity was confirmed later at the concert when the same buses were parked out back. Just to think I could have maybe met them in person, but my daughter didn't want to stick around and wait, she wanted to get to the concert so we could get a good lawn seat. I still kick myself to this day on that one!

We arrived at the concert about an hour and half early and there was still a line. The age group was typically around the mid to late 30's to early 50's. There were a few teenagers and young adults in the crowd, but mainly it was 80's buffs. There were several people there decked out in the traditional Def attire, which is the classic vintage Def Leppard concert Tee. There were even some people sporting the English flag T- shirts- Def Leppard's signature piece. What I wouldn't give to have one of those shirts.

Surprisingly, I only saw two girls there that had the big 80's hair, and they looked like they literally stepped right out of the year 1987.

As you walk in after you give them your ticket, you creep up through whistling pines and along the way you will find stands to buy alcohol and of course T shirts. I had to buy one, I asked my daughter if she wanted one and she said no. I did buy a newer style back def leppard t shirt that said "Yeah" on it. "Yeah is the name of their newest album.

Then we proceeded to walk up a huge flight of stairs, I had been working out a few times a week but that didn't help, I was so damn out of breath on the way up I thought I was going to die! I have to say that was the worst experience of the whole concert.

Once you get to the top of the hill its all down hill from there, the hill slants down and that is where the lawn seating is. Straight ahead at the bottom of the hill is the pavilion which has some more seating and the stage.

When you get there you have to claim your spot, then lay your blanket down and wait for the concert to begin.

We arrived there about 5:30 pm and the concert started around 7pm. Of course there was a couple of small performances by some local bands who honestly were not that good, then they had a 30 minute intermission and Styx came on at around 8:15 or so and played until almost 9:15. Then there was another intermission and then Def Leppard came on. They opened the concert with "Rocket". One of their most famous hits off of their acclaimed Hysteria album from 1987.

They sounded so awesome, just like they did back in the 80's. You couldn't tell they have aged a bit either, except for their hairstyles, everything about them has remained the same.

My all time favorite song in music history is without a doubt "Hysteria" off of the same album. The song brings back so many wonderful memories of my teenage years and every time I hear it that song it takes me on a voyage back in time.

What was really nice was there was woman walking around selling single red roses to anyone who was willing to buy one. (Def Leppard holds a trademark lyric in one of their hit songs "Bringin on the heartbreak" that says "Gypsy, sittin' lookin' pretty, a broken rose with laughing eyes")

When "Two steps behind" came on and Def Leppard crooned this romantic ballad, the crowd swayed back and forth with lighters and cell phone lights in hand to perform the classic mantra that coincides with the mood at a classic rock concert.

The music was loud and the pyrotechnics were awesome! There were several screens behind Def Leppard that played video and high digital graphics. If you couldn't see Joe Elliot or the other band members up close, there were three huge screens at the top of the pavilion that you could watch.

By the end of the night from all of the standing and dancing around (which is difficult on a slant of a hill mind you) when you happen to look back at your blanket and belongings, they are not in the same space you left them and if they are someone is stepping on them.

There were elbow to elbow people there and it was definitely a sold out show well into the number of 15,000 people.

Having my teenage daughter there made the experience so much more special. I'm sure she didn't enjoy it as much as I did but it was a special night for us to spend together.

Bringing back an 80's tour with the top artists is the best idea I've heard in a long time.

Overall, the concert was a once in a lifetime experience I will never forget.