Def Leppard / Cheap Trick - Thursday 6th December - O2 Arena

A decent double bill at the O2. Cheap Trick were as fun as I remembered. Surely no other band chucks out as many plectrums to their audience! I really enjoyed the cover of The Move's California Man.

Def Leppard were pretty solid. Whilst the Hysteria album - showcased here in it's entirety - is largely excellent, there are 3 or 4 dud tracks that don't really warrant a play, so there was a slight feeling of "it was good, but could have been even better". But let's also say the thing that has to be said. "Phil Collen. Enough is enough. You are 2 days short of your 61st birthday. Put your shirt on - no one comes to Def Leppard to see your bare torso!"

Setlist - Cheap Trick
Hello There
Big Eyes
California Man 
If You Want My Love
The Flame
I Want You to Want Me
Dream Police
Never Had a Lot to Lose
Surrender
Goodnight Now

Setlist - Def Leppard
Women
Rocket
Animal
Love Bites
Pour Some Sugar on Me
Armageddon It
Gods of War
Don't Shoot Shotgun
Run Riot
Hysteria (with "Heroes" snippet)
Excitable
Love and Affection
+
Wasted
When Love and Hate Collide
Let's Get Rocked
Rock of Ages
Photograph

Cheap Trick - Friday 12th November - Shepherds Bush Empire

After a short wander around Shepherds Bush, it was off to the Empire for my first show there for quite a while. Whilst not too busy when we arrived, come showtime the standing area was absolutely packed! Now I don't know much stuff by Cheap Trick - being here only by virtue of enjoying their support slot with Def Leppard a few years back, but this was a really good show. In fact, probably the best headline show I've seen by an act whose material I don't really know!

Setlist below is from setlist.fm and I'm ashamed to admit, I didn't notice at the time the presence of a Wizzard cover in the encore!

Setlist
Oh, Candy
Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace
Stiff Competition
Best Friend
Lookout
Tonight It's You
I Want You To Want Me
I Know What I Want
These Days
Wrong All Along
Smile
Anytime
Magical Mystery Tour
Cold Turkey
Sick Man of Europe
Closer, The Ballad of Burt and Linda
Surrender
+
Ain't That A Shame
Rock 'n' Roll Tonight
Dream Police