Pour Some Sugar on Detroit: Def Leppard Headlines Epic Night at Comerica Park

Def Leppard brought their stadium tour to Detroit’s beautiful Comerica Park, home of the legendary Detroit Tigers, on Thursday July 18, and it was a perfect evening in every way imaginable. This was the second time in recent history the band has played here having co-headlined with Motley Crue two years ago. Last time around, The Crue had the privilege of closing the show but this time it was Def Leppard.

80 years young, Stevie “Guitar” Miller started the night off with a 12-song greatest hits set starting with Fly Like an Eagle. Recently his music has resurfaced with the song Abracadabra interpolated in Eminem’s latest single Houdini. He dedicated the song Serenade to Eminem and recently praised him saying, “He’s one of those timeless originators building something new on a long musical legacy of original artists”

Between songs, Miller talked about his parents’ friendship with Les Paul and Mary Ford and how Les Paul became his godfather and taught him his first chords on the guitar. Les Paul performed into his ‘90s and performed with Miller when he was 93 back in 2007. Miller at 80 years still sounds impressive and doesn’t seem to have lost anything with age, joining so many classic rock bands still touring well into their ‘70s and even ‘80s.

Co-headliner Journey is still a powerhouse with founding member Neil Schon an absolute monster guitarist. There have been many lineup changes over the years, but Journey has always been Neil Schon’s band. Aside from Jonathan Cain who has been in the band since 1980, and drummer Deen Castronovo (1998-2015, 2021-present), singer Arnel Pineda has been in the band for 17 years now amazingly, and is probably a big reason they’re still playing stadiums.

Coming out to “Only The Young”, Pineda loves playing to the fans, reaching out to touch hands, bump fists, and point out to the fans at the very back of the stadium. It’s so important to deliver a performance, especially with today’s ticket prices fans expect a good show. Journey delivers on all fronts. The band plays tight and delivers the songs like they sound on the albums. I’ve heard people complain that Pineda is no Steve Perry but I think he sounds great!

Jonathan Cain dedicated Faithfully to the US Forces and also sported a Tigers jersey and talked about their history being one of the original eight baseball teams. For the final song, “Don’t Stop Believin’”, Pineda worked up the crowd to the line, “Just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit”, and of course, everyone joined in. Journey never disappoints live, they’re always a great show!

Drawing mainly from their two biggest albums, 1983’s Pyromania and the 1987 follow-up Hysteria, Def Leppard’s 18-song setlist was full of big hits with the 35,000 in attendance out of their seats rocking and singing along. Opening with “Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)”, this set the energy in the stadium on turbo blast from the first chords, and it never really let up.

There is one new song this tour, “Just Like ‘73”, an ode to ‘70s glam rock, and it fits in well.

The huge thrust stage in front of the main stage gave the band ample opportunity to get up close to those in the main field seating area. Joe Elliott, Phil Collen, Rick Savage and Vivian Campbell all made good use of the ramps to strut back and forth and engage those fans lucky enough to be down in front.

Joe Elliot performed a brief snippet of Detroit Rock City at the start of “Two Steps Behind”, an acoustic solo performance before the other band members joined him for “This Guitar” and then “Bringin’ On the Heartbreak”.  For Heartbreak, the band encouraged the crowd to sing along and then finished with the full electric version leading into a powerful finish with “Switch 625”, “Rock of Ages” and “Photograph”.

The encore of “Hysteria” and “Pour Some Sugar on Me” capped off an outstanding night of music! These guys can still rock their asses off and show no signs of slowing down.

Steve Miller:

• Space Intro
• Fly Like an Eagle
• Serenade
• Living in the U.S.A.
• Abracadabra
• Swingtown
• Dance, Dance, Dance
• Take the Money and Run
• Jungle Love
• Rock’n Me
• The Joker
• Jet Airliner

Journey Setlist:

• Only the Young
• Guitar Solo
• Stone in Love
• Keep On Runnin’ (Deen Castronovo on lead vocals)
• Escape
• Faithfully
• Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’
• Piano Solo
• Open Arms
• Line of Fire
• La Do Da
• Dead or Alive
• Guitar Solo
• Wheel in the Sky
• Lights
• Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)
• Be Good to Yourself
• Any Way You Want It
• Don’t Stop Believin’

Def Leppard Setlist:

• Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)
• Rocket
• Foolin’
• Armageddon It
• Animal
• Love Bites
• Just Like ’73
• Comin’ Under Fire
• Too Late for Love
• Die Hard the Hunter
• Two Steps Behind (Joe solo; short acoustic version; with KISS’ “Detroit Rock City” snippet intro)
• This Guitar (acoustic/electric version)
• Bringin’ On the Heartbreak (acoustic/electric version)
• Switch 625
• Rock of Ages
• Photograph

Encore:

• Hysteria
• (with extended outro)
• Pour Some Sugar on Me

All photos by Dan Boshart

Def Leppard:

Journey:

Steve Miller Band: