I arrive just in time to catch the final song in Journey’s set, ‘Don’t Stop Believing’. To be honest, it’s just as well, as most of the rest of their catalogue isn’t much cop. ‘Don’t Stop Believing’, though – which enjoys particular popularity in Ireland, for some strange reason – is an undeniably mighty tune. Indeed, it’s Springsteen-like in its poetic evocation of the sturm und drang of everyday life. And, naturally, it prompts a mass singalong.
Next up are Whitesnake, the men that irony forgot. They shamelessly utilise every hair metal cliché in the book (right down to absolutely excruciating, extended solos from the guitarists), and there’s even a bona fide Spinal Tap moment, when the lead guitarist gets caught up in the mic stand and the bassist has to untangle him. Still, there’s no denying that the likes of ‘Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City’ and ‘Is This Love’ go down a storm, while pop-metal gem ‘Here I Go Again’ sends the place absolutely crazy.
And so to Def Leppard, who open with a powerhouse take on ‘Rocket’. The Leppard’s classic albums are master-classes in melodic hard rock (there were no less than seven singles from the 20 million selling Hysteria), and the hits are lapped up by the enthusiastic audience. Throughout, Joe Elliot works the crowd with considerable style, whilst the band crank out the infectious riffs with unstinting vigour.
Overall, a metallic KO.