LIVE: Def Leppard, Motley Crue & Alice Cooper at The JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse
Photos and Review by Chris Besaw
It’s August and things here in the Salt City are still heating up this summer season. Last night at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse was no exception. Motley Crue and Def Leppard’s co headlining World Tour 2023 kicked off here and what an amazing start it was with fans packing into the JMA Wireless Dome.
Starting the party off was the incredible, uncompromising and legendary man himself, Alice Cooper! Alice Cooper along with his amazing and talented band consisting of Glen Sobel (drums), Nita Strauss (guitar), Tommy Henricksen (guitar), Ryan Roxie ( guitar) and Chuck Garrick ( bass) kicked things off in true Cooper style with a mock trial condemning Alice Cooper for his crimes and then launching right into “No More Mr. Nice Guy.” A fitting tune for I would say. Alice Cooper and company played an incredible set consisting of such classics as “Feed my Frankenstein”, “I’m Eighteen”, and “School’s Out”, along with his very amazing stage show mixed in monsters, ghouls all leading up to his classic beheading on stage, which the crowd loved. Even though Alice Cooper and band played for about 1 hour, he still packs in an incredible show leaving fans wanting more, but alas it was time to set up for the next act of the evening, Motley Crue.
Smoke starts to fill the stage and you can see some screens start to flicker; a warning message starts playing through the crackling speakers, and like a gun shot, Motley Crue hits the stage kicking things off with their heavy hitting track, “Wild Side”. A fitting choice the lead off the bad boys of metal’s set and the crowd couldn’t agree more. Fans decked out in fishnets, mile high teased hair, studded jackets and leather could not agree more. I remember seeing the Crue on their Shout at The Devil tour so that younger fan in me really came out when they played “Shout at the Devil.” The band played an incredible mix of songs from their 41 plus year career consisting of highly regarded tunes as “Too Fast for Love”, “Looks That Kill”, “Dr. Feelgood”, “Girls, Girls, Girls”, ending with their chart topping “Kickstart My Heart”. I want to acknowledge that although I do miss seeing the formable Mick Mars on stage I could not agree more than having John 5 there is a great replacement bringing their sound and show to a new level. After taking their bows and thanking the fans for sticking with them it was time for the evening’s headliner, Def Leppard.
The stage goes dark and the crowd’s excitement begins to build as the countdown clock on the screens reaches 3, 2, 1 and then Joe Elliot and company lead off the evening with “Take What You Want”, with only a brief pause before going into a laser light filled and thunderous sound version of their classic “Let’s Get Rocked”! The band played an eclectic set, mixing their classic songs along with some of their newer ones, combined with some of the most amazing laser light show and stage production made for an concert that one will not forget for a long time. This being the second time I have seen them on tour this year, singer Joe Elliot sounds as good as he ever did along with other highlights from their performance was a high energy instrumental with a massive drum solo by Rick Allen.
Def Leppard finished their set with their mega hit “Photograph” to which the fans sang along with immense energy. Even though the Syracuse crowd wanted, more Joe Elliot had indicated that they would definitely be back! Overall a great night in Syracuse for some amazing heavy metal music. Please enjoy my photo highlights from the show.
Setlist Alice Cooper: 200m Lock Me Up, No More Mr. Nice Guy, Under My Wheels, Billion Dollr Babies, Fallen in Love, Snakebite, Feed My Frankenstein, Poison, Guitar Solo, Black Widow Jam, Ballad of Dwight Fry, Killer, I Love the Dead, School’s Out Encore: Elected
Setlist Motley Crue: Intro, Wild Side, Shout at the Devil, Too Fast for Love, Don’t Go Away Mad ( Just Go Away), Live Wire, Looks That Kill, The Dirt (est 1981), Guitar Solo, Rock and Roll, Part 2 / Smokin’ in the Boys Room / Helter Skelter / Anarchy in the U.K. / Blitzkrieg Bop / (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!), Home Sweet Home, Dr. Feelgood, Same Ol’ Situation ( S.O.S.), Girls, Girls, Girls, Primal Scream, and Kickstart My Heart
Setlist Def Leppard: Take What You Want, Let’s Get Rocked, Animal, Foolin’, Armageddon It, Kick, Love Bites, Promises, This Guitar, When Love And Hate Collide, Rocket, Instrumental, Hysteria, Pour Some Sugar On Me, Rock Of Ages, and Photograph
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