Def Leppard takes the Petersen

Def Leppard

Tonight, 7:30 p.m.

Peterson Events Center, $33.50 to… Def Leppard

Tonight, 7:30 p.m.

Peterson Events Center, $33.50 to $43.50

(412) 323-1919

When taking a trip down memory lane back to the 1980s, before thinking about spandex, hot pink lip gloss, the Rubix Cube, “Perfect Strangers” and big hair, the music plays on a tape deck in your head. Not just the bubble gum pop music of the Go-Go’s and Debbie – sorry, I meant Deborah – Gibson, but the real music of the decade – rocking metal hair bands.

While that trend went out the door with the explosion of Nirvana and the grunge scene in the early ’90s, some bands continue to make fresh music into the new millennium anyway. Some bands fail miserably to keep up with the times and tunes – Metallica. Some split up and attempt embarrassing solo projects – Motley Crue’s Tommy Lee. Others try to tour again but never really succeed for whatever the reason – Guns N’ Roses. But Def Leppard doesn’t suffer any of these unfortunate side effects of being a totally cool ’80s band.

Their 10th studio album, X, musically retains much of Def Leppard’s signature style. Lyrically, it’s a whole different story. Filled with sappy lovey-dovey words, it indeed makes you wonder what happened to these guys romantically since 1992’s Adrenalize. The only thing we definitely know is that in 1996 they put out an album titled Slang and it didn’t do very well in the flannel shirt era.

But who cares if they had a flop album when music was primarily angst-driven, and who cares that along the way they grew up and got in touch with their hearts? This is Def Leppard. They have been quiet and out of the spotlight so that Britney Spears and boy bands could do their thing for entirely too long.

These are the guys that sang “Pour Some Sugar on Me” and “Let’s Get Rocked,” in sold-out arenas. These are the guys that brought us Pyromania. These are the guys who have a drummer so talented that he can keep a beat with his feet. These are the guys who were wise enough to know that mullets aren’t cool anymore. These are the guys who are invading our campus to play at what is sure to be one kick-ass show at the Pete.