Def Leppard, Poison, Lita Ford Tour Announced

To say that I am disappointed with the third act on the bill is a bit of an understatement. I guess since Poison/Def Leppard just toured together a few years ago, I assumed the third act would be a significant draw. I'm not slagging on Lita Ford in any way - but she's not as big a name as some other bands this tour could have attracted. Most people thought the extra band would be Twisted Sister - I think that would have made sense.

The Def Lep/Poison/Lita tour will last 32 days, and start in June.

“We had such a good time going out with Poison in 2009 that we thought it only right to do it again,” Joe Elliott said in the press release announcing the tour.

More dates are expected to be announced soon. No official info on ticketing yet, but I'm sure fanclub VIP packages will be available. There is one date (Atlanta, June 29) up on Ticketmaster already that lists prices at $31 - $131.

I gotta admit, I'm on the fence about this one. I'm trying to save money so I can get really good seats for Aerosmith, but I always get sucked in by Def Leppard and Poison. Always.

Here are the dates/venues:

Jun. 20 - Salt Lake City, UT @ USANA Amphitheater
Jun. 22 - Irvine, CA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Jun. 23 - Las Vegas, NV @ Red Rock Amphitheatre
Jun. 25 - Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center
Jun. 27 - Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center
Jun. 29 - Atlanta, GA @ Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood
Jun. 30 - Tampa, FL @ Tampa Bay Times Forum
Jul. 02 - Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center
Jul. 03 - Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena
Jul. 06 - Cleveland, OH @ Quickens Loan Arena
Jul. 07 - Detroit, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre
Jul. 10 - Baltimore, MD @ Merriweather Pavilion
Jul. 11 - Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center
Jul. 13 - Wantagh, NY @ Nikon at Jones Beach Pavilion
Jul. 16 - Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
Jul. 17 - Hamilton, ON @ Copps Coliseum
Jul. 19 - Chicago, IL @ Allstate Arena
Jul. 22 - Cadott, WI @ Rock Fest

Comments

[JT]

I was going to skip Poison this year, but with Lita on the bill I'm going to try to go. Twisted Sister would have had the same effect.

Had it been Ratt or Dokken, I would not have had any regrets about missing the show.

[Christian]

The truth is, I've been at the barrier for Def Leppard, and after being at the barrier for A7X, I just have to say I found it boring. Still like their music, but not an exciting live show

[brian L]

Have not seen Def Lep in a long long time. I think I'm in on this one. Good news

[Ward]

Poison played the same setlist in 2011 that they did when I saw them in 2000. I was really impressed with Lita Ford when I saw her on Queensryche's tour in 2009 and then at M3 in 2011.

It's interesting that Def Leppard is touring yet again with Poison because I know first-hand from one of the DL band members that they do not like Poison or respect their music. But, money talks and promoters like LiveNation and AEG rule the roost these days when it comes to these big packaged tours.

[Rock-It]

I agree with JT. I had no desire to go see Poison and Def Leppard... Now that Lita has been added I am now considering it.

[Christopher Long]

The addition of Lita Ford to this bill actually makes a lot of sense. She toured quite successfully with Poison during the '80s and stylistically, she's simply a perfect fit. And given some of the backroom dialogue that I was privied to during my association with Poison, I wasn't at all surprised that a Twisted Sister deal was not brokered.

Also from what I was led to believe during my tenure, Ward is absolutely correct. Although I won't go into details, DL has NO love for the Glam Slam Kings of Noise.

[Ward]

It should be noted that Phil Collen did recently record a song with Bret Michaels, but it's not Phil who told me that Poison 'sucks' and is the 'worst band out there'. One of Phil's bandmates is who told me. I'll leave it at that.

[Kenny Ozz]

The addition of Lita makes a ton of sense in the regard that she hasnt played an extensive US tour in YEARS. She will draw in more people that were on the fence about goig, including myself and a few posters above me here. It would of been a total snooze-fest had it of been a Ratt or a Dokken or whoever.
Def Lep are atrocious live, and Poison will play the same 8-10 boring songs they play every summer. That being said, I will be there, to watch Lita own the show.

[Ward]

I think that Def Leppard is really good live. I go to dozens of concerts each year and I always rank their shows pretty high. Not the best show, but better than most bands of their era.

[fletch]

YAWN! I think I'll just stay frosty

[tommydahl]

lita is the one my going for seen last time always go to pioson it in my bleed hopeful for a motley show too anybody hear anythingg

[Metalboy!]

Hahaha!!! Lita Ford being the deciding factor on this is really quite comical though I look forward to seein' Def AND Poison. Unbelievably, I have actually NEVER seen DL, which really is laffable, as well.

So, I'm with Al -- they coulda used somebody bigger than Ford for this. But that wouldn't be Twisted Sister in my book.

Why not The Darkness? Especially since Joe Elliot supposedly has taken Justin Hawkins under his wing as a kind of mentor to the dude.

p.s. Christian! Seriously? A7X over Lep. That must be because you saw 'em so many times before. I'm watchin' Def Lep right now on the "Download Festival" Special on VH1 Classic and they seem pretty burnin'. They're doin' "Wasted" right this sec and gotta say, they've sold me! Scorchin'! Even if Elliot can't sing his way out of a paperbag (Hell, could he ever?).

[Christian]

Hey Metalboy. The fact is, they sound good, and I like the music, but it's just not exciting enough for me. The energy isn't there. It's just a function of what the music is, not that I'm saying it's not good ( I still like to listen to their songs ).

[Metalboy!]

When was the first time you saw them, Christian?

[glamrockerarchie]

ive seen def lep once a few years back they were pretty good but not overly exciting n have seen poison a few times good band live but ya same set list pretty much but they played rockstar the one time which was nice, lita have never seen and def would like to, there comin to my neck of the woods in july n im there.

[Ace Steele]

Actually, I'm kind of disappointed that Lita got added to this bill. For a number of reasons. First of all, her recent reconciliation with Cherie Currie after decades of acrimony, lent the first realistic spark of hope for a reunion of the 4 remaining living "fab five" Runaways. Now that seem like it won't happen. Secondly, I saw Lita a few months ago, in a club w/ 100 other people, & she was borderline boring.

Twisted Sister would be a better fit for this bill. And Poison, I can totally do without. At least until they seriously shake up their set list.

[Metalboy!]

Ace... I heard from a very good source The Runaways are, in fact, reforming (sans Sandy West, who, as most of you know, sadly passed away not too long ago).

[Mike]

These are just early dates. There are going to be more announced. Def Lep wouldnt dare to only do a 2 month tour in the US. I think I heard itll be ending in August sometime, with UK dates coming next year, and Mexico I believe after the US.

[Ace Steele]

Here's a thought. Instead of Lita, or Poison, How about this for a bill?

Def Leppard
Steel Panther
The Darkness

?
I'd go see that.

[Kenny Ozz]

Ace's lineup is WAAAAAAAY better.