Date Night: Def Leopard

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I am younger than my husband by four and a half years. Those four and a half years are not much except you need to add in the sequestered life I led on an isolated bee farm to understand that essentially my husband and I did not grow up in the same decade. I grew up listening to “The Oldies” on my mother’s radio. My dad had the television at night and so I never saw a single episode of “Beverly Hills 90210” or “Melrose Place.” I would nod my head when other kids my age would talk about “New Kids On The Block,” but the only time I ever heard their songs were at school dances. My sister and I would rewatch “Anne of Green Gables” during the day and read books at night.

When I heard that Def Leopard would be performing near us, I knew my husband would want to go see them. And honestly, it seemed like a good time.

So I purchased the tickets, made reservations at our favorite restaurant in town, and waited for the concert with nervous excitement.

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The day arrived and you will not believe this, but I did not get an outfit picture. We were rushing because my husband got home from work and we immediately had to leave for our dinner reservations. But I did get a picture of my shoes. They are the coolest pink. When I went to Anthropologie and did some reviews, I walked into the sale room and a woman was holding a pair of these shoes in her hand. “What size are those?” I breathlessly asked. Well, they were two sizes too small for both myself and her, and the only ones in the store. I tracked them down during an extra percentage off sale and scooped them up. I love a happy shoe story ending, don’t you?

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Okay. So, I said I really went to the concert for my husband. And that is true, but it is also true that I went for the food. The food. I adore the steakhouse on the premise of where Def Leopard performed. And the only time we splurge and eat there is when we go to a performance (such as when we saw Cyndi Lauper last year). It did not disappoint. I have eaten steak at some of those restaurants that are known for steak in New York, San Francisco and Las Vegas. I have never had steak as good as this steak anywhere else. The chef gives you a complimentary amuse-bouche when you are seated. He also sends out his handmade truffles and candy gummies with the bill. It is expensive but worth it.

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We finished our meal and headed to the venue. There was a man sitting next to me on my left that had been going to see Def Leopard every year, by himself, since 1987. Oddly enough he left right before the concert was over. He sang every song. I knew one of them. One. Yep. “Pour Some Sugar On Me.” My husband knew them all. And he recalled listening to them perform when he was in fifth grade on a fence in his backyard as the sound carried from the concert to his house. I loved that he finally got to see them live in concert on this evening.

There was a woman in her early fifties sitting by herself on our right. She confessed that she had been to their concert the night before in a different city. So, of course I said to her, “Wow. You must really like the band.”

She shook her head, “no.” She admitted that she had never listened to Def Leopard before until the day before. Someone had bought her the tickets to the two venues as a gift. I thought that was an interesting gift.

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I am a sitter.

Period.

So, I was stressed that the people in front of me would stand up, and gasp!, dance during the concert. This would give me the task of standing up myself. Well, the people who purchased the seats in front of us never showed up. So, I could have sat but we actually stood and swayed (I would surely hesitate to call clapping your hands to music as dancing) to the music.

But the only thing that kept running through my head during the show was, “I should have studied these songs before the concert.”

Yes, what I was thinking during a rock concert is that I really should have studied.

Poser.

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It ended up being a fun night. I will look back upon it and smile. Have you been to any concerts this year? Do you like the dinner or the event itself better? I think that is why I am so fond of dinner theater. You get the best of both worlds… And you don’t need to stand… Or study.

11 thoughts on “Date Night: Def Leopard

  1. I was in 6-7th grase when Def Leppard were at their peak! I got the Hysteria cassette from my 1st boyfriend for Christmas. He left it in my locker. We never talked in person (well, rarely other than a hello in class or in the hall). We wrote notes & notes & notes to each other (which I still have stored at my mom’s house). And talked on the phone for hours, stretching the single house phone cord all the way through the kitchen and into the hall closet for some privacy. Oh what memories!

    My favorite musician is Bob Schneider. He’s fro Austin Texas & I’ve been a fan of his since the mid-90s. I got to see him 4 times this year! Usuallu only get to see him once a year so this was an outstanding year! I do love food. But I love music more! Have a great Holiday!!

  2. How fun! I think I love food and music equally…lol 🙂
    The only concert we made it to this past year was Jack White at the Edgefield..which was pretty amazing. We just stood in line for 3 hours this past Sat..for Foo Fighter tickets..they were doing it the old school way so fans had a chance to get tickets before online scalpers claimed them all. I hadn’t stood in line for a concert in forever!

    Happy Thanksgiving, Jenni 🙂

    Kara

  3. Too funny you went to see Def Leopard. Not a group I would have thought would be up your ally. Back in-th-day we called them head banger bands. I was more influenced by my boyfriend’s taste for older bands like Led Zepplin or my brother’s love of Kiss.

    I’ve never been to a concert where they serve a full meal beforehand. I’ve been to jazz bars where they do.

    The last concert I saw was Chris Isaak and it was so good I’d go again in a heartbeat. Otherwise we go to jazz, blues, big band and smaller venues. If Led Zepplin were ever to reunite though, I’d be there.

    Love the shoes!

    bisous
    Suzanne
    http://www.suzannecarillo.com

  4. My comment halved itself!
    Err..what did I write? Oh…
    I was raised on classical everything. Classical music. Classical ballet. Etc. Toss the fact that I was not allowed to wear pants until high school (modest length skirts make my left eye twitch!) and you can easily guess where I fell on the popularity meter. Yup, total outcast.

  5. I’ve been to see Def Leppard at least twice. Maybe more. Not back to back nights though. That’s unusual.

    I’m surprised you only know one of their songs!

    The last concert I went to was Tom Petty and it was awesome, even if he was as high as a kite for the encore.

  6. ok, those shoes are amazing! what fun, Def Leopard! that is so 7th grade for me, and I didn’t know any better so I liked them for a bit, then was told that they were a “hessian” band by my friends, hahahaha…..what did I know in 7th grade? who cares?

  7. Ah… so jealous! I loooved them back in the ’80’s. I think I may know a lot of those lyrics. MTV played their videos over and over and over back then.
    Those were the perfect shoes to wear!

  8. I love love Def Leppard! They are one of my favorite bands. They are amazing!!!! I always admired the drummer Rick Allen who played with one arm. Does he still play with them?

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