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REVIEW: Def Leppard, Joan Jett, Queensrÿche a killer kickoff to Rockin' Thunder

REVIEW: Def Leppard, Joan Jett, Queensrÿche a killer kickoff to Rockin' Thunder

The monumental Rock of Ages is easily one of Def Leppard's defining heights of song — but it's also a nice way to describe the inaugural Rockin' Thunder music fest, kicking off with eight hours of straight, plugged-in, eternal AM radio rock Friday to an enormous party crowd.
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Up top, headlining as night crept in: the aforementioned British quintet — ever in a tight race with Iron Maiden and Metallica in the 'most-seen T-shirts' contest around here.
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As such, arena-level masses of high thousands were no surprise, dancing, grinding and getting otherwise impressively pornographic in front of a bunch of elder blonde dudes, culminating in a scream-along Pour Some Sugar On Me in front of computer-graphic space motorbikes spewing lightning.
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Starting off with the deliciously proggy spoken opening to Queen of the Reich — just so we knew who was playing, perhaps — 13-year-member, Bob-Seger-vibed lead singer Todd La Torre quickly demonstrated his ceiling shattering tones to heights we really wouldn't quite hear again today, holding notes long enough to make all the resident dragonflies crash land.
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Queensrÿche, in a word, ruled, as anyone who enjoys the Ronnie James Dio era of Black Sabbath might tell you, the show ranging from a Priest-y-feeling Breaking the Silence to a wall-of-sound, guitar-explosive Warning, and sing-alongs I Don't Believe in Love and The Needle Lies, with co-founder Michael Wilton riff-blasting that sick skull guitar into our faces with his wicked metal scowl, back to back with evil-looking Mike Stone.
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They nodded to Ozzy and just-laid-to-rest Black Sabbath, but for my money, the growly, soaring Empire was the height, which the band capped off with Eyes of a Stranger after La Torre thanked their dedicated fans, or as he called them, 'repeat offenders.'
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Hell of a start, already checking my watch, wondering how to handle such an onslaught for seven more hours.
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Next up, after some hellos from the amicable and big-hearted Terry Evans, were Prairie rockers Toque, who I honestly did not know leaned into the covers so hard. But hey, in a crumbling world where we're waving in the ultimate karaoke of A.I. with such blind enthusiasm, may as well lie back and enjoy it!
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In the wake of successful inaugural event, tickets for Rockin' Thunder 2026 are now on sale
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time2 hours ago

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Article content And they'll get a chance to do it all again next summer. Article content The event, held at the Exhibition Lands saw two nights of rock music, including Def Leppard, Weezer, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Stone Temple Pilots, Bret Michaels and more. Article content CEO of Rockin' Thunder Music Festivals, Troy Vollhoffer, said the event was a big success. Article content Article content 'The energy and talent on display this weekend have surpassed our wildest hopes,' said Vollhoffer. 'Seeing the response for this first Rockin' Thunder has us excited to make some huge announcements very soon for 2026.' Article content Article content

In the wake of successful inaugural event, tickets for Rockin' Thunder 2026 are now on sale
In the wake of successful inaugural event, tickets for Rockin' Thunder 2026 are now on sale

Vancouver Sun

time2 hours ago

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In the wake of successful inaugural event, tickets for Rockin' Thunder 2026 are now on sale

Thousands of rock fans turned out July 11-12 for the first Rockin' Thunder event. And they'll get a chance to do it all again next summer. The event, held at the Exhibition Lands saw two nights of rock music, including Def Leppard, Weezer, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Stone Temple Pilots, Bret Michaels and more. CEO of Rockin' Thunder Music Festivals, Troy Vollhoffer, said the event was a big success. 'The energy and talent on display this weekend have surpassed our wildest hopes,' said Vollhoffer. 'Seeing the response for this first Rockin' Thunder has us excited to make some huge announcements very soon for 2026.' Get top headlines and gossip from the world of celebrity and entertainment. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sun Spots will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. There are a limited number of early-bird general admission weekend passes available for 2026 for $240. For more info, check out Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don't miss the news you need to know — add and to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here. You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun.

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