Author: Mike Miller

On Wednesday, August 10th, The Stadium Tour 2022 made a stop at Highmark Stadium in Buffalo. This tour was delayed for two years due to Covid. It features Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard as the headliners, who rotate as the main acts each night, and Def Leppard was the headliner for this show. Poison, with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts were direct support, and Classless Act was the opening band.

Classless Act

The show kicked off right on time at 3:55 P.M. with Classless Act jumping onto the stage filled with lots of energy. The band members were all over the stage trying to warm the crowd up. Formed in 2019 and consisting of five former strangers who met via TikTok and Instagram, they are a straight up rock and roll band. Many fans in the crowd enjoyed their short but memorable set. Some fans thought they played better than some of the other bands on the bill. Usually after their set, they will play in a small venue in the same city they are in, really showing dedication to their craft.

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts went on at about 4:30 P.M. Their set length was about 60 minutes. Joan has been described as the “Queen of Rock ’n Roll,” and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015. She has three albums that have been certified platinum or gold. 

Poison

Next was Poison, who is a famous glam metal band formed in 1983 in Mechanicsburg, PA. The band consists of lead singer Bret Michaels, drummer Rikki Rocket, bassist Bobby Dall and lead guitarist C.C. Deville. The band achieved huge commercial success in the mid-1980s through the mid-1990s and has sold 16 million records in the United States and over 50 million albums worldwide. From the start of their set, the band was filled with energy, running up and down the catwalk ramp. The fans in attendance loved that the band was wearing Buffalo Bills items (shirts, hats, and jerseys) for their hour-long set.

Mötley Crüe

Next was Mötley Crüe, who had many stage props and visual effects, with multiple metal pieces hung around the stage. The drum riser was encompassed in a metal circle, with inflatable women robots, unique mic stands, and multiple lyric teleprompters around the edge of the stage for the lead singer. These teleprompters made it very difficult for the photographers to get photos. They also blocked the view of some fans in the front rows at the end of the catwalk. A video screen was then lowered.

They started their set at 7:30 P.M. sharp, with the whole floor filling with thick white fog/smoke. An intro video played to get the crowd’s adrenaline pumping (dubbed as a breaking news report). During their first song “Wild Side” many women dancers joined them on stage to sing and dance. “Shout at the Devil” used lyrics on the large screen behind them to have the crowd join along in chanting the lines. Every song they played seemed to be a fan favorite as it appeared every fan knew all the words. Mötley Crüe’s set ended 90 minutes later at 9 P.M., with a set full of classic hits and a cover medley of songs.

Def Leppard

To close out the show was Def Leppard with an insane lighting display. The stage had huge vertical video screens, massive light bars, and a long walkway connected to the stage. The fans in the crowd sang along to each and every word of their classic hits. They used the stage walkway into the crowd to give the fans up close, the best view money can buy. 

Setlists:

Classless Act

“This is for You,” “Give it to Me,” “Time to Bleed,” “All That We Are,” “Classless Act.”

Joan Jet and the Blackhearts

“Victim of Circumstance,” “Cherry Bomb,” “Light of Day,” “Do You Wanna Touch Me,” “You Dry Me Wild,” “Everyday People,” “Fake Friends,” “Crimson & Clover,” “I Love Rock ’n’ Roll,” “I’m Gonna Run Away,” “I hate Myself for Loving You,” “Bad Reputation.”

Posion

“Look What the Cat Dragged In”, “Ride the Wind”, “Talk Dirty to Me”, “Your Mama Don’t Dance”, Guitar solo, “Fallen Angel”, Drum solo, “Every Rose Has It’s Thorn”, “Nothin’ but a Good Time”.

Mötley Crüe

“Wild Side,” “Shout at the Devil,” “Too Fast for Love,” “Dont Go Away Mad,” “Saints of Los Angeles,” “Live Wire,” “Looks That Kill,” “The Dirt,” “Rock and Roll, part 2/ Smokin’ in the Boys Room/ White Punks on Dope/ Helter Skelter/ Anarchy in the U.K,” “Home Sweet Home,” “Dr. Feelgood,” “Same Ol’ Situation,” “Girls, Girls, Girls,” “Primal Scream,” “Kickstart my Heart.”

Def Leppard

“Take What You Want,” “Let It Go,” “Animal,” “Foolin,” “Armageddon It,” “Kick,” “Love Bites,” “Promises,” “This Guitar,” “Two Steps Behind,” “Rocket,” “Bringin’ on the Heatbreak,” “Switch 625,” “Hysteria,” “Pour Some Sugar on Me,” “Rock of Ages,” “Photograph.”