I might have been just 18 years old when I saw Journey andDef Leppardon tour together in 2018, but I was just as excited as my parents were - until I ultimately fell asleep. The generation of music I grew up with was defined by 2000s pop, R&B, hip-hop, and more, but my musical palette was expanded by listening to my parents' CDs and iTunes playlists, most of which included plenty ofclassic rock albumsand hits.
With aMetallica-essentials-loving dad and a U2 mega-fan mom, there was no shortage of rock music in all its variations throughout my childhood, which made it an obvious yes for me to join them in seeing both Journey and Def Leppard in concert in 2018. I had previously seen Def Leppard on their tour with KISS back in 2014, and my parents and I had also gone to see Foreigner in 2017, so this was far from my first classic rock concert. Oddly enough, however, it did struggle to keep my attention at one point.
I Accidentally Fell Asleep During Def Leppard’s Set In 2018
They Legitimately Serenaded Me
A rock concert definitely doesn’t sound like the proper setting for sleep, especially not during a band like Def Leppard’s set, but I promiseit wasn’t entirely their fault. The earlier context is necessary; I was 18, a senior in high school, and I was knee-deep in the final preparations for finishing my high school career and moving on to college. I was also a competitive dancer growing up, and this concert happened in the thick of long weekends of travel and non-stop dancing.
It was a school night, too, which meant I had already been attending classes all day prior to the show - and would have to do the same the next day. When Def Leppard was on stage, and the lights began to soften just as much as the songs' chords, it was no wonder that my eyelids started to grow heavy.
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I was quite literally serenaded by their slower hits, and the power of their accidental lullabies ultimately conquered me. I can now only remember bits and pieces of this part of the concert, when my chin was in the palm of my hand, and I was fighting not to give in to the temptation of rest.I was far from bored; instead, the music consumed me so much so that I had no choice but to give into its complete, utter smoothness.
I Guess You Can Say Def Leppard’s Ballads Are Really Soothing
It Was During This Part Of Their Set
Sure, Def Leppard is known for their energetic hits like “Pour Some Sugar on Me” and “Photograph” - the latter of which I consider to be one of my favorite classic rock songs of all time - but their ballads are clearly quite powerful. It was during this section of their set that I succumbed to the slumber that hung over me like a cloud. If I’m being honest,I don’t even remember if this ended up being the case for me during Journey’s ballads, too. That’s very possible.
Def Leppard is known for their energetic hits like “Pour Some Sugar on Me” and “Photograph,” but their ballads are clearly quite powerful.
All I know is that Def Leppard helped me to get a nap that night all because of how soothing their performances were. I can’t imagine what my parents might have been thinking at that moment, seeing me literally snoozing as our eardrums continued to rattle from the sounds that reverberated off the arena’s walls. Of course, what they were probably thinking was thatthis wasn’t the first time it had happened… and it could potentially be far from the last.
It Wasn’t My First Time Falling Asleep At A Concert
My First Concert Also Turned Into A Nap Session
The dates are fuzzy now, but it had to have been around 2004 or 2005 when artist Jeremy Camp was touring, and I attended my first concert at the age of either 4 or 5. I don’t remember much about that night, obviously, butone thing Idovividly remember was being awake in the crowd one moment and then waking up in the car on the way home the next. My parents talked for years about how they were so shocked that I could have fallen asleep, much less stayed asleep, throughout that concert.
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I guess this is something I have a knack for, now. Of course, whenseeing modern artists such as Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Ariana Grande, and Olivia Rodrigo, I’ve had no trouble staying awake, but that’s mostly because I’m with my older sister dancing the night away in our seats. Classic rock concerts are completely different for me;it’s like reliving my childhood, even though most of the songs came out decades before I was born. It wasn’tDef Leppard’s fault I fell asleep, which is why I’m still so embarrassed about it.
