My best friend Jamie and I went to see two phenomenal bands:  KISS (our favorite) and Def Leppard (a favorite) in Cincinnati.

They had never toured together before so this was a great opportunity to see these band together.

It was a co-headline (meaning each band gets the same amount of set time) but Def Leppard would always go on first and KISS would close.

Def Leppard are always phenomenal live and put most bands to shame in concert.

You HAVE to be on your game to go on after them, otherwise, you will be crushed, because they’re that great.

Great discography, tons of hits, everyone sings great, awesome stage set, BIG!

This was my 2nd time seeing Def Leppard.  Love them.

KISS closed the show, as I said.

This was my 5th time seeing them and even though I have many favorites, they are my number one favorite band.

They always make me happy and feel like I’m 16 again every time I see them (they were my first concert in 1998 when I was 16).

The current lineup of Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Eric Singer, and Tommy Thayer always deliver the goods.

They dug deep a little bit into their catalog here and played a song they had not played in many years (Hide Your Heart from their 1989 Hot In The Shade album), along with Hotter Than Hell from the album of the same name, which they have played a lot, but I had not seen them play it before.

Great show from both bands.

However, this night was emotional for me in another sense that my Pawpaw 4 days before this show.

We had just had his wake and funeral service the previous few days, so I was going into this show with that grief still fresh.

And I did cry a little at this show because I was still feeling it.

I’m very sad that Pawpaw died, but what breaks my heart the most is seeing my Granny cry.

I had NEVER seen her cry in my life until he died.

They were together 67 years.  Forever joined at the hip.  From beginning to end.

(Edit:  My Granny died 5 years later, in 2019.  Beyond heartbreaking to me and I’ll never get over it.)

Life will never be the same in my family.

But having said that, he lived a long and great, full life.

Can’t ask for anything more.

I love and miss you Pawpaw (and Granny)!!!!