Midway through Def Leppard's set at Talking Stick Resort Arena, lead singer Joe Elliott took a moment to reflect on the 38 years he and his bandmates have spent on the road.

"It's 38 years since we first played Phoenix, Arizona," he said. "Compton Terrace and all those other places come and gone. But here we are. We're still here. You're still here. And you know what? As long as you're out there, we will keep coming back, over and over and over again. Because this is it, really. This is all we ever wanted."

By that point, Def Leppard were nearing the end of a successful co-headlining tour with Journey, who were seasoned touring veterans by the time the Sheffield rockers left the U.K. on their first North American tour in support of an album called "On Through the Night."

And the fans were definitely out there, packing the arena to the rafters through the final notes of Journey's encore — "Faithfully" followed by "Don't Stop Believin'," which ended in a shower of confetti.

Rock of Ages

On one hand, the tour is a testament to the enduring appeal of the two bands' catalogs.

On the other hand, they wouldn't still be bringing in those kind of numbers if they couldn't still be counted on to deliver the goods.

And the goods were delivered in full as both bands made their way through hit-filled sets.

The songs inspired massive singalong while showcasing some true guitar heroics — first from Def Leppard's Vivian Campbell and Phil Collen (still shirtless and glistening at 60 from the time he hit the stage) and then, of course, from Neal Schon, whose guitar work showcased his melodic sensibilities while still allowing room for his fingers to tear up the fretboard.

Journey's set a mix of hits, heroics

Last year at Journey's overdue induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Steve Perry recalled his initial impression of Journey before he'd joined the fold: "Though their musicianship was absolutely par to none, there was one instrument that was flying about the entire city of Los Angeles. That was the magic fingers of Neal Schon’s guitar!"

Perry hasn't been with Journey since they went their separate ways in 1998. But Arnel Pineda has done a remarkable job of navigating Perry's soaring vocal parts these past 11 years. As Schon said when I spoke to him a few weeks prior to the show, "You know, Arnel, he’s got big shoes to fill."

MORE:Neal Schon on Journey, Steve Perry and more

He's done a brilliant job, though, of not only hitting the notes but engaging the crowd. The new kid on the Journey block is 51 now but approaches the performance with the same enthusiasm and adrenaline he brought to the proceedings when he joined.

He resides in a state of perpetual motion, often leaping through the air in a signature move that feels more like a scene from "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" than David Lee Roth or Pete Townshend.

Journey set the tone for their performance with "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)," a dramatic introduction to a set that touched on many of their biggest hits, from "Lovin', "Touchin', Squeezin'," which resulted in a massive singalong," through a raucous "Any Way You Want It" to "Be Good to Yourself."

They paid special attention to 1981's nine-times-platinum "Escape," their most successful album, including the concert's emotional highlight, "Open Arms," and a spirited "Who's Crying Now?"

And they reached back to "Infinity" for "Lights," which as Schon noted was the second song he ever wrote with Perry, and "Wheel in the Sky."

It wasn't all hits, but there were enough to keep the casual fan engaged while allowing the musicians room to stretch out, especially Schon, whose solos definitely made the most of every opportunity to shine.

And speaking of musicianship, I noticed that my mouth was hanging open in amazement during drummer Steve Smith's very entertaining solo.

It's taken Schon a while, he says, to make his peace with the nostalgic nature of what constitutes a Journey show at this stage of the game. But he sure looked like he was having fun at Friday's show in Phoenix.

And judging from the fans' reaction to the hits, there's no such thing as hearing one too many live performances of "Don't Stop Believin' " or "Wheel in the Sky."

Def Leppard fans get rocked

Def Leppard also kept the focus squarely on the hits.

After setting the tone for their performance with the one-two punch of "Rocket" and "Animal," two of the tracks that made "Hysteria" their biggest-selling album, Elliott announced that it was time to get back in their time machine to 1983 and shouted "Pyromania!" before leading his bandmates in "Foolin'."

Elliott's upper register isn't as strong as it was in the days of "Pyromania." And you could definitely hear him struggle a bit with the notes on "Love Bites." But he made it work. And he remains a very entertaining front man.

The vocals sounded great on 1995's "When Love and Hate Collide," an understated ballad, and 1993's "Two Steps Behind," which they performed unplugged.

They also reached back to the '70s for a cover of the David Essex classic "Rock On," which began with a showcase for bassist Rick Savage.

Each member of Def Leppard was given a turn in the spotlight, from the Collen and Campbell to Savage and drummer Rick Allen, whose solo brought the house down.

And then it was back to the hits with "Hysteria," backed by photographs and footage of Def Leppard through the years, before bringing the proper set to a triumphant close with "Pour Some Sugar on Me."

They returned for a two-song encore that started with "Rock of Ages" and ended pretty much the only it could, with a crowd-pleasing version of "Photograph."

Journey setlist

"Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)"

"Only the Young"

"Escape"

"Stone in Love"

"Chain Reaction"

"Be Good to Yourself"

Neal Schon Guitar Solo

"Lights"

"Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'"

"Who's Crying Now"

"Open Arms"

"Ask the Lonely"

"La Do Da"

"Any Way You Want It"

"Wheel in the Sky"

Encore

"Faithfully"

"Don't Stop Believin'"

Def Leppard setlist

"Rocket"

"Animal"

"Foolin'"

"When Love and Hate Collide"

"Let's Get Rocked"

"Armageddon It"

"Rock On"

"Two Steps Behind"

"Man Enough"

"Love Bites"

"Bringin' on the Heartbreak"

"Switch 625"

"Hysteria"

"Pour Some Sugar on Me"

Encore

"Rock of Ages"

"Photograph"

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