Cheap Trick, Poison, & Def Leppard

Concert ratings, much like cities, are in accordance with the criteria I create on the spur of the moment when I start writing the first one, but these are going to be in order, for reasons that may become apparent by the end.
Categories (1-10 scale, 5 is the "meh, whatevs" level):
A. how much I liked the artist prior to the show
B. venue
C. weather (because let's be real, it probably drastically affects my view)
D. star power
E. how much I like the artist post-show

Cheap Trick, Poison, Def Leppard
A. (in order of appearance) 5, 5, 5.5
B. Verizon Wireless Center (Noblesville) 6.5
C. 10 (July 2009)
D. 6, 8, 6
E. 6, 8, 6.5
Discussion:
Some fourteen months ago, I happened across notice that there was going to be a concert at the Verizon Wireless Center with Cheap Trick, Poison, and Def Leppard. I think Facebook might've told me via iLike, or some such thing. This, my friends, was my thought process. "Huh. I kinda like Def Leppard. Do they have songs other than 'Pour Some Sugar on Me'? I…don't know. Anyway—wait. [cue epiphany music] You know what? I'll see anything for $20. I've paid that to see terrible movies with terrible people. This is MUSIC. I am IN."

And as it turned out, the evening was absolutely perfect, weather-wise. Cheap Trick claimed they were the greatest rock band of all time, a declaration supported by this really cute and very excited chick who was very clearly their number-one fan. I know she was, because she knew the words to every song.

EVERY song, y'all. For Cheap Trick.

I knew the words to…one song.

Then Poison came on and they had green fire as part of their stage effects and I realized I know a lot more Poison than I thought and that hearing 25,000 people begging Bret Michaels to talk dirty to them is intoxicating like a double shot of single-barrel Jack Daniels: It's hot and perfectly blended and a high that has nothing to do with the pot smoke drifting on the air, the scent heavy like lilacs in early summer.

I was sold.

"I'll see almost anyone for $20" was definitely in the top ten list of good realizations I've had. (Also included in that list would be, "Never buy Mexican snacky cakes sold at gas stations.")

Def Leppard was totally fine, by the way. They came out, they played their stuff, we got rocked. Would've been worth it for them alone, but somehow…Poison was just more fun. Star power. It matters.