Venue:
Sheffield Arena
Date: 30/06/2026
A homecoming gig for Sheffield’s finest, their first in the city since 2023’s triumphant outdoor show at Bramall Lane. Extreme proved to be a great choice as support – although I’m not too familiar with most of their music, they played a great set that really got the crowd going and set things up nicely for the main event. It was Def Leppard though that people had come to see, and they didn’t disappoint, receiving a rapturous reception from their home crowd. The bulk of their set hasn’t really changed much as the decades have rolled by, being built on the solid foundation of the Pyromania and Hysteria albums. A welcome addition after a long absence though was the Steve Clarke tribute White Lightning, while they also found room for their two most recent standalone singles, Rejoice and Just Like 73. Personally, I can live without the two cover versions, Personal Jesus and Rock On, especially when it means omitting classics like Wasted, Let It Go, Foolin’ and Too Late For Love, and the breakdown in Slang to include Get Up Offa That Thing and Fame was a real momentum killer for me – sorry, but they just don’t have the funk to carry it off! It was a shame that one of the encores, Hysteria, was blighted by sudden technical issues which led to some community singing by the audience, but otherwise it was a very enjoyable night with all the bells and whistles you’d expect from a top of the range arena gig – so until next time and hopefully there will indeed be a next time!
The audience:
This being a home city show, the band had the crowd in the palm of their hands from the word go. A surprisingly large number of younger people around alongside all us old buggers in faded overstretched T shirts, which was pleasing to see.
It made me think..
As they approach their 50th anniversary, this now veteran band shows no signs of slowing down – South America beckons later in the year and a new album is expected next Spring.
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