What does it sound like?:
In 2023 the Leps co-headlined a global with Mötley Crüe, which stopped off in their hometown of Sheffield. A warm up gig at the 900 capacity Leadmill was staged 3 days before the full monty with Crüe at Sheffield United’s Bramhall Lane ground and approximately 39,100 more punters. The Leadmill gig was given a multi format release a year ago, and now DL return for another nibble with the stadium set.
DL gave the full 40 year anniversary box set treatment to Pyromania and there’s Las Vegas residency at Cesare’s Palace for the whole of February 2026 (it was Dean Martin the last time I went…) and a European and UK tour following a little later which seems likely to platform a new studio release – the last was “Diamond Star Halos” back in 2022.
Back to back live sets albeit a year apart is a little unusual and suggests this release is a stop gap. A few side by side listens suggest it’s the in many ways same but here and there different. The Leadmill set is shorter and has a little more rough edges, but even busking DL would be still be smoother than polished Yorkshire limestone (a local saying, apparently).This release stretches to a more respectable 17 tracks , and all the bankers are there – “Pour Some Sugar On Me”, “Hysteria”, “Rock of Ages”, “Love Bites” and “Let’s Get Rocked” – only the first 2 featured on “Leadmill”.
The more recent “Take What You Want” opens proceedings, while the band then go back to 1981 for “Switch 625”, a full on absolute banger free of the usual sugar coating (contrast it with the polished till it squeaks “Hysteria” that follows), and a reminder that they can (could?) do pop metal without the pop when the mood takes them. Pity about the drum solo at the end. Joe Elliot may not quite have the range he used to (which of us does?) but the vocals are still inch perfect and Campbell and Collen provide one of the best twin guitar attacks since the Gorham / Robertson era of Thin Lizzy.
Here in a live setting DL have more edge and swagger than Mutt Lange allowed them in the studio, but ultimately it’s still all about the multi layered call and response choruses, labyrinth harmonies and pop leaning melodies. It’s a level of gloss that alienated lots of metalheads, but made the band much more accessible to millions more and for those that prefer some sparkle rather than grit, this is an enjoyable listen if somewhat less than essential.
What does it all *mean*?
There’s life in the old dogs yet
Goes well with…
A pint of Stones and a Yorkshire pudding
Release Date:
November 21st 2025
Might suit people who like…
Stones bitter and Yorkshire pudding
I attended both shows…and both were good in different ways. The Leadmill, now gone alas, was an intimate show where you could see the whites of their eyes and featured lesser played material from their extensive repertoire. Bramall Lane was the full stadium spectacular experience with all the bells and whistles you’d expect before an ecstatic home town crowd, and as mentioned in the review only a couple of songs were duplicated.
Hankering for a pint of Stones now!