What is there to say that hasn’t already been said about Def Leppard. They are one of the best touring rock’n’roll bands out there to this day. Their level of professionalism is almost unmatched in the music industry I’ve watched them do a sound check and after 9 songs huddle up together in a circle to practice harmonies of songs they’ve been performing for 30 years. It matters that much to them that everybody who comes to see the show walks away happy.
Last night at the Minnesota State Fair it was no exception, and it was business as usual. They put a fantastic show on as they always do. It was a perfect summer night for a concert. The summer tour had very limited stops and for the most part they were playing outdoor sheds and state fairs. It had more of a striped-down set but that didn’t change the music at all. For the most part it was hit after hit from beginning to end. Even the songs that they put into the set that some people wouldn’t know fit like a glove.
The hardcore Def Leppard fans would know all these songs but for the casual fan they may not be familiar with This Guitar from their 2022 release Diamond Star Halos. Or the standalone single from 2024 that does not appear on an album “Just Like ‘73”. But May be familiar with the song “When Love and Hate Collide” off The Vault Greatest Hits 1995. Every other song even if you’re a casual fan, if you didn’t know it you live under a rock.
The greatest thing about Def Leppard is they have this incredible knack of writing hit songs. But it’s a double-edged sword because then they’re expected to play all of those hit songs. Good luck getting them to fit in with a 2-hour concert because there’s too many of them. The downside though for me as a fan is some of the older songs that I love end up getting pushed out of the set. But for those of you that are fans since the early 1980s they do bring out a few special songs, one of my favorites being “Switch 625”. It takes me right back to those early concerts of my teenage years.
It’s hard to write this and say out loud that next year will be the 40th anniversary of hysteria. One of their biggest commercial records to date. It will be interesting to see if they will do something special next year as an anniversary tour or a special release of the album. The great thing for all of us fans is it doesn’t look like they have any intention of stopping anytime soon. I look forward to seeing them each time. As summer winds down there are only a handful of dates left. But fear not there is always the residency in February of 2026 in Las Vegas. You can bet your bottom dollar that I’ll be there to see some of those shows.
