Def Leppard

Support: Extreme

Venue: Co-Op Live, Manchester

July 6^th, 2026.

Def Leppard is a phenomenon. Fifty years in the making, with thirteen studio albums almost in the bank, and more than 100 million sold globally, it’s true to say the Sheffield-born metal gods are true Rock royalty. With their latest world tour coming to a close on its UK leg here in Manchester, anticipation of what lay ahead was – to say the least – palpable.

Sad to say then, for the prestige on offer, the organisation at the arena left a lot to be desired. A queue that very nearly found its way back to Old Trafford rather than simply stopping short of the Etihad main entrance saw many miss the first half of the excellent Extreme.

Added to this, the absolute chaos ensuing in the Gods with regards to seating those in the ‘cheap’ seats, about a million miles away from the stage and almost shaking hands with the almighty. If this wasn’t enough, the fact that there was only one steward per block of around 500 people did not induce confidence in the fact that any procedures laid out in the event of an emergency might be carried out either quickly or, importantly, calmly. So chaotic was it, a woman seated next to me commented: “Last time I was up and down this much I was on honeymoon!”

Tickets for these gigs are not cheap, nor are the wares on offer inside. Surely the least a fan can expect is safety, courtesy, and a little bit of customer care for the cost of a nice B&B weekend in Llandudno.

Anyway, gripe over. “Were the bands any good?” I hear you cry. Well, yes — of course they were. Extreme’s Nuno Bettencourt and Gary Cherone were both in fine form. As I entered the auditorium, Nuno was already launching into one of many mesmerising solos while Gary took a breather. When he returned, More Than Words and Get The Funk Out were delivered with gusto, carried along by a wave of audience participation.

If you caught them last year, there was 0 difference in the set. However, it is plain to see the guys from Boston, Mass, only get better with age.

I last saw Leppard back in 1996, when they were touring the much-underrated Slang album. Okay, overall, it had been a departure in many ways from their balls-out rock roots. That said, it remains a personal favourite, and seeing them again after 30 years was a bucket-list event.

Starting off with an extraordinarily strong light show, Joe Elliott, Rick Savage (bass), Rick Allen (drums), Phil Collen (guitar), and Viv Campbell (guitars) powered straight into Rejoice from their upcoming album, before ripping straight into a blockbusting rendition of Animal.

Queen always said ‘hit ‘em hard in the beginning, then just keep on hitting’. It’s clear, as fans of Mercury, May, Taylor & Deacon, this advice is something Def Leppard has taken to heart. Rocket, Just Like ’73, White Lightening (in homage to the addictions of the late, great Steve Clarke) and Armageddon It were all front and centre of a nineteen-song setlist beyond expectations.

This is not to say there weren’t a few surprises, however. A pounding cover of Depeche Mode’s Personal Jesus and a mercurial outing of the David Essex classic, Rock On, with Elliott leading the crowd from high up in the stands, following a storming bass solo from fellow founding member Savage, very nearly brought the house down.

Joe Elliott’s voice, it must be said, remains in excellent shape. When Love and Hate Collide was delivered with all the warmth and soul of the original, while Love Bites sounded as fresh and powerful as it did in 1987. That album, of course, was Hysteria, and its monumental title track was performed magnificently.

With Phil Collen and Viv Campbell rocking and swaggering at every opportunity, Elliott was free to handle the crowd with gentle banter and a prolonged walkabout during a heavy, heady version of Slang itself, made all the better for the appearance of Nuno. As for Rick Allen, his power and prowess were on full show throughout, but particularly during a short-but-not-too-short drum solo.

With Pour Some Sugar on Me bringing the night to a blaze-of-glory close, the audience was left breathless and begging for more. Extreme lived up to their name, but Def Leppard pushed Hysteria to its limits — and then some.