Simon RushworthDef Leppard @Sheffield Utilita Arena, June 30 2026
First there was a crackle.
Then there was a pop.
Seconds later the sound cut out completely.
Not for the first time at their hometown arena, Def Leppard fell victim to the kind of technical gremlins that can make or break a gig.
Thirty-four years after Hysteria was dogged by PA problems, the same thing happened during the exact same song, in the very same venue.
But talk about triumphing in the face of adversity.
This was the moment the Steel City choir had been waiting for and, as one, a capacity crowd filled in for the temporarily muted Joe Elliott and co.
A word-perfect rendition of Leppard’s iconic live staple never sounded better — a cappella and 13,000-strong.
It was a spine tingling, sparkling, truly special moment.
And it was also just a little bit spooky.
You see when Hysteria ran into trouble on 1992’s Seven Day Weekend tour, following the release of Adrenalize, it felt like the spirit of the late, great Steve Clark might well have had a part to play.
Leppard’s first Sheffield shows since the much-missed guitarist’s untimely passing were already destined to be emotionally charged affairs.
And back then more than one die-hard Leppard fan looked to the skies and referenced Clark when, during the second of two back-to-back concerts, Hysteria was dogged by inexplicable sound issues.
Fast forward to 2026 and it felt like history — or Hysteria — repeating itself.
The ghost of Clark (and there’s surely no other explanation given the reputation and expertise of Leppard’s ultra-professional production crew) was at it again.
It felt like he’d already tinkered with the PA during Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell’s rendition of his signature instrumental Switch 625, with both guitars cutting out at key moments.
And it was easy to imagine Clark having a heavenly chuckle to himself as he looked down on thousands of fellow Sheffielders averting a potential crisis by singing their hearts out during Hysteria.
Ironically, given the brief PA meltdown, this was a typically stunning audio-visual tour de force from a band renowned for pushing the limits of new technology.
The pin-sharp, AI-boosted backdrop surely sets the standard for arena shows to come: highlights included a giant leopard appearing to stretch out onto stage and a foreboding, gothic-styled set complementing the band’s brooding take on Depeche Mode’s Personal Jesus.
Elsewhere Nuno Bettencourt — fresh from stealing the show during support band Extreme’s sensational set — joined his old buddies for a meandering, bedazzling version of Slang.
The title track from the most divisive album of Leppard’s near 50-year career allowed Elliott to take a tour of the arena and his band to break out into snippets of Get Up Offa That Thing (James Brown) and Fame (David Bowie).
If it all sounds just a little bit too much… then it probably was.
But fair play to these timeless veterans of the classic rock scene for keeping things fresh and mixing things up.
Opening up with new tune Rejoice, racing through red hot single Just Like 73 and kicking off Promises with note-perfect vocal harmonies were all big — and brave — calls.
But it’s surely best to be bold when you’re staging a record-breaking 11th gig at an arena packed to the rafters with friends, family and die-hard fans…
… even if it meant there was no room for Foolin’, Two Steps Behind was left behind and Let It Go was let go altogether.
Leaving out those classics can’t have been an easy decision and yet there’s still room for Rock On within this summer’s setlist. Surely the dreary David Essex cover has had its day?
Of course, when Def Leppard do stick to the day job — playing the songs they wrote and the songs they’re defined by — there is no better arena band in the world.
When Mutt Lange first got to work on radio-friendly bangers like Animal, Pour Some Sugar On Me, Photograph and Love Bites he always imagined nights like these.
Nights when Leppard’s burning ambition to be the best would be realised in spectacular fashion and on the band’s own, inimitable terms.
And nights when those teenage dreams were transformed into rousing rock and roll reality.
Clark never lived long enough to complete the journey from Crookes Working Men’s Club to Sheffield Arena but it’s comforting to think he’s still looking down on his best mates’ best work…
…and perhaps even planning the next mysterious power cut.
Images by Ryan Sebastyan