Def Leppard News - 40 Years Ago DEF LEPPARD's First USA Headline Show In SCHAUMBURG, IL

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Monday, 27th July 2020

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40 Years Ago DEF LEPPARD's First USA Headline Show In SCHAUMBURG, IL

Def Leppard 1980

Def Leppard played an On Through The Night tour show in Schaumburg, IL on 27th July 1980.

The show took place at the B'Ginnings club.

The band's first ever visit to the city during their first North American tour.

The newly discovered show is notable as being the band's first ever headline concert in the USA.

The 1,800 capacity club was owned by Danny Seraphine who was the drummer with the band Chicago.

It was named after their song 'Beginnings'.

The show has been confirmed by local newspaper listings from the time and at least one attendee.

It came after a two night stand supporting Scorpions at the Agora Ballroom in Chicago on 25th/26th July.

It was previously believed that the April 1983 show in Odessa, TX was the band's first time headlining in the USA but it turns out this actually happened in 1980.

There are no other known headline shows from 1980 or 1981 in the USA.

It is likely with the added time the band played the same setlist as their headline dates in the UK.

This show appears to have been forgotten by the band and has never been mentioned in their biographies or interviews.

When the band returned to Schaumburg in 2005 on the baseball stadium tour with Bryan Adams Joe did not mention it when he referenced having played the Chicago area many times in the past.

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Schaumburg, IL 27th July 1980 - Probable Setlist

01 - When The Walls Came Tumblin' Down
02 - It Could Be You
03 - Rock Brigade
04 - Satellite
05 - Medicine Man (unreleased)
06 - Answer To The Master
07 - When The Rain Falls (unreleased)
08 - Sorrow Is A Woman
09 - Good Morning Freedom (Extended) - (With Pete Willis/Steve Clark Guitar Duel)
10 - It Don't Matter (sing-a-long)
11 - Overture
12 - Lady Strange
13 - Rocks Off