26 Years Ago DEF LEPPARD Honoured By The Mayor Of SHEFFIELD

Tuesday, 5th October 2021

Sheffield 1995

Def Leppard were honoured with a day of events in their home city of Sheffield, England 26 years ago today on 5th October 1995.

Local fans, led by Rosie Glover, had sent a letter to Sheffield Mayor David Heslop asking him to honour the band. The Sheffield Star newspaper promoted the campaign urging readers to support it and many hundreds of people did.

The band had just released the single When Love & Hate Collide a few days before. It would become their biggest UK hit single reaching Number 2.

As part of the promotional activities this event was organised by the local council to honour the band for their contribution to the city. Although not formally known as "Def Leppard Day" it has since been referred to as this by fans. A full day of Def Leppard events took place around the city.

They included a donation to the National Centre For Popular Music, a civic reception, the releasing of thousands of 'Vault' balloons in Tudor Square, plaques being unveiled at Crooke's Workingmen's Club and Don Valley Stadium and an acoustic concert at The Wapentake club.

This show marked the first time Rick Allen had performed a concert using a full acoustic drum kit since the last show of the Pyromania tour in Bangkok, Thailand on 7th February 1984.

He had started using one again in May 1994 when the recording of the 'Slang' album started in Spain.

Read about the events that took place below along with some photos from the day.

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