[ Def Leppard UK - Def Leppard Tour 1992 Main ]
:: Tour Dates |
| Def Leppard Adrenalize World Tour - 1992-1993 |
|---|
Band Line-Up - Joe Elliott, Rick Savage, Rick Allen, Phil Collen, Vivian Campbell.
Shows Listed - 248. Live Recordings - 78.
First Show - Dublin Ireland 15th April 1992.
Last Show - Mexico City Mexico 29th September 1993.
"Do Ya Wanna Get Rocked?"
On April 15th 1992 Vivian Campbell made his live debut with the band in Dublin. The band's first live gig since Steve's last show in Oct 1988, ending their longest period of live inactivity ever. And playing 'Die Hard The Hunter' - the only time with Vivian. This show also served as a warm up for the huge Freddie Mercury Tribute show at the old Wembley Stadium before 72,500 fans and millions on live TV. Performing 3 songs the band had to deal with many technical hitches. Brian May joining the band for the third time to play Queen's 'Now I'm Here' saved the day. Joe sporting some Union Jack jeans for the occasion which was the first time any Leppard live show had been broadcast 'live' on TV anywhere in the world. And the first public airing of new material post-Steve, with the first single 'Let's Get Rocked' being played. Which had become the bands biggest UK hit to date in March peaking at #2, narrowly missing the #1 spot.
Following rehearsals in sunny Ibiza the band embarked on a 13-date warm up club tour around Europe. Kicking off in Madrid and ending in Amsterdam covering 9 countries in 20 days. 'New Boy' Campbell gelling instantly with his new bandmates. The Bonn, Germany show would be captured on film/tape: some songs broadcast on MTV Europe and also released as future b sides for up coming singles. And later to be used for the 4-song "In The Clubs-In Your Face" EP.
"G'Day - Welcome To The 7-Day Weekend Tour"
Starting in Dublin on the 19th of June the band began their biggest UK headline tour yet playing 10 arena shows in the largest indoor venues in the UK including the new Sheffield Arena. Thanks to a lighter design
the band were able to use the full 'In The Round' production. A new 40x40 foot diamond stage was used with the Adrenalize album cover plus a moving lighting rig, rotating hydraulic drum riser and
a spectacular laser/light show. Home audiences were "dazz"led by these gigs and the band's popularity in the UK reached an all time high. Another #1 album and 2 hit singles were achieved and
before their first night at London's prestigious Earl's Court they received a Nordoff Robbins Silver Clef Award for services to British music. The highest honour of their career to date. Second and third nights were added to the quickly sold out
arena tour.
They then headed off to play their first tour 'In The Round - Down Under'. 9 shows across Australia & New Zealand with Sav and Vivian both managing to fall off the stage...
Steve Clark was remembered with a speech by Joe before the introduction of Phil's guitar intro to 'White Lightning'. Phil's tribute to Steve, the rarely played acoustic song 'S.M.C.' was aired during these shows. Used as an intro to the new semi acoustic version of 'Bringin' On The Heartbreak'. This song also saw an amazing new special effect with a string of lasers fanning out from Rick's drum riser reaching up to the venue roof during the song.
"Hometown Heroes"
Back to the USA and after playing their first and only concert at Madison Square Garden with Bryan Adams the US in the round tour kicked off. Dubbed 'An Evening With...' the band would play their longest shows
to date. 'Let's Get Rocked' replaced 'Stagefright' as the set opener after a month and the band added a mid-set acoustic section. Each guitarist taking turns playing a well-known song for the audience to sing along with.
After 8 1/2 months the highly successful tour ended in Canada where the band filmed another spectacular live video for 'I Wanna Touch U' in Ottawa.
Returning to Europe the band adopted a 'flat' or one-end stage but still a big production for a month long tour of arenas. A number of special guests graced the stage during the bands encores including Robert Plant and Bryan Adams. US rockers Ugly Kid Joe began their long run as the bands support act. The end of May saw the band's largest shows in Europe yet including a headline slot at the famous Rock Am Ring Festival in Germany. This would be the biggest crowd of the whole tour with 55,000 fans attending, captured on film by MTV. However the highlight of the tour and maybe their career came a week later when they returned home to play their biggest UK gig. A sold-out crowd of 40,000 at the Don Valley Stadium in Sheffield. Recorded for TV & Radio the gig would cement their status as one of the UK's most popular rock bands. Fellow UK acts Terrorvision and Thunder joined in the fun. Much of the show was released on the 'Visualize' & 'Video Archive' VHS/DVDs. And also 9 songs were used for a Limited Editon bonus disc with the 1995 Vault Greatest Hits album in the UK.
"Back To Basics / Retro-Active"
After the last ever 'in the round' gigs in Japan they headed back to the USA and Canada for 3 months of mostly outdoor shows dubbed the "Never-Ending Weekend Tour". The band now stripping down the stage production to a minimum of lights, the huge moving rig was now gone
and so were the guitar solos. The band also added a rare treat, playing the original album intro to 'Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)' live as the show opener. Following it's debut in Sheffield, 'Two Steps Behind' was played at every remaining show of
the tour acoustically. The song would remain a staple of the live show for many years to come. It was also released as a single and became the band's biggest world-wide hit, reaching #1 in South Africa, Spain & Portugal. Also becoming a Top 40 and Top 20
hit respectively in the UK & USA. The single notably featured a 'warts and all' acoustic version of 'Tonight' that had been recorded late one night after a gig in Memphis in February 1993. The location was the legendary Sun Studios, former recording home of Elvis Presley.
For the first time during any Lep tour the band had re-worked old songs and recorded some new ones for an album. 'Retro-Active' was released just days after the tour ended in October 1993. Much of the work having been done in Europe and in Dublin around the Don Valley show.
Next up for the band was a visit to Mexico where the band would be well received despite the 1983 El Paso incident and play three sold out shows. The last dates in Mexico City so crowded that the seats behind the stage were opened up to fans. These first dates in a Central or South American country marked the end of the of their longest tour yet - 17 months after it began with almost 250 shows played the 7-Day Weekend tour was over.
Please contribute [ Fan Reviews/Pics ] for any dates attended. Any information for this Def Leppard tour would be greatly appreciated.
Tour Dates: Leg 1 UK/EUR/AUS/NZ |
Leg 2 US/CAN |
Leg 3 US/CAN |
Leg 4 EUR/UK/JAP |
Leg 5 US/CAN/MEX
Extras - Support Bands
Extras - Support Bands
:: Tour Dates