DEF LEPPARD Start 2026 India Tour In Shillong (Show Report/Setlist)
Def Leppard played a show in Shillong, India earlier today with 19 songs performed.
The show took place at the 10,000+ capacity RBDSA Sports Complex, Shillong.
The band's first ever live show in India.
The first of three shows in the country in 2026.
Def Leppard In India
Another night at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace...
No...wait that was a month ago in Las Vegas!.
12 shows in Las Vegas to kick off the year before a month long rest.
And now after arriving into Mumbai on Saturday 21st March they find themselves in Shillong, India.
Ready to kick off their first ever tour of India.
It may not have been mentioned much in the pre up to the show but yes this is actually a return visit.
November 1998 when they played a small promo show in Mumbai (playback) and a second playback performance in New Delhi.
The second appearance was for the Channel [v] Music Awards show where they were also presented with a Lifetime Achievement award.
Given that they did not play LIVE in 1998 they can now finally say they have played in this country for real.
Just to prove one more that they did 'perform' here in the past - here is a helpful photo from the awards show in 1998 (21st Nov):
View 1998 Joe photo at - bridgemanimages.com - (date shown is wrong it was the 21st)
View the only 1998 Channel [V] Awards footage on YT at - youtube.com - (no DL)
An event held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium with other performers including Sting (and Aqua...).
India 2026
That was then and this is now!.
The first ever live performance in India would take place at RBDSA Sports Complex in Shillong, some 7,820 miles from Las Vegas and around 5,000 miles from the UK.
Shillong is described as a "hill station" in North East India and the capital of Meghalaya state.
The originally intended venue, JN Stadium, was played by Bryan Adams in 2024.
The band returning to action after the 12 show extravaganza in Las Vegas in February.
The debut of their all new and very spectacular live production with cool new visuals on the video screen and movable lighting rig.
How much of this new show would they take to India and would they still play the same 19 song setlist?.
Those questions were about to be answered but not before some local action.
Support Band Trance Effect
Trance Effect were one of three Indian bands named as support acts for this mini tour.
An Indie Rock band from Dimapur in Nagaland, India who formed in 2017.
They posted a pre show video stating that playing this show was a "huge honour" for them.
Featuring Iuli Yeptho (lead vocals), Temsujungba Jamir (guitar), Tako Chang (guitar) and Sosangrepba Longkumer (drums).
They played a short set starting at 6:45pm local time.
Namaste Shillong!
8:10pm and the band finally took to the stage for their Indian fans.
As Joe said on his Planet Rock show, a first live show here after 49 years of being a band.
The first new country played since Peru in February 2023 on The World Tour.
Time for India to Rejoice!.
And time for Rejoice to be played in a second country as it continues to open the show in 2026.
Plenty of room on the massive outdoor festival type stage for their new show production.
The same announcer intro voice from Vegas was used as the song started.
No moving lighting rig action here, all lighting was in fixed place above them.
They also assembled on stage around Rick's drum kit and did not rise up on a platform.
The stage design was a slightly modified version of that seen in February but still the same video graphics on the smaller main screen.
The stage flanked by the usual massive side screen with close up action.
The noise after each song showed the crowd had been waiting a long time to see the band.
Joe greeted the Shillong fans early with - "Welcome to our very first gig ever in this country.".
After almost 50 years as a band they finally played a full "live" show in India.
The many excellent fan videos posted now reveal that the spectacular show experienced by the Vegas crowd last month was still as good 7,000 miles away in a field in North East India.
A little slow to follow online but things picked up towards the end.
All of the usual hits were included along with the newer songs and all lapped up by the massive crowd.
And as 'Kings Of The World' started playing over the PA Joe declared that it had been an "amazing night".
He then almost brought back his famous lines in full but stopped slightly short.
"Until next time".
And there will be a next time in Mumbai.
19 Song Setlist
'Rejoice' and all other songs played live in India for the first time.
Sav's bass into to 'Rock On' was much shorter and cut out most of his solo and no intro from Joe.
India History
As mentioned two playback shows took place in November 1998 in Mumbai and New Delhi.
The only previous visit to the country by the band.
Some songs, including 'Let's Get Rocked' and 'PSSOM' were performed to playback in 1998 so technically had been played in India before.
Today's show was the first performance in Shillong and first live performance in India.
The next Def Leppard show takes place in Mumbai, India on 27th March.
Shillong, India 2026 Photos
Screenshots by dltourhistory.
Watch some Fan Videos from the show here.
Def Leppard - Shillong, India 25th March 2026 Setlist
- 01 - Rejoice
- 02 - Animal
- 03 - Let's Get Rocked
- 04 - Personal Jesus
- 05 - Bringin' On The Heartbreak
- 06 - Switch 625 (Instrumental)
- 07 - Just Like '73
- 08 - Rocket (Single Version)
- 09 - Rock On/Rick Savage Short Bass Intro
Most of the over 2 minute bass solo from Vegas was cut out with Sav going right into the usual song intro.
- 10 - White Lightning/Phil Collen/Vivian Campbell Guitar Intro
- 11 - Foolin'
- 12 - Slang/Get Up Offa That Thing (By James Brown)/Fame (By David Bowie)
A James Brown song was added as part of the mid song interlude/snippet/tag.
Joe also replaced the Spanish (borrowed from U2's 'Vertigo') 'Uno, dos, tres, catorce' with 'one, two, three, four' in English.
- 13 - Promises (With A cappella Vocal Intro)
- 14 - Armageddon It
- 15 - Love Bites
- 16 - Rock of Ages
- 17 - Photograph
- 18 - Hysteria/Bass Intro/Extended Outro
- 19 - Pour Some Sugar On Me
Show Intro Voice
"Ladies and gentleman."
"Would you please welcome Universal recording artists Def Leppard!."
Joe Elliott - Let's Get Rocked Intro
"Shillong!."
"Good evening, how ya doing?. Welcome to our very first gig ever in this country."
"It's a pleasure to be here, thanks for having us."
"Are you ready for this?."
"Are you ready for this?!."
"Do ya wanna get rocked?."
Joe Elliott - Bringin' On The Heartbreak Intro
"Thank you very much Shillong!."
"Are we okay out there? Well this is the first gig as I said on our tour - first time we've ever played here in 49 years."
"It's great to be here, look at all the people out there!."
"So what are you gonna get tonight?."
"Well, as you just heard, some borrowed, you're gonna get some old, you're gonna get some new."
"And a bit of everything as we like to day."
"Here's one that goes back all the way to 1981."
Joe Elliott - Just Like '73 Intro
"Ladies and gentleman on the drums Mr. Rick Allen!."
"Right Shillong. Can we see everybody out there with their hands in the air on this one."
"Come on all the way to the back."
"Let's see those hands come on!."
Joe Elliott - Slang Intro
"Are you ready for a bit of fun?."
"Slang!."
Joe Elliott - End Of Show Speech
"Good night!."
"Shillong!."
"Thanks for having us."
"Thanks for coming."
"This is our first time here, it won't be our last!."
"What an amazing night to share with all you people out there."
"Thank you."
"We love ya thanks for coming!."
"Until next time."
"Be good."
"Good night!."
Various Photos/Videos
- Def Leppard - Shillong 2026 Show Page
- Def Leppard - Def Leppard Tour 2026
- Related News - 1st March 2026 - Las Vegas #12 Show Report
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