It has been over forty years since Def Leppard played their first-ever arena show at Ector County Coliseum in Odessa, Texas on April 29, 1983. A long time ago, the tour was their first headlined by the band and came three short months after they broke through massively with their third studio album Pyromania. Going on to becoming one of the biggest Rock-n-Roll bands of the ‘80s, you would be relatively hard-pressed to find Def Leppard playing any club shows in the four decades since. However, on May 19, 2023, nearly forty years to the date of the career milestone show in Texas, they performed at The Leadmill in Sheffield, England.
An interesting bit of history, their stop at The Leadmill came amidst Def Leppard’s promotion for the highly impressive 2023 album Drastic Symphonies. An album that saw them rework some of their older classic tunes in very unique ways, the band was also out on a world tour with Mötley Crüe throughout 2023. With this in mind, just three days before the scheduled stop at the massive Bramall Lane stadium in Sheffield on May 22nd, Def Leppard revisited the roots of their success. You see, Def Leppard is native to Sheffield; so it stands to reason that they would select a local club to play a one-off. Furthermore, opening in 1980, The Leadmill is the longest-running live music venue in Sheffield.
Everything taken into careful consideration, Def Leppard turned back the clock, stripped back their elaborate stage show, and played intimately in front of a crowd of just under nine hundred spectators at The Leadmill. An event that any Def Leppard fan would have loved to experience, if you were not one of the limited few who were there, or caught the live stream, now in 2024 the band deliveries a live album release they call One Night Only Live at The Leadmill Sheffield May 19, 2023.
Initially put out on Record Store Day on April 20, 2024, as a two-LP set, now on October 11th they offer it in various formats, a standalone CD, DVD/CD set, Blu-ray/CD set, plus a limited edition two LP pressed on orange vinyl. Rather cool, you can even find it digitally if you so wish, but honestly, nothing beats a physical format with a release like this. Looking back, Def Leppard has put out four live albums in the past (2011’s Mirror Ball – Live & More, 2013’s double album Viva! Hysteria, 2017’s And There Will Be a Next Time… Live from Detroit, and 2020’s London to Vegas, but what makes One Night Only: Live At The Leadmill so special is how up close and personal it feels.
As alluded to, most are familiar with Def Leppard the Stadium Rock band, and having a chance to see them in a more intimate setting is quite a treat. Even more different, the band also selected to perform a list of songs they seldom do live; like Action off 1993’s Retro Active, “Fire It Up,” which was only played for 2022’s Diamond Star Halos tour, “Mirror, Mirror (Look Into My Eyes)” from 1981’s High ‘n’ Dry, which has not been played out much since the late-2000s, and “Wasted,” which has been played sparingly since the ‘80s. Among these rare treats, there are of course also beloved favorites like “Too Late For Love,” “Bringin’ On The Heartbreak, “Hysteria,” and of course, “Pour Some Sugar On Me.”
A set list of thirteen songs in total, it is quite a diverse mix that keeps you on your toes and also offers you plenty of surprises. Beyond this, Joe Elliot (vocals), Phil Collen (guitars), Vivian Campbell (guitars), Rick Savage (bass), and Rick Allen (drums) all sound absolutely fantastic. Tight and emotionally driven, the band honestly is as fine-tuned as ever.
Which leads us to the actual release itself. Vinyl fans are covered with a solid product, the simple CD is a great addition too, but hands down the DVD/CD or Blu-ray/CD sets are the way to go for the whole package. Here you have a chance to listen to the live album or feast your eyes on the set as if you were present at the time it took place. With this the visual imagery is crystal clear, the camera angles well plotted, and the cinematography evenly flowed.
All matters considered, if you are a Def Leppard fan any of these physical format options of One Night Only: Live At The Leadmill are a must-have. It is not just another live album, but another milestone documented for a legendary band who seem to show no sign of slowing down. That is why Cryptic Rock gives One Night Only: Live At The Leadmill 5 out of 5 stars.
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