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Def Leppard Tour History Fan Archive.
The End Of The Hysteria World Tour 25th Anniversary

Sunday, 27th October 2013





Hysteria 1988.
The Hysteria Tour

Def Leppard finished their 227 date Hysteria world tour 25 years ago on 27th October 1988 in Tacoma, WA, USA.

The tour had started fourteen months earlier in Dublin, Ireland on 27th August 1987.

In North America the band used a stage placed in the center of arenas referred to as the "In The Round" set up. The Tacoma show was the last time this first incarnation of the stage would be used. Sadly it was also the last show with guitarist Steve Clark as a member of the band.

Well over 100 shows were played in the USA and Canada using the stage. You can see footage below from this last date of the tour. It shows the soundcheck and features parts of the band playing Die Hard The Hunter. Steve's solo can be heard and he is shown briefly wearing baggy white trousers and holding one of his white twin-neck Gibson guitars.

Shown below is a quote from Joe taken from an interview with journalist Mick Wall conducted backstage at this show.

Tacoma 1988 - Steve Clark On Stage

Steve Clark Tacoma 27th October 1988.

Tacoma 1988 - Joe Elliott Interview Quotes

Out On Top

"It was a hell of a time to be finishing the tour. Backstage at the Tacoma Dome, Joe puts it like this: "At least we're quitting while we're still ahead. It would be awful to hang around like some bands have done and keep playing until we've completely flogged the album to death, and people have started to get bored with us and stopped coming to see the show."

"Hopefully, when we come back we'll be able to pick up where we left off."

With a year to play with, the temptation to go in the studio with 'Mutt' (Lange, Leppard's regular producer and, some say, the genius behind all their best material) and make a proper follow-up to Hysteria is very strong.

"Who knows, you'll have to ask me in six months. Right now all I can think about is getting home. I know it sounds boring, but after the last fourteen months I think I could stand a little boredom. It should make for a nice change."






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