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6 Years Ago DEF LEPPARD Headline Second DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL (Video)

Def Leppard 2011. Screenshot

Def Leppard headlined the Download Festival in Derby, England during the Mirrorball tour on this day in 2011 and video footage is available.

The show took place at Donington Park racetrack.

The traditional home of the festival and the original Monsters Of Rock shows in the 80s and early 90s.

They had returned here to play Download for the first time in 2009. An emotional return after the 1986 Monsters Of Rock show which happened during Rick Allen's comeback tour.

Unlike the sunny return in 2009, this show had slightly different weather conditions with persistent rain throughout the band's set. This didn't dampen the spirits of the crowd with the second Download festival headline show another major success.

And as with 2009 Joe mentioned Rick's comeback during his pre Rock Of Ages speech.

Other acts playing on the same day were - The Darkness, Alter Bridge, Thin Lizzy, Black Stone Cherry, Duff McKagan's Loaded, Puddle Of Mudd and CKY.

The Mirrorball tour had started on 7th June in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Joe was interviewed backstage before the show by Download TV. This was broadcast by Sky Arts along with four live songs - 'Action', 'Hysteria', 'Rocket' and 'Wasted'. Watch all four on the playlist linked below.

Joe was interviewed before the show and mentioned their return after only two years and the Kerrang! Awards which took place the day before.

Def Leppard 2011.
Show Poster

June 2011 - Joe Elliott Interview Quotes

Back At Download

"Well we'd hope so. You know the one thing that you might worry about is like the cycle of coming around to headline a festival like that. It doesn't normally happen after two years. But through popular demand I'm led to believe that we're back here you know. And it's at the front of a project rather than the end of one."

"Download in 2009 was a year or so after the album came out. The Sparkle Lounge album. This one the album's out in ten days time. So we're right at the front of it. And it's been a mad week. We've had like three days - we had a weeks worth of rehearsals in Ireland. A day's pre production then we played Belfast and Dublin. Yesterday we flew down for the Kerrang! awards and we got the inspiration award. Which was amazing. Standing ovation in front of people 30 years our juniors. It was very bizarre. I felt like a fish out of water when I first walked in and I felt ten foot tall when we walked out. It was brilliant and then tonight we've got this you know. Pray that the weather holds and we'll be OK."

Playing New Single Undefeated

"I think so. I think we are yes. Yeah, yeah absolutely. Well we're very conscious of the fact that having been here two years ago. You know some people are gonna be thinking what can they possibly do that's any different to 2009. Well you know we do have a pretty big catalogue of songs to choose from. But we also have a responsibility to play to the majority. And it's always a minority that will Twitter these things looking for why don't you play the whole of On Through The Night. To which the answer is because nobody will know it. Except for like 50 people you know. There's certain songs - look, I don't wanna go and see The Who and them not play Love Reign O'er Me or Pinball Wizard. That's what I wanna go and see them for. I wanna The Stones do Brown Sugar. People wanna see us do certain songs and we're gonna leave them in the set."

"But for the front half of the set we actually do have licence to throw in new stuff. Bring in some older things that we haven't played for a while and specifically the encore. Maybe, maybe go back to the first album."

That's if you get an encore

"If we get an encore of course. One would never - I would never tempt fate by just expecting one, no."

Def Leppard 2011. Screenshot

June 2011 - Joe Elliott Pre Rock Of Ages Speech

"Has it stopped raining?. Thank fuck for that. Um look at all these people here tonight. It's only two years ago since we last stood here. Some of you were here. Some of you weren't. So I'm kind of very afraid of repeating myself but we do need to acknowledge something."

"This is a very spiritual place for Def Leppard because it's a rock festival and we like them. And we like them a hell of a lot. But we played here in 1986 which is 25 years ago and it was the first time aside from a couple of club gigs in Ireland that this boy got back behind a drum kit in front of a lot of people."

"And it was the beginning of a journey that has now taken us to 25 years and here we still are. And here you still are. And we thank you from the bottom or our hearts. And of course everything I'm saying is all to do with this boy at the back. Make a lot of noise for the boy at the drums. Mr. Rick Allen!. He's still here. Still giving it socks and probably always will. He's gonna introduce this one for ya."

View all the available footage from the show on this YouTube playlist.

Def Leppard 2011 Videos.

Photos and reviews from any past tour can be submitted - Here


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Phil Collen - Guitar
Phil Collen - Guitar
Phil Collen - Guitar
Phil Collen - Guitar