DEF LEPPARD Live 2026 Summer Tour In Wacken (Show Report/Setlist)
Def Leppard played a Live 2026 tour show in Wacken, Germany last night with 19 songs performed.
The show took place at the 85,000 capacity Infield at Wacken.
The band's first visit to this village.
The first time at this venue and event.
Open Air Festival
A three week break came to an end and the band were back to work following their long overdue return to Paris.
It was now time for the return to Germany after the arena show in Dortmund back in June.
A first time visit to one of the biggest rock festivals in Europe at Wacken Open Air in Wacken, Germany.
46 miles or so from the city of Hamburg.
A massive field near the village of Wacken filled with up to 85,000 rock fans.
Like Graspop in Dessel, Belgium, the festival has two big main stages joined together.
Named as the Faster - Harder stages with Def Leppard headlining the Harder stage (on the right side as the fans look at it).
One big screen at the back of each stage plus two side screens and three screens between the stages.
And, as seen in the photos and videos, at least four or five more screens out among the vast crowd givign everyone a close up view.
The Faster stage started first with the usual staggered set times over both stages.
Skyline played first at 3pm followed by Yngwie Malmsteen at 5:30pm and, before Def Leppard took to the Harder stage, Savatage closed on that stage from 8:30pm to 10pm.
The festival had at least four other smaller stages with bands playing around the site.
On the 29th July the Faster Stage had a band playing named 'Lovebites' - a five piece all-female "Japanese power metal band".
Harder Stage Bands
The Harder Stage started at 4:15pm with ex-Scorpions guitarist Uli Jon Roth and his solo band.
Playing a set billed as the "50th Anniversary Virgin Killer Show".
The tile of your Mum's favourite Scorpions album from 1976...
Following their set Def Leppard's old friends Europe played from 7pm to 8:15pm.
The show heavy with more recent songs but also the big hits 'Rock the Night', 'Carrie', 'Cherokee' and of course 'The Final Countdown'.
All taken from 'The Final Countdown' album which celebrated its 40th anniversary in May with the band touring the UK/Europe later this year playing the full album.
Perhaps another band might do the same at some point next year(?).
All four 'Final Countdown' songs plus 'Superstitious' were also part of the band's setlists in July/August 1988 when they first played with Def Leppard on the 'Hysteria' tour.
Summer Rain In Germany
Both of the opening sets (and others on the Faster Stage) were Live Streamed by the Magenta Musik website.
Despite replying to fan questions stating they were in talks with Def Leppard about streaming their set, it did not happen.
Sadly, like Graspop, the band and/or its management decided to opt out of being on a Live Stream.
The Europe stream revealed that the crowd for this show was not just big but actually HUGE.
Potentially up to 85,000 strong in fact which is the capacity for the festival that sold out in 2025 when it was first announced.
The fans covering the entire festival site.
As the show got nearer the fans were treated to a stunning sunset before darkness fell and the rain came.
"Pissing it down" as one local fan put it when Def Leppard took the stage at around 10:15pm.
'Rejoice' opened the show once more and this time in front of its biggest audience so far.
Possibly the biggest one ever played to in Europe and definitely the biggest one in Germany.
Eclipsing the previous largest crowd at the 1993 Rock Am Ring festival where they played to 55,000 people on the Adrenalize tour.
A crowd even bigger than all of the 2022 to 2024 USA stadium tour shows and biggest audience played to since Quebec City in July 2025 at Festival D’été de Quebec.
But like the first Stadium Tour, and the notorious Glasgow 2023 show, a return of the rain.
Judging from the many fan videos posted it did not dampen the spirits of the crowd who had already been primed for a set of mostly 80s hard rock by Europe.
As at the Graspop festival, the stage here gave the band room for its full show other than the moving lighting rig (or Thrust stage).
The massive crowd being treated to another spectacular lighting display along with the excellent visuals on the screens.
The rain came down for most of the night but the band played another great show for the Wacken crowd.
80,000 plus fans singing along loudly to all of the songs and taking part in the sing-a-long at the end of 'Hysteria'.
Before PSSOM once more ended the show and the band officially ended the summer leg of the Live 2026 tour.
The last show to be played before a couple of big band anniversaries in the coming month (and birthdays).
A two and a half month break from touring now before the next show in the USA.
And as mentioned by Sav in his latest photo post on Instagram, it will be - "time to put the finishing touches on a new album".
19 Song Setlist
'Rejoice' and all other songs played here for the first time.
Wacken History
No history for Wacken.
The nearest city Hamburg was played for the first time in June 1981 with Rainbow.
The band then played five more shows in the city as headliners in 1983, 1992 (a club show), 1993, 1996 and 2003.
Last nights show was the first performance in Wacken.
The next Def Leppard show takes place on 15th October in Hollywood, FL.
Wacken, Germany 2026 Photos
Screenshots by dltourhistory.
Watch some Fan Videos from the show here.
Def Leppard - Wacken, Germany 30th July 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 Bass Intro
- 10 - White Lightning/Phil Collen/Vivian Campbell Guitar Intro
- 11 - Slang/Get Up Offa That Thing (By James Brown/Fame by David Bowie)
- 12 - Promises (With A cappella Vocal Intro)
- 13 - Armageddon It
- 14 - Love Bites
- 15 - Rock of Ages
- 16 - Photograph
- 17 - When Love & Hate Collide
- 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
"Good evening Wacken!."
"You guys good out there?."
"Are you ready for this?."
"Are you ready for this?!."
"Do ya wanna get rocked?."
Various Photos/Videos
- Def Leppard - Wacken 2026 Show Page
- Def Leppard - Def Leppard Tour 2026
- Related News - 9 July 2026 - Paris Show Report
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