DEF LEPPARD Live In Des Moines, IA 2025 (Show Report/Setlist)
Screenshots
Def Leppard played a 2025 tour show last night in Des Moines, IA with 18 songs performed.
The show took place at the 17,000 capacity Iowa State Fair Grandstand.
A return to a state fair.
The first visit to this city since July 2018 with Journey.
State Fair Return
After the outdoor amphitheatre show in New Mexico it was time for the band to head over to Iowa.
A return after seven years to Des Moines and back to the Iowa State Fair Grandstand.
A return to this type of event and venue after many years.
This pretty much completes the set of different types of venues played on this tour which has included almost everything apart from a small club show.
A massive Grandstand that seats just over 10,000 fans with an extra 7,000 or so in the front standing area.
A venue that was in fact last played exactly ten years ago today on 15th August 2015.
So after two arena shows in a row in this city in 2017/2018 it was time for them to go back outdoors.
And the weather was perfect for the massive crowd of up to 16,000 plus fans.
Phil X & The Drills
Guitarist Phil X replaced Richie Sambora in Bon Jovi back in April 2013.
He supported the band at this show with his solo band The Drills.
They play a mix of original songs plus covers by Led Zeppelin, AC/DC and Jimi Hendrix.
He now joins fellow Bon Jovi members Jon Bon Jovi, David Bryan and Tico Torres in having played before Def Leppard.
Bon Jovi playing before them (and Scorpions/Ozzy Osbourne) at two Monsters Of Rock shows in Germany in August 1986.
The band released s single called 'Fake The Day Away' in March 2025 with guest drums by Motley Crue's Tommy Lee.
Rock Is Alive In Iowa
Following another nice sunset during the support act the band took the stage around 9:15pm.
The packed Grandstand and standing area fans were ready to get rocked.
And after a slow start online a lot of video showed up and revealed once more another great night of rock took place at Iowa State Fair.
Rick was back to his live pre-show video postings with the massive Grandstand shown behind him in his brief clip.
And then he was back behind his kit being The Thundergod.
Like the last show the band had the full lighting rig and stage set up plus the usual big screen at the back.
In addition to the two small side video screens there were also two extra large ones off to the left and right sides of the stage.
Each side of the huge Grandstand got extra close up views of this show with footage of the show intro also being displayed on these screens.
Signing Lady
As is usual at many outdoor concert events in the USA a lady was standing on Vivian's side of the stage signing during this show.
As seen in the video screenshot.
This has happened before at Lep shows but not for a few years.
Over 16,000 fans made a lot of noise singing along during the acoustic section and beyond as they band ended yet another great show in front of another great crowd.
And as Joe noted before 'This Guitar' this crowd proved that rock is very much not dead.
Show #22 in 2025 and #21 on the Summer Tour 2025 going from San Juan in May.
Just a few shows left to play in the USA ahead of the brief return home and then one random show in October.
Now after just one day off they move to Illinois for a second State Fair Grandstand show.
18 Song Setlist
An 18 song setlist was played.
'Just Like '73' and 'This Guitar' were both played here for the first time.
Des Moines History
The first visit to Des Moines took place in June 1980 at Veterans Memorial Auditorium on the first American tour.
After 12 years they returned to the same venue in December 1992 for an In The Round show on the Adrenalize tour.
A seven year gap followed before the next show took place in August 1996 on the Euphoria tour with the first show at Iowa State Fair.
Four years later in June 2003 they returned to the Veterans Memorial Auditorium on the X/Ten tour.
Iowa State Fair was played again in August 2008 and August 2011.
Wells Fargo Arena was played for the first time in August 2012 on the Rock Of Ages tour.
They returned to the arena in August 2014.
Iowa State Fair was played again in 2015.
Wells Fargo arena was then played in 2017.
The last visit took place in July 2018 at Wells Fargo Arena which was renamed for the first time last month after being open for 20 years.
Last night's show was the 12th performance in Des Moines.
The next Def Leppard show takes place in Springfield, IL on 16th August.
Des Moines, IA 2025 Photos
Screenshots by dltourhistory.
Watch some Fan Videos from the show here.
Def Leppard - Des Moines, IA 14th August 2025 Setlist
- 01 - Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)
- 02 - Rocket (Single Version)
- 03 - Let's Get Rocked
- 04 - Foolin'
- 05 - Armageddon It
- 06 - Animal
- 07 - Love Bites
- 08 - Just Like '73
Played for the first time in Des Moines.
- 09 - Let It Go
- 10 - Die Hard The Hunter (Short Version)
- 11 - This Guitar (Semi-Acoustic)
Played for the first time in Des Moines.
- 12 - Two Steps Behind (Acoustic)
- 13 - Bringin' On The Heartbreak (Electric)
- 14 - Switch 625 (Instrumental)
- 15 - Rock Of Ages
- 16 - Photograph
- 17 - Hysteria (Extended Outro)
- 18 - Pour Some Sugar On Me
Joe Elliott - Let's Get Rocked Intro
"Thank you and good evening Des Moines!."
"How we doing out there?."
"Feeling good?."
"Are you ready for this?."
"Are you ready for this?!."
"I have one more question for ya."
"Do ya wanna get rocked?."
Joe Elliott - This Guitar Intro
"You OK out there?."
"It's been a while, how ya been?."
"14 years ago yesterday we played here."
"I don't think we've played since, been a while." - (are you sure about that Joe? - see above)
"It's good to see you all though, it's good to see so many people. let's have a look at you."
"Let's have a look at ya!."
"They say rock is dead. I say, f**king no it's not!."
"However we are gonna bring it down now for this next couple of tunes."
"And by the way can we just make a lot of noise for Phil X and his amazing band who opened everything up tonight."
"He's a good guy, from Bon Jovi Phil is, and we're happy to have him on board."
"Now I'm gonna bring everybody out one at a time because everybody in this band deserves they're own little 15 seconds of fame.""Who's gonna be first. here he is!."
"We've already met him once but let's meet him again from Belfast in Northern Ireland Mr. Vivian Campbell!."
"From Walthamstow in the east end of London Mr. Phil Collen!."
"This month 1977 this whole thing started in Sheffield, England.
I met this guy who's my best mate, for 48 years, Rick Savage on the bass guitar!."
"And last but not least, hopefully shaking his money maker, it's Rick Allen everybody. Mr. Rick Allen!."
"So here's a song that Phil wrote many many many years ago and we sat on it for a long time."
"And only recorded it pretty recently, it's on the last album, '22's Diamond Star Halos."
"We originally recorded this with a great friend of ours called Alison Krauss who sadly can't be with us tonight."
"So we will do our best without her."
"This is a song called This Guitar."
Various Photos/Videos
- Def Leppard - Des Moines 2025 Show Page
- Def Leppard - Def Leppard Tour 2025
- Related News - 13th August 2025 - Albuquerque Show Report
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