DEF LEPPARD Live In Ottawa, ON 2025 (Show Report/Setlist)
Screenshots
Def Leppard played a 2025 tour show last night in Ottawa, ON with 18 songs performed.
The show took place at the 40,000 capacity LeBreton Flats park.
A show played as part of the 10 day Ottawa Bluesfest event.
The first show in this city since July 2019.
Return To Ottawa
The Canadian leg of the tour came to an end, for now, in Ottawa with a return to Ontario.
And the fifth time the band had played in Canada on this date in their long touring history.
in fact dating all the way back to a show in Edmonton in July 1983 on the Pyromania tour.
Three of the shows taking place in Ontario with dates in Toronto on the 2007/2016 tours plus a Montreal show in 2012.
But this was 2025 and their first time at the Ottawa Bluesfest.
Taking place in LeBreton Flats park in the heart of the city centre next to the Ottawa River with the city skyline as the backdrop for the band.
Up to 40,000 in attendance as Def Leppard headlined the fifth day of the ten day event.
It all started on the main RBC Stage on 10th July with Lainey Wilson.
Hozier, Turnstile followed before Shania Twain (who used to have a family connection to Def Leppard...) on 13th July.
The RBC Stage took a break for two days before Def Leppard's show.
And although it's called "Bluesfest" the upcoming headliners are not exactly blues with more shows to come by Sean Paul, Green Day, Papa Roach and Kaytranada to end it all on 20th July.
Clearly one of the biggest music events of the year in Ottawa.
So they had to get one of the biggest and best rock bands in to play!.
Support Bands
After the gates opened at 5pm the music started at 6pm with Canadian band Luscious.
The band describe themselves as "a modern interpretation of classic rock".
They also come from Kingston, Ontario so this was almost a home town show for them.
And yes 2005 co-headliner Bryan Adams is also originally from Kingston, ON (born there in 1959).
Luscious had released a new single the day before called 'Caution Signs' and also posted many IG stories before show time including the singer singing and dancing along to PSSOM.
The second act to play was 'Just Like '73' guest star Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine fame.
Starting his set at 7:30pm with his solo band that included Tom jamming with his son on an Ozzy Osbourne cover following his appearance at the Birmingham show last week.
He had previously played this event with Rage Against The Machine, whose songs also featured in his set.
Would he join Def Leppard for a guest spot later on?.
Rock! Rock! At The Bluesfest
No Blues for this show just Rock!.
Starting earlier than planned at around 9:25pm the band exploded onto the RBC Stage with Rock! Rock!.
Unlike recent shows there were many fan posts and broadcasts to enjoy and to see that a massive crowd had gathered in LeBreton Flats park to see the band.
Possibly close to or over the 40,000 mark which may make this the biggest crowd they have ever played to in Ottawa.
As they played 'Armageddon It' and 'Animal' the large crowd were singing along to every word.
The RBC Stage feature a thin video screen above the front of the stage which looked a bit like the moveable screen used on recent tours.
This one did not move but featured the DEF LEPPARD logo as they started the show and then displayed the usual visuals throughout the show alongside the other screens.
No changes in the setlist but there would be something different after 'Love Bites' ended the three song Hysteria section.
Just Like '73 w/ Tom Morello
It always seemed (sort of) likely that Tom Morello would join them for 'Just Like '73'.
Since they were playing next to each other on the same bill, why not?.
As Joe put it - "We got something pretty special tonight.".
And as it turned out Tom did indeed make an appearance on stage to play his solo from the studio version and play rhythm guitar throughout the song.
Wearing a white shirt and standing between Joe and Phil on stage.
The first guest at a regular Leppard show since way back in the mid 2000s - 2006 with Tim McGraw.
Not counting the CMT Crossroads/CMT Awards and the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame shows.
The first time Tom has played on stage with Def Leppard as well as supporting them at this festival.
The song being their latest original release which came out in June 2024 and debuted live in the same month at the SiriusXM show.
A rare treat for the usual Leppard fans in attendance to see them with a guest on stage outside of guitarists standing in for Vivian or Phil.
A fun way to play the song for the first time in Ottawa (along with fellow Ottawa debut 'This Guitar') - See the video below.
Au Revoir Canada
The set continued and so did the crowd singing along up until the encore of 'Hysteria' and 'PSSOM'.
And so the five show run in Canada came to a triumphant end.
They will be back soon of course for a long awaited return to somewhere last played in 1993, which will also be the last show before a break.
Next up they go 'down there' again and on to Michigan and back to a casino venue.
18 Song Setlist
An 18 song setlist was played.
'Just Like '73' and 'This Guitar' were played here for the first time.
Ottawa History
The first visit to Ottawa was in June 1988, an In The Round show on the Hysteria tour at Civic Centre Arena.
This venue was the scene of the very last In The Round show on the Adrenalize tour in April 1993 when they also filmed the video for 'I Wanna Touch U'.
They returned later that summer for their first outdoor show at Landsdowne Park.
Corel Centre was played for the first time in September 1996 on the Slang tour.
The Civic Centre Arena was played again in February 2000 on the Euphoria tour.
they were back at Corel Centre in August 2005 and as Scotiabank Place in 2008.
They returned in 2015 to play TD Place Arena.
The last visit to Ottawa was in July 2019 at the Canadian Tire Centre.
Last night's show was the 10th performance in Ottawa.
The next Def Leppard show takes place in Mount Pleasant, MI on 18th July (a significant date).
Ottawa 2025 Photos
Screenshots by dltourhistory.
Watch some Fan Videos from the show here.
Def Leppard - Ottawa, ON 16th July 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 Ottawa and with special guest Tom Morello on guitar.
- 09 - Let It Go
- 10 - Die Hard The Hunter (Short Version)
- 11 - This Guitar (Semi-Acoustic)
Played for the first time in Ottawa.
- 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 - Just Like '73 Intro
"Thank you very much."
"Okay we got something pretty special tonight."
"We've not done this before for a very long time."
"We're gonna bring somebody out to play with us on this next tune."
"Because he played on the recorded version of it, so it's the right thing to do."
"You've already seen him once tonight."
"And he's just back from being the musical director for Black Sabbath's last ever show."
"Will you please welcome once again Mr. Tom Morello!."
Various Photos/Videos
- Def Leppard - Ottawa 2025 Show Page
- Def Leppard - Def Leppard Tour 2025
- Related News - 14th July 2025 - Craven Show Report
- Back
share this story:
explore def leppard tour history
