37 Years Ago DEF LEPPARD Perform HYSTERIA/STAND BY ME In Sanremo (Video/Pics)

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Monday, 24th February 2025

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Def Leppard 1988

Def Leppard performed Hysteria at the Sanremo Festival in Italy on this day in 1988 with video and photos available.

The show took place at the Sanremo Palarock venue.

The band's first ever performance in Sanremo, Italy.

Sanremo Music Festival

Def Leppard had ended the first American leg of their Hysteria world tour earlier in February in Puerto Rico.

Before kicking off the European/UK leg in early March the band attended the annual San Remo Music Festival in Sanremo, Italy.

Sanremo is a small coastal town in Northern Italy near the French border and not far from Monaco and Nice.

The name is written as one word and pronounced 'san-ray-mo'.

The event took place between 24th to 27th February it would see them do two separate playback performances of 'Hysteria'.

Their first appearances on Italian TV.

The main Sanremo Pop Festival contest also features international acts performing.

Only one of Def Leppard's performances has made it onto YouTube so far and can be viewed via the YouTube playlist linked below.

And as seen in the Gettyimages photos below Joe wore a silver coat during one performance and a black one during the other.

Other members also wore different outfits and many photos from this festival appeared in rock magazines at the time.

A massive list of artists appeared at this second event including Bon Jovi, INXS, A-ha, Belinda Carlisle, Debbie Gibson, Joe Cocker and...Rick Astley.

Ben E. King Performance

Before Def Leppard's second performance of 'Hysteria' at the Sanremo Palarock, Sav, Steve and Phil joined Ben E. King.

Ben E. King performed two songs with an Italian orchestra at the nearby Teatro dell'Opera del Casinò.

The legendary 'Stand By Me' was one of them with Sav, Steve and Phil joining in as part of his backing band.

Clips of this were featured in the 1993 'Visualize' VHS with commentary from Sav and Joe (see quotes below).

Joe was pictured backstage with Ben despite not performing with him.

A brief clip was also featured in the 2025 promo video for Def Leppard's new version of the song.

Bon Jovi

Bon Jovi were also in town at this festival taking a short break from recording their 'New Jersey' album in Vancouver.

The two band's were pictured backstage by Ross Halfin.

They would also meet up again in Vancouver in June 1988 with Jon playing the encore of 'Travellin' Band' during Def Leppard's 'Hysteria' tour show at PNE Coliseum.

Visit the Tour News section. For more news on future tour plans.

Visit the Album News section for more news on new music (based on band member quotes).

Sanremo February 1988 - Photo Gallery

Def Leppard @ Sanremo Palarock, Sanremo, Italy 24th February 1988 Setlist

01 - Hysteria - (Performance #1)

Def Leppard @ Sanremo Palarock, Sanremo, Italy 27th February 1988 Setlist

01 - Hysteria - (Performance #2)

Ben E. King @ Teatro dell'Opera del Casinò, Sanremo, Italy 27th February 1988 Setlist

01 - Stand By Me - (w/ Orchestra di Musica Leggera della RAI di Roma + Rick Savage/Steve Clark/Phil Collen)
02 - Lover's Question - (w/ Orchestra di Musica Leggera della RAI di Roma)

Def Leppard - 1993 Visualize Quotes

Rick Savage

"We were in Sanremo for the Sanremo Pop Festival in 1988."

Joe Elliott

"We were doing kind of a three day festival in a place called Sanremo in Italy."

Rick Savage

"Just by coincidence Ben E. King was actually performing there."

Joe Elliott

"Ben E. King. The legendary Ben E. King was one of these acts."

"And his manager came up and said Ben E. doesn't have a backing band he's got an orchestra but there's no rhythm section."

Rick Savage

"And he said: 'Well do you wanna play with us?'."