DEF LEPPARD Start Spectacular 2026 Las Vegas Residency (Show Report/Setlist)
Def Leppard played show #1 of their 2026 Las Vegas Residency last night with 19 songs performed.
The show took place at the 4,100 capacity The Colosseum at Caesars Palace.
Night one of the twelve date Las Vegas Residency Live at Caesars Palace.
The first visit to this city since October 2025 for a private corporate show.
The Las Vegas Residency Night #1
Hail Caesar(s)!...Rejoice!...
Yes, after only a few short months the band made its way back to the desert sun and the Las Vegas strip.
Just across the road/down the street from the last venue played for a private show at The Venetian in October 2025.
And not that far from the Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood where they played a 12-date residency in August/September of 2019.
A massive stage and multiple screens/lasers and a few rarely played songs thrown in (plus a couple of live debuts!).
And, like 2013, live CD/DVD/Blu-ray releases a few months later.
What would this third residency have in store as the band fully returned to live action to kick off the year 2026.
After a brief detour in Los Angeles to play acoustically Joe and Phil returned to Vegas and The Colosseum at Caesars Palace.
A just over 4,000 capacity theater venue that looks not unlike the Zappos Theater from inside apart from the area surrounding the stage.
More of a classic old school theater look here.
As noticed with recent residency shows here by Blake Shelton, a familiar looking red curtain was set up in front of the stage in a throw back to the opening night of VIVA! Hysteria and the Ded Flatbird opening of 'Good Morning Freedom' in March 2013.
Fans gathered in anticipation of what this new show would bring, while others looked on from afar and noticed the time difference (8pm there...4am elsewhere...).
And wondered if maybe the band might dip into 90s albums, featuring their two current guitar players, that have been overlooked for far too long.
Namely, 'Adrenalize', 'Slang' and 'Euphoria'.
21st Century..., Goodbye, Work It Out, All I Want Is Everything, Tonight, White Lightning returning?.
It's Only Love debuting in an acoustic section? - Stand Up/Heaven Is live debuts?.
As Sav once said 'the possibilities are endless' but some ideas maybe a bit too much to hope for.
So many songs to choose from what would they include alongside the "crown jewels" / "setlist regulars".
Would there be a return of a Ded Flatbird type situation.
And the age old question, did Vegas want to get rocked?.
Rejoice!
The show started at around 8:15pm and perhaps an obvious opening song did indeed start this show in 'Rejoice'.
Which thankfully doesn't have anything to do with religion.
A song that Joe says was an 'amazing journey' to write and is a 'very uplifting, classic piece of Def Leppard work.'.
And perhaps a combination of 'Undefeated' meets 'Let's Go' and therefore a great choice to open the show with.
The Vegas crowd may not have been rejoicing but by the sound they made they were clearly enjoying this new song and the new 'Def Leppard Live 2026' show.
The start of the show saw the red curtain of the venue open and the visuals seen in the preview video greeted the crowd.
The Colosseum venue at night displayed across the massive screen that filled the entire back of the stage area.
Easily the largest screen yet used by the band in concert.
The triangular lighting rig lined with LEDs had been lowered down surrounding the band.
The triangle on the poster it seems had been a hint of the stage design with the band encased in their own familiar logo shape.
Bathed in darkness at first as they kicked into the first ever performance of their new single.
Sounding even better live than on record.
The lightning rig moved up half way through the song as Phil played his solo and the start of the spectacle began.
See the photos and videos which reveal just how cool it all looked.
Definitely the biggest "show" yet it terms of a visual spectacle in Vegas.
Personal Jesus
If everyone was expecting Rejoice to open and to definitely get played then no one would have been expecting the next surprise.
Yes 'Personal Jesus' made its long awaited live debut, although not many ever thought it would be played live in concert at all.
Obviously a classic song and a mainstay of Depeche Mode's own live show it was previously only used as intro music on the PA starting in 2018.
At least recorded mostly live for the Spotify Singles session in New York in May 2018 this was its chance to make a full live debut.
Now the fans have shared video of the visuals we can see it was actually partially teased in the band's own preview video with the religious imagery on the screen behind Phil.
As you would expect this song sounded great and a very welcomed surprise and something 'different' and almost completely unexpected.
Which is of course what these shows are all about.
No Ded Flatbird level of surprises / rarities but that residency came after years of a pretty static set save for a few changes here and there.
White Lightning
Would there be any more real surprises?. Yes!, one of my personal choices was included and and welcome return for an old Adrenalize tour fave.
In fact not played since 23rd June 1993 in Tokyo, Japan as the three night run at the Budokan ended.
This song and 'Gods Of War' plus the two guitar solos dropped after that show so it was only played from May 1992 to June 1993.
Started almost the same way by Phil who sat on the ramps in front of Rick's kit as he had on the 1993 tour.
No Blues solo this time just a very cool almost faithful to the original album intro.
And to complete the return of White Lightning they of course added some white lasers.
One of the highlights of this show. as noted by many who were there
This song filling the place of other epics played in this city in 2019 in 'Die Hard The Hunter', 'Billy's Got A Gun' and 'Paper Sun'.
Will any other epics pop up during this run or more songs from Adrenalize?.
The Hits Section
Well no more major surprises as such but as they headed into the familiar hits section near the end but a few adjustments had been made.
'Rock On' made a return for the first time in seven years and Sav did his bass intro.
'Hysteria' saw a return of the long lost original 1987 to 1993 bass intro or bass cymbal intro.
'Slang' and 'Promises' returned to Vegas having been played here in 2019 but with slight differences.
Joe and the band adding a mid song snippet of 'Fame' by David Bowie with things getting funky with Joe going for a mid-song walkabout amongst the crowd.
Followed by security and a familiar cameraman.
'Promises' was preceded by an A cappella vocal intro before the song kicked in as they had done for 'Armageddon It' at VH1 Storytellers in 1999, just to prove to any doubters that they can sing live.
And just as anyone would have predicted they were not going to leave out certain classics with six songs from Pyromania/Hysteria to end the night.
And then no doubt the band headed to a lift and back up to their hotel rooms and now a day off before show #2.
As Joe said - "Well that was fun!".
Stage Production
The short preview video posted in the run up to the show gave glimpses of a triangular shaped and movable lighting rig reminiscent of the 1992/1993 Adrenalize tour production.
And the return of lasers to the show.
A multi level and new set of ramps / drum riser with Rick on top and lined with many LED lights.
And if that wasn't enough banks of screens hanging above them lowered down at various points of the show.
The giant screen behind them displayed some incredible visuals as shown in the many fan pics/videos.
As Joe had promised last year a completely brand new production.
It would take a lot to top the stage design used at the Zappos Theater in 2019 but the crew outdid themselves again with an amazing and spectacular production.
Las Vegas History
The first show in Las Vegas took place in September 1983 on the Pyromania tour.
Two In The Round shows then took place in 1987 and 1992 at Thomas & Mack Center and after a ten year gap a return in 2002.
The Joint was then played in 2003 and 2005 before shows at Mandalay Bay in 2006 (x2)/2007.
April 2009 saw them play at The Pearl At The Palms before playing the MGM Grand Garden Arena in 2009 and 2011.
An outdoor show at Red Rock Casino Amphitheatre was then played in 2012.
In March/April 2013 the band played 11 shows at The Joint for the 'VIVA! Hysteria' residency and they were back in 2014 for a private show.
MGM Grand Garden Arena was played in 2017 before a show at T-Mobile Arena in 2018.
12 shows were played at Zappos Theater in 2019 for the Hits Vegas/Sin City Residency before another show for iHeartRadio at T-Mobile Arena.
The Stadium Tour came to an end at Allegiant Stadium in September 2022.
The last visits took place in January 2023 and October 2025 for two private shows.
Last night's show was the 43rd performance in Las Vegas (42 full shows).
With 11 more soon to follow.
The next Def Leppard show takes place in Las Vegas, NV on 5th February 2026 as the residency continues.
Las Vegas, NV 2026 Photos
Screenshots by dltourhistory.
Watch some Fan Videos from the show here.
Def Leppard - Las Vegas, NV 3rd February 2026 Setlist
- 01 - Rejoice - (Live Debut)
Played for the first time ever as the current new single.
- 02 - Animal
- 03 - Let's Get Rocked
- 04 - Personal Jesus - (Live Debut)
Played for the first time ever after it was recorded for a Spotify session in 2018.
- 05 - Bringin' On The Heartbreak
- 06 - Switch 625 (Instrumental)
- 07 - Just Like '73
- 08 - Rocket (Single Version)
- 09 - Rock On/Rick Savage Bass Intro
Played for the first time since 31st Juky 2019 in Calgary, AB and with the return of Sav's bass intro.
- 10 - White Lightning/Phil Collen Guitar Intro - (First time since June 1993)
Played for the first time since 23rd June 1993.
- 11 - Foolin'
- 12 - Slang/Fame (By David Bowie)
Fame was added as a mid song interlude/snippet/tag.
- 13 - Promises (With A cappella Vocal Intro)
Played for the first time in Las Vegas.
- 14 - Armageddon It
- 15 - Love Bites
- 16 - Rock of Ages
- 17 - Photograph
- 18 - Hysteria/Bass Intro
Played with the Hysteria/Adrenalize tour extended bass intro.
- 19 - Pour Some Sugar On Me
Joe Elliott - End Of Show Speech
"Well that was fun!."
"Thanks for being here for us."
"We know it Vegas you could be anywhere but you came here tonight, our first one."
"And we thank you."
"Been a real pleasure."
"Lok after yourselves."
"See you again."
"Good night."
Various Photos/Videos
- Def Leppard - Los Angeles 2026 Show Page
- Def Leppard - Def Leppard Tour 2026
- Related News - 1st February 2026 - Los Angeles Show Report
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