JOE ELLIOTT/PHIL COLLEN On DEF LEPPARD Las Vegas Residency Setlist Surprises
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Def Leppard members Joe Elliott and Phil Collen were recently interviewed by Las Vegas TV ahead of the 2026 residency.
The third Las Vegas residency was announced on 21st July.
Las Vegas Residency
The band announced a third Las Vegas residency for February 2026 last week.
Taking place over 12 dates from 3rd to 28th February 2026 at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace.
Tickets went on general sale from Friday 25th July.
Setlist/Surprises
Joe and Phil were interviewed by Las Vegas Morning Blend recently to promote the 2026 residency.
Joe mentioned that the current stage show will not be seen after 2025 and a new stage is being built for the residency.
And also that the setlist will feature surprises, without giving anything away.
Ozzy Osbourne Memories
They were also asked about Ozzy Osbourne and shared a few memories.
Including Phil talking about a food fight with the Blizzard Of Ozz era band in the UK when he was in Girl.
Girl supported Ozzy for just three shows in November/December 1981 on the 'Diary Of A Madman' tour.
These shows were Bristol (29th Nov), Cardiff (30th Nov) and Liverpool (2nd Dec).
A 14 show UK tour was scheduled but 11 of the dates were cancelled including two shows at Hammersmith Odeon which were to be the end of the tour on 24th/26th December.
Read some quotes below and watch the full video interview.
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).
Joe Elliott/Phil Collen July 2025 Quotes - (Transcribed by dltourhistory)
Vegas Stories/1983
Well, we're very excited to speak with you, and the whole of Las Vegas is anticipating you turning up in February next year. But you wouldn't really be a true rock and roll band without a good Vegas story. So before you come here, do you have any that you could share that are safe for our viewers' ears?
Phil Collen
Not any safe ones. Yeah, I mean, this would be our third residency and we've always come through.
I mean, the first time we played there I think was '83, and it was a lot different back then.
It kind of looked different—just everything about it. It's really changed.
It's become, you know, the entertainment capital of America—actually, of the world, really.
So, no, it's really cool. Every time we come, it's very special, for sure.
2026 Setlist/Surprises
Yeah. What can fans expect from your upcoming residency? Are there any surprises they might be expecting to have in store? Are you guys going to run the gamut of your prestigious back catalogue? What can they expect from this residency?
Joe Elliott
Well, we're going to have a brand-new stage show for this residency.
What we're actually doing at the moment is we've got a few shows around the country this year, and it'll be the last time that this particular show’s ever performed.
So, you know, from a stage set point of view, it'll be a whole new game.
Obviously, there are certain songs that we will be playing—that we're playing now—because there are certain songs that if we don’t play, then we wouldn’t get out of the building alive.
But yeah, we do plan to change it up a bit, and there will be some surprises. But of course, the thing about a surprise is we can't tell you what they are. Otherwise, then they're not a surprise, are they?
Def Leppard's History In Rock
Yeah, I guess by definition that makes perfect sense, Joe. I get you. I mean, you know, obviously you mentioned you wouldn't be allowed to leave the auditorium—there’d be hell to pay if you didn’t play some of your greatest hits.
And you’ve released so many great albums. Many would argue Hysteria and Pyromania are quintessential classics.
So how does it feel to have played such an important role and have such a big footnote in rock music history? How does that sit with you guys? Do you ever step back and be like, wow, you know, we have accomplished some incredible things?
Phil Collen
We have. We do think that. But that was the plan. You know, that's what you set out to do when you start a band. And we do it—actually, you know, it really started working for us.
I mean, it was a team effort. We had a great producer, you know, Mutt Lange, and the songs were great.
We really worked hard, which we carry on doing to this day, you know, especially with, like Joe said, we're going to be changing the whole set—you know, the actual production and everything else.
So yeah, we continue to improve. And I think that’s the thing that you have to do. You have to grow.
Other Music/Influences
Yeah, one of the things I love about both you guys as well—you're in the Cybernauts, which was a David Bowie tribute. Clearly the Thin White Duke was an inspiration to you both. Who else do you guys love to listen to when you're on tour or at a residency? Who are you influenced by? You know, what gets your musical juices flowing?
Joe Elliott
You know what? We have a record player—actually, a physical record player with vinyl—in the dressing room. And there’s everything from Black Sabbath to The Carpenters. I mean, it just depends what mood we're in.
Sometimes you just see something and go, "Oh, I've got to play this." It’ll be like Frank Zappa that we’ve never really heard. And it's like, "OK, this is weird."
You know, we're very open-minded in listening to stuff. And specifically, me and Phil, all the time we'll be pulling our phones out going, "Listen to this."
Like last night, I played him the Jeff Beck song called Tallyman, which is Jeff Beck when he was a singer in the '60s—sounding like something from The New Originals of Spinal Tap. And we'll sit and just enjoy something that none of us have heard.
It’s just in the pocket. You know, we listen to everything from Miles Davis all the way to Ghost.
Yeah. And we’ll enjoy it all because, as Miles Davis himself once said, “There’s only two kinds of music: good and bad.”
Young Bands
That's true. I mean, it's wonderful hearing that you guys are influenced by and listen to so many different bands—Zappa coming up and those kinds of things. But I also know there are so many bands that you've influenced personally as well. Pantera are one of them. Dimebag Darrell mentioned you guys as a big inspiration. Slayer too. Are there any younger musical generations playing today that would get the Def Leppard stamp of approval?
Joe Elliott
You'd have to ask those guys, wouldn’t you, you know?
Phil, were you going to say something?
Well, yeah, I'm sure there is. I don't really hear them a lot of the time. I'm still waiting to hear that magical thing—that new thing. And yeah, that would be great. I'm still waiting.
Ozzy Osbourne Memories/Stories
OK. It would be obviously rude of us to talk today and not touch on the sad news of Ozzy Osbourne’s passing. Did you guys have a chance to get to know the man, or were you influenced by him and Black Sabbath’s music at all?
Joe Elliott
Yeah, we toured with Ozzy in '81 on the Blizzard of Ozz album. He had us as his opening act for the whole summer of '81. And they were just—his whole team—it was the band, it was Sharon, it was Ozzy.
They were just fantastic towards us. We got everything—lights, sound, sound checks, the lot. You know, none of that thing that headline acts can do to support bands to try and trip them up.
And we met him loads of times over the years. You know—Indian restaurants, airports, you name it. He was a great guy, he really was.
There was a lot of love between his camp and our camp ever since we toured together 44 years ago.
Phil Collen
And I think, you know, he was a fun guy as well.
I remember once we were in a restaurant in London and it turned into a full food fight. And it was this really posh restaurant.
And it was—obviously it was Randy Rhoads, Rudy Sarzo, Tommy Aldridge, and it was my previous band, Girl. We toured with them in England, and it just went off. It went into this food fight.
And it wasn’t malicious or weird or anything, but it probably was very expensive by the end of the day.
And it was just funny. It was like everyone’s crying with laughter and there’s just food flying—everyone’s got it in their face and their hair and everything. It was really fun.
Def Leppard Live At Caesars Palace The Las Vegas Residency
3rd February 2026 - The Colossseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV, USA
5th February 2026 - The Colossseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV, USA
7th February 2026 - The Colossseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV, USA
10th February 2026 - The Colossseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV, USA
12th February 2026 - The Colossseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV, USA
14th February 2026 - The Colossseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV, USA
17th February 2026 - The Colossseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV, USA
19th February 2026 - The Colossseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV, USA
21st February 2026 - The Colossseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV, USA
24th February 2026 - The Colossseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV, USA
26th February 2026 - The Colossseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV, USA
28th February 2026 - The Colossseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV, USA
- Headliner - Def Leppard
- Venue Capacity - 4,100
Read more and buy tickets at - ticketmaster.com/def-leppard-tickets
Read more and buy tickets at - caesars.com/caesars-palace
Def Leppard - 2025 Tour
9th August 2025 - Lincoln, CA @ The Venue At Thunder Valley Casino Resort
12th August 2025 - Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta Amphitheater
14th August 2025 - Des Moines, IA @ Iowa State Fair - Iowa State Fairgrounds Grandstand
16th August 2025 - Springfield, IL @ Illinois State Fair - Grandstand @ Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack
20th August 2025 - Highland, CA @ Yaamava' Theater (Yaamava' Resort & Casino at San Manuel)
26th August 2025 - St. Paul, MN @ Minnesota State Fair (Grandstand)
29th August 2025 - Hollywood, FL @ Hard Rock Live
31st August 2025 - Virginia Beach, VA @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach
11th October 2025 - Gary, IN @ Hard Rock Live Northern Indiana
Def Leppard / Latest Release
- Stand By Me - (Digital Single)
- Pyromania 40 Box Set - (Album - April 2024)
Def Leppard / Latest Tour
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- News Source - youtube.com
- Def Leppard - 2025 Tour
- Def Leppard - Tour News
- Previous News - 23rd July 2025
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