Grab your Union Jack bandanas and dust off the denim jackets, mun – Def Leppard are bringing the riffs back home! 🏴 With nearly five decades of arena-shaking anthems under their belts, the Sheffield legends have just announced a June and July 2026 UK tour – and they’re dragging the funk-rock giants Extreme along for the ride. Proper job!
🦁 Rock of Ages Never Dies
Def Leppard aren’t just a band; they’re an institution. From Pyromania to Hysteria, they’ve filled stadiums worldwide with choruses so big you can hear them from space. The 2026 run will see Joe Elliott and co. hitting some of the UK’s biggest arenas, proving once again that rock ‘n’ roll ages like whisky – smoother, louder, and dangerous in the best way. 🍻
🎸 Extreme: Funk Meets Fire
Support comes from Boston’s very own Extreme, best known for their monster ballad More Than Words (cue the lighters) and the groove-metal shredfest Get the Funk Out. With Nuno Bettencourt still melting fretboards like they owe him money, you can bet the opening sets are going to be pure guitar-hero fireworks. 💥
📅 Rumoured UK Dates (So Far)
While the full list is still under wraps, expect stops at all the heavy hitters:
- London – The O2
- Manchester – AO Arena
- Birmingham – Utilita Arena
- Glasgow – OVO Hydro
- Cardiff – Utilita Arena (c’mon butt, let’s make this happen!)
And you can bet your last pint they’ll wrap it all up with an encore of Pour Some Sugar on Me that’ll have the rafters shaking.
🏟️ Why This Tour Matters
- Nostalgia overload: A chance to scream Photograph with 20,000 other maniacs.
- Guitar clinic: Nuno vs. Phil Collen is basically a six-string showdown.
- Welsh connection: Joe Elliott’s been a huge supporter of UK rock festivals, and a Cardiff date would be lush.
🎟️ Ticket Details
Tickets are expected to go on sale later this month – and if Def Lep’s recent stadium tours are anything to go by, they’ll shift faster than a tray of sausage rolls at a Bridgend rugby club. 🏉🥖
Michael is the founder, editor, and chief riff wrangler behind The Riff Report, an independent Welsh rock and metal publication built by fans, for fans. With a lifelong passion for loud guitars, unforgettable live shows, and the incredible community that surrounds rock and metal, he created The Riff Report to celebrate everything that makes the scene special—from legendary headline acts and grassroots venues to rising bands that deserve to be heard.
A familiar face at festivals across the UK, Michael spends much of the year covering events including Download Festival, Bloodstock Open Air, Steelhouse Festival, Firevolt, Plumpton Revival, and many more. Whether he’s battling the Welsh weather on a mountainside, surviving a weekend in a muddy campsite, or squeezed against the front barrier with thousands of fellow fans, he’s always searching for the next great story to share.
As editor of The Riff Report, Michael writes festival guides, breaking news, album reviews, gig reviews, interviews, opinion pieces, nostalgia features, and behind-the-scenes stories from across the rock and metal world. His writing combines honest opinions, humour, and a genuine love for live music, bringing readers closer to the bands, festivals, venues, and people that keep the scene alive.
Michael is particularly passionate about supporting independent artists, local venues, charities, and the wider UK rock and metal community. He believes every band deserves a chance to be discovered and every festival has a story worth telling. Through The Riff Report, he aims to shine a spotlight on both the biggest names in rock and the future stars waiting to break through.
When he’s not writing or interviewing artists, you’ll probably find him exploring festival campsites, photographing live shows, chatting with fellow fans over a pint, or planning the next road trip in search of more riffs, bigger crowds, and unforgettable moments.
Above all, Michael believes rock and metal are about more than music—they’re about community, friendship, and creating memories that last a lifetime. That’s exactly what The Riff Report exists to celebrate.
Proudly Welsh. Proudly Loud. Always chasing the next great riff. 🤘
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