This review was published in the February 2026 issue of Classic Rock magazine, no. 349.
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Do you still wanna get rocked? Then your luck’s in.
The last 47 years have done plenty to Def Leppard, but it’s comforting to know that it hasn’t dented their spirit or their talents. Recorded at a welcome-home show in 2023, Live in Sheffield spans work from High ‘n’ Dry (1981) to Diamond Star Halos (2022).
The show opens with a UK debut of Take What You Want (2022), but Leppard know the brief and quickly crack on with the classics – Animal, Hysteria, Pour Some Sugar on Me et al, saving the best for last with Photograph. The legacy of the late Steve Clark is never forgotten, and is honoured here with Switch 625 and This Guitar, dedicated to Clark’s family.
You know what you’re getting with Def Leppard, in the best way: the harmonies are well-oiled, guitarist Phil Collen still hasn’t worn a proper shirt since 1987 and somewhere among the intricacies of the arrangements remains a complete and utter dumb, life-affirming joy.
9/10
Phoebe Flys