Reviewed by Colin Jacobson (October 30, 2024)
Though the band didn’t attract headlines ala the era’s bigger names like U2 and Prince, Def Leppard sure did sell a lot of records in the 1980s. Indeed, Def Lep accounted for two of the Diamond-certified albums released in that decade, the only act other than Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston to manage more than one 1980s release to reach 10 million sales in the US.
Thanks to those massive sales, 1983’s Pyromania and 1987’s Hysteria remain the dominant albums in the Def Lep discography. Fans will find a sampling of songs from those records but possibly not the ones they expect to hear.
Shot May 19, 2023, One Night Only Live at the Leadmill takes Def Lep back to their hometown of Sheffield, England for a special performance in a small venue. The Leadmill holds a mere 900 patrons, so that made this concert much more intimate than normal for the band.
When we look at the 13-song setlist, 2023’s Diamond Star Halos boasts “Fire It Up” and “Kick”. Going backward chronologically, we then find the title tune from 1996’s Slang. A 1993 compilation called Retro Active gives us “Action”, a cover of a 1975 song by the Sweet.
Hysteria provides its title track, “Excitable”, and “Pour Some Sugar on Me”. From Pyromania, we discover “Too Late for Love”.
1981’s High ‘n’ Dry features “Let It Go”, “Mirror Mirror (Look Into My Eyes)”, “Bringin’ On the Heartbreak” and “Switch 625”. Finally, the band’s 1980 debut On Through the Night offers “Wasted”.
As a teen in the 1980s, I certainly heard a lot of Def Leppard’s music. Indeed, given the aforementioned massive sales of Pyromania and Hysteria, any rock fan in that period found the band literally unavoidable.
Confession time: Def Lep never became my cup of tea. The era’s metal scene didn’t enchant me, though Def Lep seemed like one of that genre’s better acts – or at least less objectionable to my teen self.
As a 50-something, I’ve mellowed and can muster more appreciation for 80s hard rock. Heck, I hated Van Halen 40 years ago but now count them as a fave.
Will a similar conversion occur in terms of the way I view Def Lep? Never say never, but my time with Leadmill implies this seems unlikely.
Don’t take that to imply I disliked Leadmill, as I didn’t. Def Lep produces melodic hard rock that goes down easy.
I simply don’t find much in their music to really delight me, however. I can listen to Def Lep and find their songs to be moderately enjoyable but they don’t stick to my proverbial ribs.
That’s a “me problem”, as they say, so when I review musical artists who aren’t in my usual wheelhouse, I attempt to discuss their work in more objective terms. In that sense, Leadmill shows off Def Lep to fairly good advantage.
Musically, at least, as they play the songs well. We get solid musicianship and vocals across the board.
As an exciting live act, though, the Def Lep of Leadmill comes up short. Typically an arena band, perhaps they struggled to adjust to the tight confines of the venue’s small stage.
Whatever the case, no one in Def Lep ever seems especially compelling or charismatic. Lead vocalist Joe Elliott chats a little but doesn’t give us much of interest, and no one else steps up to make the band feel particularly engaging.
None of that would matter for an audio-only presentation, but since this review looks at a concert video, the lackluster “action” on stage becomes a liability. Rarely did I feel like Leadmill captured a vivid live event.
At least director Jim Parsons avoids the temptation to “spice up” the proceedings. Parsons gives Leadmill an enjoyably “meat and potatoes” feel, one in which he eschews quick-cutting or gimmicks and keeps crowd shots to a minimum.
For fans who attended or those who really love Def Leppard, Leadmill will act as a nice souvenir. For others who hope to get a scintillating concert performance, they’ll find a less winning presentation.
