Def Leppard: An Inside Look Behind Those Postponed Dates

Def Leppard was in the middle of their latest tour, which launched in late 2015 to promote their new, self-titled album, but a medical emergency brought an early end to the tour. At least for the time being, the band won’t be able to complete their planned tour dates, though they promise fans it is only a postponement and not a cancellation. Def Leppard is the kind of band with a reputation for usually toughing it out and carrying through with their tour plans. The postponement should give a hint as to the seriousness of this particular medical issue.

There’s A Real Possibility That Def Leppard Frontman Joe Elliott Could Lose His Voice Permanently

Def Leppard has been on the road for quite some time. Even before the release of 2015’s Def Leppard, the band was touring the country. They have seemingly been pushing themselves and, as it turns out, they have perhaps overtaxed their bodies with such a lengthy extended tour. That has all come to an end with the sudden onset of Joe Elliott’s illness.

Elliott first showed signs that he was really having a hard time performing at the Hysteria on the High Seas event and, even though he forced himself through the performance, it proved too much for him in the end. The cruise, hosted by Def Leppard, included several concert events for cruise passengers, starting with an unplugged set early in the cruise’s voyage. It was that concert that Joe fought to complete. The following evening, Vivian Campbell and Phil Collen shared singing duties, as Mr. Elliott was far too exhausted to take the stage.

Helping out on lead vocals, while Joe was out of commission, were Andrew Freeman (Last in Line), Eric Martin (Mr. Big), and Kip Winger (Winger).

“The doctor basically said that if Joe continues to sing without resting his throat for a month, he might do permanent damage,” said Rick Allen, drummer for Def Leppard.

Def Leppard Fans Are Urged To Hang On To Their Tickets

While the postponed concert dates will certainly frustrate and worry fans, the band is advising them to hang on to their tickets. They fully expect Joe Elliott to make a full recovery and be back up on stage as soon as he has recovered, so the remaining leg of the tour will be rescheduled.

Postponed tour dates:

Feb. 02 – San Antonio, TX (AT&T Center)
Feb. 03 – Lafayette, LA (Lafayette Cajundome)
Feb. 05 – Corpus Christi, TX (American Bank Center Arena)
Feb. 06 – Hidalgo, TX (State Farm Arena)
Feb. 09 – Little Rock, AR (Verizon Arena)
Feb. 10 – Bossier City, LA (CenturyLink Center)
Feb. 13 – Uncasville, CT (Mohegan Sun Arena)
Feb. 14 – Atlantic City, NJ (Boardwalk Hall)
Feb. 16 – Brooklyn, NY (Barclays Center)
Feb. 17 – Allentown, PA (PPL Center)

While it’s understandable that Joe Elliott is eager to get back to work, living a life of constant touring has contributed to his current condition. For his fans’ sake, if not for his own, he’ll take his doctor’s advice and take his time recovering. It would do no good to have the Def Leppard front-man rush through his recovery, only to land himself back in bed, suffering from another onset of laryngitis and exhaustion.

In the meantime, Def Leppard has left fans with their new album to keep us entertained until they return with new concert dates. One such song, “Dangerous,” is reminiscent of past Def Leppard songs. The track has been compared to one of the band’s greatest hits, 1983’s “Photograph,” from their Pyromania album.

The video isn’t their best. The CGI effects seem to be a throwback to the virtual reality world of Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace (1996) and the fact that only two or three readers actually recall that movie is a testament to the quality of those visual effects. Still, Def Leppard’s music stands alone as a head-banging rock and roll anthem, so just close your eyes and enjoy.

[Photo by David Becker/Getty Images for Def Leppard]