Overview
- Def Leppard are confirmed to make their Wacken Open Air debut on Thursday, July 30, 2026, and will also play Dortmund’s Westfalenhalle on June 23 as their only other German date on this tour.
- Singer Joe Elliott told the German press that the group still feels stage nerves and stressed that Def Leppard are "definitely not a heavy-metal band," questioning at first whether they would fit a metal festival.
- The Wacken slot is part of the festival’s 35th‑anniversary program, which this year includes artists outside strict heavy metal and underscores Wacken’s trend toward broader rock bookings.
- Elliott recalled the band’s early European ties and a 1983 Dortmund appearance with acts like Iron Maiden and the Scorpions, framing the Wacken date as new ground nearly 49 years after the band formed.
- Guitarist Vivian Campbell says the band has recorded material for future releases and that their current tour favors arena-sized shows, a shift that could shape setlists and audience mix at large festival stages.