Def Leppard, Motley Crue and Poison Tour May Be Extended

William Lee | 12-22-2019

Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliott says that he was "gobsmacked" when tickets to their upcoming stadium tour with Motley Crue and Poison began selling out soon after going on sale and he said it is possible tour to be extended beyond next year.

Elliott spoke about the tour during a recent interview on SiriusXM and was asked if he was surprised that some of the stadium dates sold out so quickly. He responded, "When you put something on of this magnitude, you hope for the best and kind of expect, well, not the worst, but expect normality, I suppose.

"Def Leppard have notoriously never [sold out] shows out of the box, we've always closed really well. So ,we'd be turning up to a gig sold out, but sold out 20 minutes before we went on stage. This is kind of like 'Hysteria' all over again, really.

"Obviously, a lot has to do with the fact that we've got Motley on board and you've also got Poison and Joan Jett. It is an enormously attractive package, is what it is.

"But the fact that we had shows selling out within minutes of going on sale, if that happens in a club, you're kind of chuffed and happy; if it happens in a theater or an arena, you're ecstatic; but when it happens in a stadium, you're kind of gobsmacked. You're standing there looking at the phone when your manager is telling you this, going, 'Are you kidding me?

"I'm a nerdy fan as well; I'm not just a businessman or something like that. I'm just this guy that. I'm inside this big, giant machine, but I'm trying to look at it from the outside of what it was like when I heard that Led Zeppelin put Knebworth on sale and it sold out in a day.

"As a fan, you're really so happy for your band, that this band that you're a big fan of are doing so well; it justifies your faith in them and that kind of thing. I try to look at it from two heads, really, as a fan and as a guy in one of the bands.

"So, it really was unbelievable when they said, 'Well, we're gonna be adding shows, because it's really taking off.' I mean, who knows where this could go? Because this is just the beginning, potentially. It all depends on everybody's availabilities and staying power to carry this on, but this tour could add even more shows maybe not even this year, next year.

"It's all up in the air; nothing's written in stone. But these 22 that were initially put on has at least gone to 28, and 10 of them are pretty close to sellouts, if not already sold out.

"So, it really is a testament to the fact that when people say, 'Rock is dead,' the four of us artists can stand there and look everybody straight in the eye and go, 'No, it's not.'"