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The Stadium Tour
View on Wikipedia| Tour by Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe | |
| Location |
|
|---|---|
| Associated album | Diamond Star Halos The Dirt |
| Start date | June 16, 2022 |
| End date | September 9, 2022 |
| No. of shows | 36 |
The Stadium Tour was a co-headlining concert tour by English rock band Def Leppard and American rock band Mötley Crüe, taking place in the summer and fall of 2022 in venues across North America. Poison and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts served as the tour's special guests, while Classless Act was the opening band.[1][2] It was Mötley Crüe's first major tour in seven years (following their final world tour in 2014–2015), and Def Leppard's first in three years, with the latter touring in support of their twelfth studio album Diamond Star Halos.[3][4]
The Stadium Tour was announced on December 4, 2019, and was set to take place in the summer of 2020.[5] It was later announced that the tour would be rescheduled for 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[6] The tour was once again pushed back to 2022 due to the same circumstances.[7] The tour began on June 16, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia and concluded on September 9, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The members of Def Leppard indicated that a European version of The Stadium Tour would take place in 2023.[8] Tour dates for the Latin American and European tour were later announced on October 20, 2022; this tour was advertised as The World Tour and was once again a co-headlining tour of Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe.[9][10]
Support acts
[edit]Set lists
[edit]Mötley Crüe[11]
- "Wild Side"
- "Shout at the Devil"
- "Too Fast for Love"
- "Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)"
- "Saints of Los Angeles"
- "Live Wire"
- "Looks That Kill"
- "The Dirt (Est. 1981)"
- "Rock and Roll, Part 2" / "Smokin' in the Boys Room" / "White Punks on Dope" / "Helter Skelter" / "Anarchy in the U.K."
- "Home Sweet Home"
- "Dr. Feelgood"
- "Same Ol' Situation (S.O.S.)"
- "Girls, Girls, Girls"
- "Primal Scream"
- "Kickstart My Heart"
Def Leppard[12]
- "Take What You Want"
- "Fire It Up"
- "Animal"
- "Foolin'"
- "Armageddon It"
- "Kick"
- "Love Bites"
- "Excitable"
- "This Guitar"
- "Two Steps Behind"
- "Rocket"
- "Bringin' On the Heartbreak"
- "Switch 625"
- "Hysteria"
- "Pour Some Sugar on Me"
- "Rock of Ages"
- "Photograph"
Tour dates
[edit]| Date | City | Country | Venue | Attendance | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 16, 2022 | Atlanta | United States | Truist Park | 38,008 / 38,008 | $5,208,533 |
| June 18, 2022 | Miami Gardens | Hard Rock Stadium | 40,250 / 43,961 | $3,452,959 | |
| June 19, 2022 | Orlando | Camping World Stadium | 35,532 / 37,374 | $4,815,804 | |
| June 22, 2022 | Washington, D.C. | Nationals Park | 29,618 / 35,574 | $3,692,386 | |
| June 24, 2022 | New York City | Citi Field | 34,679 / 34,679 | $5,127,894 | |
| June 25, 2022 | Philadelphia | Citizens Bank Park | 38,076 / 38,076 | $5,551,938 | |
| June 28, 2022 | Charlotte | Bank of America Stadium | 41,896 / 41,896 | $6,041,394 | |
| June 30, 2022 | Nashville | Nissan Stadium | 42,115 / 42,115 | $5,424,623 | |
| July 2, 2022 | Jacksonville | TIAA Bank Field | 27,828 / 28,394 | $2,988,306 | |
| July 5, 2022 | St. Louis | Busch Stadium | 33,307 / 38,024 | $4,213,041 | |
| July 8, 2022 | Chicago | Wrigley Field | 37,696 / 37,696 | $5,831,869 | |
| July 10, 2022 | Detroit | Comerica Park | 35,097 / 35,097 | $5,012,868 | |
| July 12, 2022 | Hershey | Hersheypark Stadium | 29,591 / 29,591 | $4,009,063 | |
| July 14, 2022 | Cleveland | FirstEnergy Stadium | 34,815 / 34,815 | $4,198,483 | |
| July 15, 2022 | Cincinnati | Great American Ball Park | 34,867 / 34,867 | $4,729,190 | |
| July 17, 2022 | Milwaukee | American Family Field | 39,864 / 39,864 | $5,175,001 | |
| July 19, 2022 | Kansas City | Kauffman Stadium | 36,818 / 39,409 | $4,291,251 | |
| July 21, 2022 | Denver | Coors Field | 42,737 / 42,737 | $6,181,056 | |
| August 5, 2022 | Boston | Fenway Park | 64,066 / 66,000 | $9,335,067 | |
| August 6, 2022 | |||||
| August 8, 2022 | Toronto | Canada | Rogers Centre | 41,907 / 41,907 | $4,372,928 |
| August 10, 2022 | Orchard Park | United States | Highmark Stadium | 34,960 / 41,323 | $3,390,778 |
| August 12, 2022 | Pittsburgh | PNC Park | 39,433 / 39,433 | $5,432,484 | |
| August 14, 2022 | Minneapolis | U.S. Bank Stadium | 42,212 / 42,212 | $5,884,144 | |
| August 16, 2022 | Indianapolis | Lucas Oil Stadium | 31,455 / 42,651 | $3,433,185 | |
| August 19, 2022 | Houston | Minute Maid Park | 39,247 / 39,247 | $5,435,060 | |
| August 21, 2022 | San Antonio | Alamodome | 45,069 / 45,069 | $5,875,824 | |
| August 22, 2022 | Arlington | Globe Life Field | 37,086 / 37,086 | $5,561,368 | |
| August 25, 2022 | Glendale | State Farm Stadium | 45,131 / 45,131 | $6,379,829 | |
| August 27, 2022 | Inglewood | SoFi Stadium | 43,210 / 43,210 | $6,192,352 | |
| August 28, 2022 | San Diego | Petco Park | 34,963 / 34,963 | $4,765,707 | |
| August 31, 2022 | Seattle | T-Mobile Park | 41,280 / 41,280 | $5,957,982 | |
| September 2, 2022 | Vancouver | Canada | BC Place | 34,213 / 34,213 | $3,574,727 |
| September 4, 2022 | Edmonton | Commonwealth Stadium | 46,077 / 46,077 | $4,845,322 | |
| September 7, 2022 | San Francisco | United States | Oracle Park | 30,087 / 32,212 | $4,620,900 |
| September 9, 2022 | Las Vegas | Allegiant Stadium | 37,845 / 37,845 | $5,539,489 |
Personnel
[edit]Def Leppard
- Rick Savage – bass, backing vocals
- Joe Elliott – lead vocals, occasional acoustic guitar
- Rick Allen – drums, percussion
- Phil Collen – guitar, backing vocals
- Vivian Campbell – guitar, backing vocals
Mötley Crüe
- Nikki Sixx – bass, piano, backing vocals
- Vince Neil – lead vocals
- Tommy Lee – drums, piano, backing vocals
- Mick Mars – guitar, backing vocals
- Additional personnel:
- Tommy Clufetos – drums[a]
- "Nasty Habits":
- Laura "Lolo" D'Anzieri – backing vocals, dancer
- Bailey Swift – backing vocals, dancer
- Hannah Sutton – backing vocals, dancer
Notes
[edit]- ^ From June 16 to 25, Clufetos served as Mötley Crüe's drummer while Tommy Lee recovered from a rib injury.
References
[edit]- ^ "Mötley Crüe Expand The Stadium Tour: See the New Dates". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-01-05.
- ^ a b "CLASSLESS ACT To Join MÖTLEY CRÜE And DEF LEPPARD On 2022 Stadium Tour". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. July 9, 2021. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
- ^ Greene, Andy (November 18, 2019). "Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard, Poison Set 2020 Stadium Tour". Rolling Stone.
- ^ DiVita, Joe (March 17, 2022). "Def Leppard Debut Kickin' New Song 'Kick' + Announce 'Diamond Star Halos' Album". Loudwire. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
- ^ a b c "DEF LEPPARD, MOTLEY CRUE, POISON and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS: The Stadium Tour Details Revealed". Blabbermouth. December 4, 2019.
- ^ "Mötley Crüe Postpone Stadium Tour To Summer 2021". June 3, 2020. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
- ^ "MÖTLEY CRÜE's 'The Stadium' Tour With DEF LEPPARD And POISON Officially Postponed Until 2022". Blabbermouth. May 14, 2021.
- ^ "Def Leppard Confirm That Stadium Tour With Mötley Crüe Will Reach Europe". Ultimate Guitar. June 27, 2022. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
- ^ Rolli, Bryan (20 October 2022). "Motley Crue and Def Leppard Announce 2023 World Tour". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
- ^ "Def Leppard Announce 'The World Tour' Following Massively Successful North American Stadium Run". defleppard.com. October 20, 2022. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
- ^ "Motley Crue Deliver Wild Stadium Tour Show: Set List, Videos". Ultimate Classic Rock. 17 June 2022. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
- ^ "Def Leppard Power Through Storm at Stadium Tour: Set List, Videos". Ultimate Classic Rock. 17 June 2022. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
The Stadium Tour
View on GrokipediaBackground
Announcement
The Stadium Tour was announced on December 4, 2019, via an official press release issued by Live Nation.[7][8] The tour was envisioned as a co-headlining package featuring Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe, joined by special guests Poison and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, and scheduled to visit stadiums across North America during the summer of 2020.[7][8] The original itinerary encompassed 22 stadium performances, commencing on July 7, 2020, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, and concluding on September 5, 2020, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.[8][9] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tour was postponed first to 2021 and then to 2022.[4] Live Nation acted as the primary promoter, handling ticket sales which began on December 13, 2019.[7][8]Promotional ties
The promotional strategy for The Stadium Tour integrated the headliners' recent album releases and biographical projects to generate widespread interest and leverage their legacies. Mötley Crüe's Netflix biopic The Dirt, released on March 7, 2019, played a pivotal role in reigniting public fascination with the band, leading to a surge in fan engagement that directly influenced their decision to end a self-imposed retirement and embark on the tour.[10][11] The film, based on the band's 2001 autobiography, not only introduced their story to younger audiences but also prompted the group to perform tracks from its soundtrack, such as "The Dirt (Est. 1981)," during tour sets, further tying the cinematic narrative to live performances.[12] Def Leppard aligned the tour's launch with their album Diamond Star Halos, announced on March 18, 2022, and released on May 27, 2022, just weeks before the North American leg began in June.[13] This timing allowed promotion of singles like "Kick" and "Fire It Up" through tour-related media, positioning the stadium shows as a platform to showcase new material alongside classics.[14] The supporting acts' involvement was similarly leveraged for promotional synergy. Poison, emerging from a touring hiatus since their 2018 Nothin' But a Good Time outing, used the Stadium Tour as a high-profile return to major stages, capitalizing on the co-headliners' draw to reintroduce their glam rock catalog to audiences.[7] Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, bolstered by Jett's 2015 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, maintained ongoing cultural relevance through her punk-infused rock legacy, which was highlighted in tour billing to appeal to multigenerational fans familiar with her stadium experience alongside acts like The Who.[15][7] Marketing efforts emphasized cross-promotions via joint trailers and social media teasers that blended biopic footage, album previews, and tour announcements. An announcement trailer was released on December 4, 2019.[16] Subsequent campaigns included TV spots and social media posts showcasing singles like "Kick" and "The Dirt (Est. 1981)," with videos incorporating biopic scenes to evoke nostalgia and urgency, such as a 2019 clip for Mötley Crüe's "Looks That Kill" using The Dirt excerpts.[17][18] Platforms like Instagram and Facebook amplified these with band-shared content, including a February 2022 video confirming rescheduled dates and added shows, driving ticket sales through shared excitement across the lineup.[19]Lineup
Headlining acts
Def Leppard, a British rock band formed in Sheffield in 1977, served as one of the two co-headliners for The Stadium Tour, delivering high-energy performances characterized by elaborate stadium production, including pyrotechnics, lighting effects, and a setlist drawing heavily from their arena rock catalog.[20][21] The band rose to prominence in the 1980s with their fourth studio album Hysteria (1987), which became a commercial cornerstone of their career, featuring multi-platinum sales and hits that solidified their status in the hard rock genre.[22] Mötley Crüe, an American glam metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1981, joined Def Leppard as the other co-headliner, marking a significant revival following the 2019 Netflix biopic The Dirt, which dramatized their rise and prompted the group to void a 2015 cessation-of-touring agreement.[23][24] The film, based on the band's 2001 autobiography, reignited public interest and facilitated their return to major touring, with performances emphasizing their signature shock-rock aesthetics and 1980s anthems.[25] This tour represented the first full joint stadium outing for Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe, two icons of the 1980s rock scene who had occasionally shared festival stages during that era but had not previously collaborated on a co-headlined package of this scale.[25] The equal billing arrangement featured the bands alternating closing slots across dates, allowing each to serve as the final act on select nights to maintain balance in their shared spotlight.[26]Support acts
Poison, the American glam rock band formed in 1983, served as a primary support act for all 36 dates of The Stadium Tour, marking their return to the road following a touring hiatus since 2018.[27] The group, best known for multi-platinum albums like Open Up and Say... Ahh! and hits such as "Talk Dirty to Me" and "Every Rose Has Its Thorn," delivered high-energy sets that bridged the gap between the opener and headliners, drawing on their signature blend of hard rock and pop sensibilities to energize stadium audiences.[28] Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, trailblazing rock pioneers inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015, performed as special guests across the tour, showcasing timeless anthems including "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" and "Crimson and Clover."[29] Their raw, punk-infused performances added a foundational edge to the bill, honoring Jett's legacy as one of the first successful female rock frontwomen while complementing the evening's heavier acts.[30] Classless Act, a Los Angeles-based emerging hard rock quartet, acted as the primary opening band, taking the stage first on every show to introduce fresh energy from their 2021 debut album Welcome to the Show.[31] Signed to Atlantic Records and praised for their modern take on '80s glam influences, the band—fronted by vocalist Derek Day—helped build momentum for the larger lineup, often earning strong crowd responses despite their relative newness to major tours.[32] All support acts—Classless Act, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, and Poison—performed on every date, typically in that sequence before the co-headlining acts, contributing to the roughly seven-hour events.[33]Setlists
Def Leppard
Def Leppard's performances on The Stadium Tour centered around a core setlist of 17 songs, emphasizing their signature hard rock anthems and fan favorites from across their discography. The show typically opened with "Take What You Want" (from the 2022 album Diamond Star Halos), followed by "Let It Go" (from High 'n' Dry, 1981) or "Let's Get Rocked" (from Adrenalize, 1992) in later legs, then "Animal" (Hysteria, 1987), "Foolin'" (Pyromania, 1983), "Armageddon It" (Hysteria), "Kick" (Diamond Star Halos), "Love Bites" (Hysteria), "Excitable" (Adrenalize), "Hysteria", "Pour Some Sugar on Me" (Hysteria), "Rocket" (Hysteria, with "Sweet Emotion" snippet), "Bringin' On the Heartbreak" (High 'n' Dry), an instrumental "Switch 625" (High 'n' Dry), and "Rock of Ages" (Pyromania), often culminating in "Photograph" (Pyromania) and an encore of "Rock of Ages" with crowd sing-alongs.[34] The band's stage presentation was marked by high-production elements, including massive video walls displaying archival footage and thematic visuals, along with coordinated lighting and occasional pyrotechnics to amplify the arena-rock spectacle during peak moments such as the title track from Pyromania. These shows averaged around 90 minutes in length, allowing for a tight, relentless flow that balanced hits with brief acoustic interludes and instrumentals like "Switch 625."[35][36] Setlist variations were minimal but purposeful, introduced to maintain freshness and pacing across tour dates. For instance, in the 2022 leg, "Kick" from the album Diamond Star Halos was integrated starting from early shows and retained in subsequent performances. The 2023 extensions to Latin America and Europe featured largely consistent setlists, with "Let's Get Rocked" often replacing "Let It Go" as the second song.[34]Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe's performances on The Stadium Tour featured a core setlist of approximately 15 songs, drawn primarily from their extensive catalog of hard rock anthems, emphasizing their rebellious origins and high-octane energy. The show opened explosively with "Wild Side" from their 1987 album Girls, Girls, Girls, setting a tone of raw aggression and streetwise defiance that carried through staples like "Shout at the Devil" (Shout at the Devil, 1983), "Too Fast for Love" (Too Fast for Love, 1981), "Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)" (Dr. Feelgood, 1989), and "Saints of Los Angeles" (Saints of Los Angeles, 2008). Mid-set highlights included high-energy tracks such as "Live Wire" and "Looks That Kill" (both from Too Fast for Love), building momentum toward emotional peaks like the piano-driven "Home Sweet Home" (Theatre of Pain, 1985). The set culminated in crowd-favorite closers "Girls, Girls, Girls" (Girls, Girls, Girls, 1987), "Primal Scream" (Generation Swine, 1997), and "Kickstart My Heart" (Dr. Feelgood, 1989), with the encore anchored by the title track "Dr. Feelgood."[12][37] The band's presentation was distinctly theatrical, incorporating shock-rock elements reminiscent of their 1980s heyday, such as pyrotechnics, elaborate stage props, and provocative imagery that evoked their notorious party-hard lifestyle. Visuals were heavily influenced by the 2019 Netflix biopic The Dirt, featuring cinematic projections of gritty urban scenes, explosive effects, and cyberpunk-style flythroughs synchronized to songs like "Saints of Los Angeles," creating an immersive narrative arc that tied the performance to the band's biographical lore. These elements, powered by advanced media servers and LED screens adapted for stadium-scale venues, amplified the raw, chaotic essence of tracks like the cover medley ("Rock and Roll, Part 2" / "Smokin' in the Boys Room" / "White Punks on Dope" / "Helter Skelter" / "Anarchy in the U.K."), blending punk aggression with heavy metal bombast. The average runtime hovered around 80 minutes, delivering a compact yet intense experience focused on spectacle and stamina.[38][12] Setlist variations occurred sporadically, most notably with the inclusion of "The Dirt (Est. 1981)," a track from the biopic's soundtrack, which occasionally featured a guest appearance by Machine Gun Kelly to heighten the film's promotional tie-in and add a modern crossover flair. Early tour dates saw adjustments due to drummer Tommy Lee's rib injury sustained just before the June 2022 opener, leading to session musician Tommy Clufetos handling percussion duties while Lee participated selectively, such as on piano for "Home Sweet Home" or limited drum segments; Lee resumed full drumming by mid-tour. These adaptations maintained the set's structure without major song omissions, preserving the thematic emphasis on the band's enduring, unapologetic rock 'n' roll persona. Setlists remained largely consistent during the 2023 extensions.[39][40]Tour dates
Schedule and locations
The Stadium Tour commenced on June 16, 2022, at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia, marking the first of 36 stadium concerts across North America, and concluded on September 9, 2022, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.[41][42][43] Produced by Live Nation, the tour visited major league baseball and football stadiums exclusively, spanning the United States and Canada without any full cancellations, though several performances faced brief delays due to inclement weather, such as thunderstorms in Atlanta and Orlando.[44] The itinerary emphasized iconic venues, including baseball parks like Wrigley Field in Chicago (July 8), Fenway Park in Boston (August 5–6), and Oracle Park in San Francisco (September 7), alongside NFL stadiums such as U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis (August 14) and SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California (August 27). Support acts rotated across dates, with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts and Poison appearing on all shows, while Classless Act opened select early performances.[45]| Date | City | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| June 16, 2022 | Atlanta, GA | Truist Park |
| June 18, 2022 | Miami, FL | Hard Rock Stadium |
| June 19, 2022 | Orlando, FL | Camping World Stadium |
| June 22, 2022 | Washington, D.C. | Nationals Park |
| June 24, 2022 | Queens, NY | Citi Field |
| June 25, 2022 | Philadelphia, PA | Citizens Bank Park |
| June 28, 2022 | Charlotte, NC | Bank of America Stadium |
| June 30, 2022 | Nashville, TN | Nissan Stadium |
| July 2, 2022 | Jacksonville, FL | TIAA Bank Field |
| July 5, 2022 | St. Louis, MO | Busch Stadium |
| July 8, 2022 | Chicago, IL | Wrigley Field |
| July 10, 2022 | Detroit, MI | Comerica Park |
| July 12, 2022 | Hershey, PA | Hersheypark Stadium |
| July 14, 2022 | Cleveland, OH | FirstEnergy Stadium |
| July 15, 2022 | Cincinnati, OH | Great American Ball Park |
| July 17, 2022 | Milwaukee, WI | American Family Field |
| July 19, 2022 | Kansas City, MO | Kauffman Stadium |
| July 21, 2022 | Denver, CO | Coors Field |
| August 5, 2022 | Boston, MA | Fenway Park |
| August 6, 2022 | Boston, MA | Fenway Park |
| August 8, 2022 | Toronto, ON | Rogers Centre |
| August 10, 2022 | Orchard Park, NY | Highmark Stadium |
| August 12, 2022 | Pittsburgh, PA | PNC Park |
| August 14, 2022 | Minneapolis, MN | U.S. Bank Stadium |
| August 16, 2022 | Indianapolis, IN | Lucas Oil Stadium |
| August 19, 2022 | Houston, TX | Minute Maid Park |
| August 21, 2022 | San Antonio, TX | Alamodome |
| August 22, 2022 | Arlington, TX | Globe Life Field |
| August 25, 2022 | Glendale, AZ | State Farm Stadium |
| August 27, 2022 | Inglewood, CA | SoFi Stadium |
| August 28, 2022 | San Diego, CA | Petco Park |
| August 31, 2022 | Seattle, WA | T-Mobile Park |
| September 2, 2022 | Vancouver, BC | BC Place |
| September 4, 2022 | Edmonton, AB | Commonwealth Stadium |
| September 7, 2022 | San Francisco, CA | Oracle Park |
| September 9, 2022 | Las Vegas, NV | Allegiant Stadium |
Performance metrics
The Stadium Tour, co-headlined by Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe with support from Poison and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, achieved significant commercial scale across its 36 reported shows in 2022. The tour sold approximately 1.3 million tickets, generating a gross revenue of $173.5 million, according to figures compiled from Billboard Boxscore reports.[5] This marked the highest-grossing rock tour of 2022 in North America, surpassing other major rock acts that year.[46] On average, each performance drew approximately 37,520 attendees and earned $4.96 million in ticket sales, reflecting strong demand at large-capacity stadium venues. Notable high-performing nights included the opening show at Truist Park in Atlanta on June 16, 2022, which sold out 38,008 seats for $5,208,533 in revenue. Other standout dates, such as the single nights in Charlotte and Philadelphia, each exceeded $6 million, underscoring the tour's consistent financial success.[5][46]Reception and impact
Critical reviews
Critical reviews of The Stadium Tour praised its high-energy delivery and nostalgic appeal, capturing the essence of '80s hard rock in grand stadium settings. Reviewers highlighted the tour's ability to evoke the era's raucous spirit, with Def Leppard receiving particular acclaim for Joe Elliott's strong vocals on classics like "Hysteria" and "Bringin' on the Heartbreak," which maintained clarity and power despite the challenges of large venues.[47] Mötley Crüe was commended for its visually striking production, including explosive effects during "Kickstart My Heart," though some noted the set's reliance on spectacle sometimes overshadowed musical nuances.[48] Support acts also drew positive attention, with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts lauded for their gritty, consistent performances of hits such as "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" and "Crimson and Clover," delivering a fierce opener that set an engaging tone. Poison's set was appreciated for Bret Michaels' genuine enthusiasm and energetic delivery on ballads like "Every Rose Has Its Thorn," though critics pointed out pacing issues in faster rock numbers and occasional vocal projection struggles.[49] Some reviews critiqued dated elements, such as Mötley Crüe's use of scantily clad dancers, which felt out of touch in modern contexts, and minor vocal strains across acts, including an off-key moment in Def Leppard's "Have You Ever Needed Somebody So Bad."[47][49] Overall, professional critiques were generally favorable, emphasizing the tour's successful execution as a celebration of rock heritage despite weather delays, injuries like Tommy Lee's broken ribs, and the inherent limitations of aging lineups. Publications like USA Today and the Charlotte Observer underscored the event's triumphant vibe, with nearly seven hours of music proving resilient and crowd-pleasing.[47][49] While not every set avoided filler like covers or new material that elicited mixed reactions, the consensus affirmed the tour's role in revitalizing '80s rock for contemporary audiences.[48]Commercial success
The Stadium Tour achieved significant commercial success, grossing $173.5 million from the sale of 1.3 million tickets across 36 reported shows, marking the highest-grossing tour in the careers of both Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe.[5] This figure averaged approximately $4.8 million per show, with an average attendance of 37,000 fans, underscoring the tour's strong demand in North American stadiums.[50] Initial ticket sales were robust, with over 700,000 tickets and $90 million in revenue generated during the first weekend of on-sale, leading to multiple date additions and sell-outs. The tour's performance broke career box office benchmarks for the headliners, contributing to Def Leppard surpassing $500 million in lifetime touring revenue and positioning the outing as a pivotal milestone in their financial legacy. Merchandise sales, including tour-exclusive apparel and vinyl editions linked to recent album releases like Def Leppard's Diamond Star Halos, further bolstered ancillary revenue. The tour's momentum directly influenced subsequent expansions, culminating in the announcement of The World Tour on October 20, 2022, which extended the co-headlining format to Europe, Latin America, and additional North American dates in 2023, capitalizing on the original leg's proven market viability.[51] It also won the Rock Tour of the Year award at the 2023 Pollstar Awards.[6] In comparisons to other 2022 rock tours, The Stadium Tour outperformed Guns N' Roses' Not in This Lifetime... Tour continuation, which grossed $93.3 million across 27 shows, highlighting its superior scale among legacy acts that year.[52]Personnel
Band members
The Stadium Tour showcased the core lineups of its participating acts, with each band performing their standard touring configurations during the 2022 run.[53] Def Leppard- Joe Elliott – lead vocals
- Phil Collen – guitar, backing vocals
- Vivian Campbell – guitar, backing vocals
- Rick Savage – bass, backing vocals
- Rick Allen – drums [20]
- Vince Neil – lead vocals
- Mick Mars – lead guitar
- Nikki Sixx – bass, backing vocals
- Tommy Lee – drums
- Bret Michaels – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- C.C. DeVille – lead guitar
- Bobby Dall – bass, backing vocals
- Rikki Rockett – drums [54]
- Joan Jett – lead vocals, lead guitar
- Dougie Baldwin – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
- Thommy Price – drums
- Kenny Laguna – keyboards, production oversight [47]
- Derek Day – lead vocals
- Dane Pieper – guitar
- Griffin Tucker – guitar
- Franco Gravante – bass
- Chuck McKissock – drums [55]
