When I was studying photojournalism in Sheffield during the early 1990s I got the chance to photograph Def Leppard at the city’s arena in June of that year but, having said that, I was taking a chance as I should have been revising for one of my final exams the following day but, to be honest, if I did not know my stuff by then no amount of late night cramming would have done me any good.

While this selection of shots only seems to show the singer and guitarist I did get other shots of the other band members but they just were not as good.

When I left the course after graduating I secured some freelance work at the Star Series, a group of free weeklies based in Washington in the north east of England, before I was due to start as a press photographer at the North West Evening Mail in Barrow-in-Furness, and they published my review of the gig.

It is worth reminding you that this was written before I retrained as a reporter, 10 years later in 2002, but I reckon I did decent job in a naive way and it was probably polished by the journalists at the Star Series (although it was from a time before widespread use of home computers so I do not have the original file).

Anyway here is the review with the headline I would have liked it:

The boys are back in town: Def Leppard’s home city gig in 1992

Deep in the heart of what was once Steel City, smoke rises from the rubble. Be reassured, the boys are back in town for their first tour in three years.

Gun provided an energetic opening. Bringing their own brand of Glaswiegen rock to Sheffield, they were better received than most support bands.

But the best welcome is reserved for the local lads done good. Opening with Stagefright, there was no chance of them suffering from that complaint.

Joe Elliott, in his sparkling strides, commands centre stage, which is itself in the centre of the arena, so everyone got a good view.

Instantly recognisable Def Leppard harmonies are built on a the solid rhythm section of Rick Allen (drums) and Rick savage (bass and keyboards) with the twin guitars of Phil Collen and Irish-born new lad Vivian Campbell building on that.

The last. three albums were heavily plundered, but the one that got everyone going was the hit Let’s Get Rocked, whereas Love Bites brought the cigarette lighters out in force. All of this combined with an impressive light show.

It did verge on pantomime towards the end, with the audience participation of this side can sing louder than your side bit, but at the end of the day it was good entertainment which is what counts.

Def forever! See you next week music-lovers.

Photograph and review by Ian Duncan