The first gigs of 2026 for Def Leppard will see the Sheffield band digging “a little deeper in the set,” according to Joe Elliott. This is just one of many changes they are planning for their third Las Vegas residency, which begins on Feb. 3 at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

“We’re planning something completely different from anything that we’ve done in the past,” the frontman confirms in a new interview on the UCR Podcast that you can listen to below. “The usual thing with Vegas is that you’re putting on a show, not doing a gig. So that’s exactly what it’s going to be [with all of the] bells and whistles for sure.

The 12-date residency has a lot to live up to. The band’s initial Vegas run in 2013 found them performing the entirety of 1987’s Hysteria for fans. In a unique twist, they opened for themselves, billed as Ded Flatbird, and played a set loaded with deep cuts from their catalog that hadn’t been aired out in years.

For their 2019 return to Sin City, they focused on their entire history as a group, heavily featuring material from Hysteria and 1983’s Pyromania. They also unearthed some deep cuts during this time, playing the title track from 1996’s Slang for the first time since 2013 and “Die Hard the Hunter” made its first appearance since 1992.

Pyromania’s “Billy’s Got a Gun,” “Now,” from 1999’s Euphoria, and “Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad” from 1992’s Adrenalize were among other rarities making their first appearances in over a decade.

Watch Def Leppard Perform ‘Billy’s Got a Gun’ in Las Vegas

READ MORE: Def Leppard’s Songs, Ranked

The 2019 sets also featured the group changing their set list from night to night, and they performed a selection of material acoustically. The four-song set offered a brief cooldown period before they ramped back up for a final strike featuring many of their best-known hits.

What Are Def Leppard’s Plans for Their 2026 Residency?

“We’re going to dig a little deeper in the set. You know, it is a Vegas residency, and what you’ve got to remember with something like that is that many of the people come in as part of a split camp,” Elliott explains. “There are many people coming just to enjoy Vegas, and we’re just one of the billions they could have chosen to see. So they may not be that interested in the deep cuts; they want the hits, while those in the first 10 or 12 rows are looking for the deep cuts. So you have to strike a fine balance, which is what we’re currently working on.”

The singer states they are close to finalizing the show fans will experience and that there will be something for everyone who attends the gigs. “It’s going to be a nice journey for folks who have followed the band for a while and even for those who have just come on board,” he shares. “So it’s an entirely new set compared to everything you’ve seen us do over the last two or three years since COVID; everything’s gone. We’re starting from scratch. It’s bigger, it’s more visual, obviously because it’s Vegas, but at the same time, right in front of all that mega stuff we have will be the five of us doing our thing.”

“Hopefully [that’s what] most of the show is all about [is] the songs and the legacy of the band,” he adds. “Everything else just helps along the journey, but the songs are what matter most. That’s what’s inside. Everything else is wrapping paper. But that’s what brings people in; you know? It’s like with kids; all they want to do is tear off the paper at Christmas; they don’t care what’s inside. We’re hoping that people do care about what’s inside.”

Listen to Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott on the ‘UCR Podcast’

Fans can prepare for the upcoming Vegas residency with a new live album titled Diamond Star Heroes: Live from Sheffield, which arrives on audio and video on Nov. 21. The gig was captured during their 2023 European tour with Motley Crue and featured them playing their second-ever hometown stadium gig, fully sold-out, in front of almost 40,000 people.

The Sheffield legends were also recently honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Watch Def Leppard Receive a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame