Def Leppard’s Vivian Campbell has offered an update on his health struggles, “Thank you for all the recent messages and support. As you all may know, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma several years ago. I recently had a bone marrow transplant as part of my treatment plan, and it’s safe to say that thus far it’s been a very successful transplant! I just have to keep my head down and my spirits up for the next 100 days of primary recovery.”
Veteran British rockers Def Leppard recently played their first concert of 2025 on Saturday, January 18th at Feria Estatal De León in León, Mexico. As was the case with the band’s October 14, 2024 private show in Nashville (as part of the Daimler Truck Customer Appreciation Event), guitarist Vivian Campbell was unable to join his bandmates at the León gig and was replaced by John Zocco, who is Phil Collen’s guitar tech.
Before launching into the song “Foolin'”, which was the fourth song of Def Leppard’s set in León, Def Leppard singer Joe Elliott told the crowd that Campbell had to miss the performance because “he’s just recovering from some treatment for his cancer.”
Joe added: “Please say hello to the guy that’s standing in for tonight, Mr. John Zocco.”
The setlist for the León concert was as follows:
01. Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)
02. Rocket
03. Let’s Get Rocked
04. Foolin’
05. Armageddon It
06. Animal
07. Love Bites
08. Just Like ’73
09. Let It Go
10. Die Hard The Hunter
11. Two Steps Behind
12. This Guitar
13. Bringin’ On The Heartbreak
14. Switch 625
15. Rock Of Ages
16. Photograph
Encore:
17. Hysteria
18. Pour Some Sugar On Me
Encore 2:
19. Wasted
Trixter’s Steve Brown substituted for Campbell at several shows in 2014 and 2015 while the Def Leppard guitarist received treatment in his fight against Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Brown’s first appearance with Def Leppard took place in September 2014 during the pregame show for the first of three NFL International Series outings.
