Def Leppard start their 2027 tour in Allentown, their first Lehigh Valley show since 2016

Opening night of a 45-date run with Goo Goo Dolls and The Struts lands at PPL Center on March 2.

Every big tour has a first night, the one where the production goes up for real in front of a crowd. Def Leppard's 2027 run has picked Allentown for it.

Def Leppard plays PPL Center on Tuesday, March 2, 2027, with Goo Goo Dolls and The Struts. The show starts at 7 p.m., and tickets are $95.25 through Ticketmaster. The date was announced Oct. 8, and it's the band's first Lehigh Valley show since May 17, 2016, at the same arena.

Nearly 11 years is a long gap for a band that keeps touring at this scale. This time Allentown isn't just a stop on the route. It's the opener. The 2027 North American tour runs 45 dates across U.S. and Canadian arenas, from March 2 in Allentown to July 2 in Indianapolis, which means the Lehigh Valley gets the first look at whatever the band has built for the run.

Allentown isn't just a stop on the route. It's opening night.

The bill is a big part of the pitch. Goo Goo Dolls are the co-headline-sized second act, and the pairing is being sold as a night of '80s and '90s hits, two bands whose catalogs cover a lot of rock radio between them. The Struts open. They're a British rock band formed in 2012, described in tour coverage as a modern revival of 1970s stadium-sized rock and roll, which makes them a natural fit in front of a Def Leppard crowd.

There's a charity piece too: for every ticket sold on the tour, $1 goes to City of Hope, the cancer research and treatment organization.

The timing for buyers is already past the rush. Rock Brigade fan-club presales started Oct. 12, and the general on-sale was Oct. 16, so what's left now is what's left. The $95.25 listed price is the reference point; check Ticketmaster for current availability and fees.

What to expect at an opening night. First shows of a tour are often the most unpredictable of the run, for better and worse. The setlist and production are fresh, and the band is playing it for an audience for the first time. If you like seeing a show before it settles into a routine, this is the one to be at. With a 7 p.m. start and three bands on the bill, it's an early night on a Tuesday, and The Struts will be on well before the headliner, so plan around the start time if you want the whole thing.

The last time Def Leppard played PPL Center was spring 2016. The arena is the same, the band is still filling arenas, and this time Allentown gets to be first. Mark March 2 on the calendar and plan for a long night out.

Sources: Def Leppard Schedules 45-Date 2027 Tour With Goo Goo Dolls (JamBase) (jambase.com); Def Leppard Announces 2027 Tour With Goo Goo Dolls (uDiscover Music) (udiscovermusic.com); Def Leppard tour 2027 (Audacy) (audacy.com); Def Leppard, Goo Goo Dolls bringing '80s and '90s hits to Glendale next spring (AZFamily) (azfamily.com); Def Leppard hit the road, will tour with Goo Goo Dolls, The Struts (WFTV) (wftv.com); Def Leppard at PPL Center (JamBase) (jambase.com)