Def Leppard will perform the F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix race day concert.
The veteran UK rock band will play at Etihad Park on November 20.
They are joined by UK rapper Dave, who will perform at the same venue on November 17.
This rounds off the bill of this year’s after-race concert series, which includes previously announced shows by EDM group Swedish House Mafia on November 18 and hip-hop star Kendrick Lamar the following night.
The concerts are exclusively for the Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ticket holders and can be purchased from the Yas Marina Circuit website. General admission tickets holders can now upgrade to the Golden Circle for all four concerts from the Yas Marina Circuit website.
Def Leppard’s inclusion continues F1's theme of ending the event with a greatest hits set performed by a legacy artist.
The group, known for hits such as Love Bites and Photograph, join other established rock bands who have performed race day concerts over the years, including Aerosmith (2009), Guns N' Roses (2018) and The Who in 2014.
John Lickrish, chief executive of Flash Entertainment, says a back-to-back hits show is guaranteed.
“We always try to have a diverse line-up each year and we always like to finish with an artist that appeals to a diverse audience,” he tells The National.
“Def Leppard have an amazing catalogue of hits and it will be a great feel-good show. I think people will be surprised by how many big songs they have, and I think we will be hearing the whole venue singing along throughout the show.”
Formed in Sheffield in 1977, Def Leppard built a profile as leaders of a movement dubbed the "new wave of British heavy metal" and found success through a series of well-received early albums, including 1981's High 'n' Dry, whose single Bringin' on the Heartbreak became one of the first rock videos played on the then-fledgling music channel, MTV.
It was with the release of their fourth album Hysteria that Def Leppard became global stars.
Their energetic blend of rock muscle and euphoric hooks resulted in half a dozen hits, including Pour Some Sugar on Me and Animal, in addition to the album selling more than 25 million copies worldwide.
While Def Leppard continue to release albums consistently, including this year's Diamond Star Halos, the group is also still a hit on the road.
The band is coming to Abu Dhabi after the completion of their most successful US tour to date.
According to Billboard, their stadium shows with fellow rockers Motley Crue earned $173.5 million and sold 1.3 million tickets.
British rapper, Dave, real name David Omoregie, is one of the evocative voices of the UK's grime scene with vibrant lyrics referencing social issues and mental health. His debut album Psychodrama, which was released in 2019, was critically lauded and went on to win the prestigious Mercury Prize and Album of the Year at the 2020 Brit Awards.
Last year's follow-up album We're All Alone in This Together topped the UK charts and his latest single Starlight was also a number one hit in the UK.
"He is an authentic artist whose songs resonate with his audience and has already made a huge impact in the business," Lickrish said.
Who else is performing this year?
Kendrick Lamar (November 19)
The multi-platinum-selling artist has achieved massive success since his 2012 debut album, good kid, mAAd city.
In the past decade, the rapper has won 14 Grammys and a Pulitzer Prize for his 2017 album Damn.
His latest opus, the double album Mr Morale & The Big Steppers, was released in May.
In 2017, he was supposed to perform as part of the Abu Dhabi after-race series, but had to pull out for personal reasons and was replaced by fellow rapper J Cole.
Swedish House Mafia (November 18)
Considered a super group, the trio comprises solo EDM stars DJs Axwell, Sebastian Ingrosso and Steve Angello.
Formed in 2008 before initially disbanding in 2013, the group made an impact on both the dance and pop music worlds.
Hits such as 2011's Save the World and 2012's Don't You Worry Child not only ushered in a new mainstream sound of progressive house music, but through massive festival appearances such as 2019’s Lollapalooza and sold-out arena performances, Swedish House Mafia highlighted how dance music appeal could extend beyond clubs and genre-specific festivals.
Access to after-race concerts is exclusive to Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ticket holders. Tickets are available online at www.yasmarinacircuit.com and through the Yas Marina Circuit Call Centre on 800 927 or +971 (0) 2 659 9800.
45 artists who have played at the Abu Dhabi F1 After-Race Concerts — in pictures
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Prince kept it fun and funky during his Abu Dhabi Grand Prix performance in 2010. Reuters -
Beyonce performs at Ferrari World on the opening day of the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix on October 29, 2009. Philip Cheung / The National -
Jamiroquai performs at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on October 30, 2009. Philip Cheung / The National -
Kings of Leon performed in the UAE for the first time at the 2009 Abu Dhabi Formula Grand Prix. Reuters -
Aerosmith performs on the final race day on November 1, 2009. Philip Cheung / The National -
Kanye West performs at Yas Island on November 12, 2010. Rich-Joseph Facun / The National -
Linkin Park at the Formula One after-race concert on November 13, 2010. Rich-Joseph Facun / The National -
Britney Spears's 2011 show was high on choreography but low on energy. Lee Hoagland / The National -
US rock band Incubus performs in 2011 in what was an odd double bill also featuring The Cult. Silvia Razgova / The National -
Paul McCartney played a hit-filled set in 2011. Antonie Robertson / The National -
Aussie pop star Kylie Minogue kept it fun and breezy in her 2012 Abu Dhabi F1 concert. Antonie Robertson / The National -
Nickelback played all their anthems in a 2012 concert. Antonie Robertson / The National -
Eminem made his concert debut in the Middle East with a race day performance at the 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Antonie Robertson / The National -
Emirati singer Hussain Al Jassmi was one of the first Arab artists to perform as part of the Abu Dhabi F1 after-race concerts -
Hip-hop superstar Jay-Z wowed crowds with his 2013 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix show. Delores Johnson / The National -
British rockers Muse brought their progressive rock sounds to Etihad Park in 2013. Delores Johnson / The National -
Dave Gahan, from Depeche Mode, owned the stage during the group's 2013 race-day concert. Antonie Robertson / The National -
Egyptian pop star Tamer Hosny at the 2014 Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix after-race concert. Getty Images -
Dutch DJ Armin Van Buuren was the first EDM act to perform as part of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after-race concert series in 2014. Delores Johnson / The National -
Pharrell William lost his voice during his 2014 Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix concert. Delores Johnson / The National -
The Who rocked loud and proud during their 2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix race day concert. Ravindranath K / The National -
Emirati singer Aryam made her stage return during the 2015 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Antonie Robertson / The National -
Enrique Iglesias was all charm during his 2015 performance at Etihad Park. Antonie Robertson / The National -
Brit-pop group Blur gave a rare live performance of 'Country House' for their 2015 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix concert. Antonie Robertson / The National -
Florence + the Machine at the 2015 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Antonie Robertson / The National -
Cuban-American singer and rapper Pitbull was underwhelming in 2016. Mona Al Marzooqi / The National -
UK dance duo The Chemical Brothers were relentless at their 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix concert. Pawan Singh / The National -
Lionel Richie didn't disappoint at his 2016 after-race concert. Waleed Shah for The National -
Rihanna rocked out at Etihad Park in 2016. Christopher Pike / The National -
UK DJ Calvin Harris was a shadowy presence at his Etihad Park concert in 2017. Reem Mohammed / The National -
US rapper J Cole performed at the 2017 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after hip-hop star Kendrick Lamar pulled out. Pawan Singh / The National -
The 2017 concert by Mumford & Sons was largely a fans-only affair. Pawan Singh / The National -
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix race day concert in 2017 by Pink had its fair share of acrobatics. Photo: Flash Entertainment -
US rapper Post Malone brought new meaning to the term 'solo performance' with his 2018 Abu Dhabi F1 show. Victor Besa / The National -
The Weeknd gave a typically brooding show in 2018. Victor Besa / The National -
Sam Smith changed a few misconceptions at their 2018 Abu Dhabi F1 concert. Victor Besa / The National -
The Guns 'N' Roses concert at the 2018 Abu Dhabi F1 was cut short due to singer Axl Rose feeling unwell. Lee Hoagland / The National -
Marshmello was a hit with the younger crowd during his 2019 Abu Dhabi F1 concert. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Rapper Future performing at the 2019 after-race concert at Etihad Park. Pawan Singh / The National -
Lana Del Rey was suitably dramatic during her 2019 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix concert. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
The Killers were the big act in 2019. Photo: Flash Entertainment -
Khalid performed a sweet low-key set to kick of the 2021 Abu Dhabi F1 after-race concerts Pawan Singh / The National -
British rapper Stormzy was happy to be back on stage at the 2021 Abu Dhabi F1. Khushnum Bhandari / The National -
Lewis Capaldi performs in 2021. Khushnum Bhandari / The National -
DJ Martin Garrix performing the Abu Dhabi F1 race-day concert in 2021. Pawan Singh / The National
