Def Leppard Kicking Off Rock of Ages Tour with Poison, Lita Ford on Wednesday

Photo: Gitte MeldgaardDef Leppard's Rock of Ages 2012 tour with Poison and Lita Ford finally gets rolling on Wednesday night in Salt Lake City.  The North American trek will see the '80s rockers wind their way around the continent throughout the entire summer.  The first leg of the trek winds down with a July 22 appearance at the annual Rock Fest in Caddott, Wisconsin, while a second leg is scheduled to run from an August 9 show in Sunrise, Florida, through a September 14 concert in Santa Barbara, California.

Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliott says his band isn't planning to play much material that fans won't be familiar with on the tour.

"If you can't handle the responsibility of a hit single, then you shouldn't write one," he tells USA Today with regard to playing the group's classic tunes.  "It's part of the appeal to the ticket buyer.  They're not going to listen to 45 minutes of something they've never heard."

Visit DefLeppard.com to check out the complete Rock of Ages 2012 Tour schedule.

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