Remember when Def Leppard played at a Fayetteville Walmart opening?

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced that Def Leppard will be inducted into the hall during the 34th induction ceremony in March.

The British rock band received more than half a million votes from fans, which are incorporated into the ballots from artists, historians, industry professionals and past winners in deciding who gets honored, according to the Associated Press.

Back on July 31, 2002, the group known for "Pour Some Sugar on Me" and "Photograph" played at the opening of the Wal-Mart Supercenter on Raeford Road.

A few thousand people turned up for the free show, with some fans even camping out the night before to ensure they were close to the stage.

Below is the story printed in the Observer on Aug. 1, 2003:

Metal band gives shoppers good deal

By Stacy Peterson

Staff writer

Attention, Wal-Mart shoppers.

Hello?

Anyone?

Sorry, all the action Wednesday night was in the parking lot of Fayetteville's new Wal-Mart Supercenter as rock band Def Leppard performed a free concert in front of a few thousand people willing to bake on the black asphalt.

Russell Miller drove from Pennsylvania to the Raeford Road shopping center to sit on top of his white Dodge van and take in the tunes.

Susan Perry and Cleveland Brewer got up at 4 a.m. to drive from Yadkinville to Fayetteville for the show.

They set up shop at 9 a.m. and waited. Both wearing old black Def Leppard T-shirts, Perry held a sign wishing singer Joe Elliott a happy birthday.

"They're my absolute favorite," she said.

Some fans set up tents Tuesday night and camped out for the free show.

By 3:30 p.m., about 500 people sat in the parking lot and waited. And waited.

Others shopped for fold-out chairs, bottled water, umbrellas, disposable cameras, markers for autographs and Def Leppard's new release, "X," which went on sale Tuesday.

Still, some just wanted to shop. "I couldn't care less," said Evelyn Williams, staring at the crowd from the opposite entrance. "They've got lines to the bathroom. There's too many people."

Store manager Missy Keith watched the action from the roof of the new store at the corner of Gillis Hill Road. She had been at work since 6 a.m. She had covered most of the bases.

There were 25 portable toilets, emergency medical workers on bicycles, security and lots of Wal-Mart officials with neckties.

But supplies such as chairs and umbrellas?

"I underestimated," Keith said. "Nearly everyone is here (employees), plus I borrowed associates from the area."

Keith said her store was chosen for the promotional event by the home office. She said Wal-Mart negotiates contracts with the band for such performances but doesn't pay them to play.

"We were chosen," Keith said. "They chose to come here."

Just a few days ago, the band played at the Mall of America in Minnesota. Def Leppard has also played at a Wal-Mart in Texas to promote the new album.

Keith said her store was fortunate to be chosen since the album was just released.

Outside, the crowd grew and cars filled the grassy area in front of the shopping center and along the median of Raeford Road.

Store officials had predicted a crowd of 7,000 to 8,000, but an actual count was not available because no tickets were sold.

Almost half of the shopping center's parking lot was packed with people as the band took the stage about 6:20 p.m.

Kim Faircloth and her family from Parkton had some of the best seats on the lot.

Eight of them sat on top of their 20-foot horse trailer.

The trailer is large enough to hold four horses, so it made for an ample lounge above the crowd.

They had been sitting there since 12:30 p.m.

"We figured we could see what other people couldn't see," Faircloth said from up above.

Meanwhile, 17-year-old Brette Davis stood out in the crowd with her Union Jack British flag shorts and shirt, a symbol of the band. She held up a detailed poster board with the band's logo in black on a neon green backboard.

The band hit the stage and played eight songs, including hits "Let's Get Rocked," "Foolin'," "Animal," "Armageddon It," "Pour Some Sugar On Me" and "Photograph."

Bass player Rick Savage wore a blue Wal-Mart vest as he played.

As the set ended, the band headed around back before walking into the Wal-Mart electronics section to sign autographs.

Fans clogged the front entrance as both women and men crowded in the men's and women's restrooms.

In the back of the store, Wal-Mart workers set up 19-inch Emerson television boxes as barricades. Three televisions played Def Leppard videos overhead as fans waited with the new CD in hand.

The autographs were free, but fans had to buy the new album to get one.

The band rushed in about 8p.m. as fans crowded around to take photographs and to get a close-up look at the band, which formed in the United Kingdom about 25 years ago.

It was a treat for hard-core fans like 35-year-old Richard Riley. He brought the whole family: Kristin, 19, Alisha, 11, and April, 10.

He even used a bungee cord to tie his beach umbrella to his chairs.

During the day he usually installs fire systems in buildings. He recently installed the new Wal-Mart store system.

So what does he think of the band playing at Wal-Mart?

"It's pretty cool," he said.

Christy Fessey and husband Chris agreed.

"We waited for weeks," Christy Fessey said. "We don't care why they did, we're just glad they did it."