FANZEYEVIEW
Europe - Birmingham O2 Academy Fri Feb 19th 2010 (review by Dave Evans)
So you think you know Europe?………After a bombastic opening, that a Churchill speech would have sat happily with, Europe hit the stage with ‘’Last look at Eden’’, from their critically acclaimed album of last year. Whats immediately apparent is the Europe of 2010 is a leaner meaner beast from the band I saw 21 years ago in Birmingham-all dressed in black, only the white Flying V of guitarist John Norum and Joey Tempests ever present white mike-stand punctuate the mono-chrome image. This is a no frills set-up, a subtle band backdrop and tasteful spotlight changes replacing the pyrotechnics and flash pots of yester-year. This is a band who have grown up musically, and the opening track demonstrates their new approach-the theatrical keyboards have always been an ever present part of their sound-but Norums guitar is far more meatier than before and Tempests vocals are carried with an intent but still retaining a great deal of passion and melody..Europe seem on a mission tonight to spell out the fact they are more than just ‘that song’!!. ‘’Love is not the enemy’’ from ‘’Secret Society’’ is next up continuing the up-tempo momentum going, a fantastic mix of melodic vocals and heavy riffing, Tempest warming to the occasion and covering every inch of the stage, and the normally laid back bassist John Leven pushing himself to the lip of the stage. We are then taken back to 1988 with the epic ‘’Superstitious, Mic Michellis keyboard swathes immediately acknowledged by the crowd-and Tempest doing his best David Coverdale impression by straddling the mike-stand, the song segways almost bizarrely into Rainbows ‘’Since you’ve been gone’’ yet somehow it works-this is what a rock show is all about!!!!, John Norums solo is as beautiful as ever and this is ‘Classic’ Europe, working the stage and the crowd as only a band of their heritage can do.
‘’Gonna get ready’’ is another song from the last album and it again shows the bands leaner, rawer side-a real straight ahead rocker, and the middle breakdown is an atmospheric treat leading to Norums blusey tinged solo, then we are treated to ‘’Scream of anger’’ unbelievably over 25 years old-live tonight it sounds as fresh as ever and is delivered with an intensity that has to be seen to be believed Norums guitar playing is on fire and Ian Haughland is pounding the skins like a human pitbull, by now the O2 is seriously rocking to its foundations, the band are visibly more relaxed and seem to realise they don’t need to win over this Birmingham audience.
Sensing the momentum they have built up they charge headlong into ’’Let the good times rock’’, Haughland attacking his kick bass drum as if to put his foot right through it, and Norums melodic opening leading into the cheeky guitar vocal interplay, Levin bass set firmly on ‘funk’ mode, this leads into the sublime ‘’Leave no stone unturned’’ that sees why Michelli is such an integral part to the band-his orchestral string tinged keyboard adding an epic sound to what is a bluesy song, its obvious that Norums work with the great soulful Glenn Hughes has rubbed off on him and has enriched his playing-this is Modern Europe, but without losing sight of their strengths.
‘’Carrie’’ takes us back again, and sees Tempest and Michelli alone to play what is a ‘lighters in the air’ ballad, Tempests vocals are absolutely perfect and its easy to think of him as just a vocalist and songwriter-but stripping down a song to the bare bones isn’t always easy, but Tempest knows how to work to the crowd and especially the ladies, it is at this moment we wish we were all the singer in a rock band!!, the song finishes with a nice bit of crowd interaction and drummer Haughland leading the hands in the air waving, the band are now relaxed and we the audience having the perfect Friday night out.
The intensity returns with the band intent on not giving an inch-with ‘’Always the pretenders’’ from the ‘’Secret society’’ album-this is a riff that any Thrash band would be proud of, and again Levin and Haughland giving the track a much heavier than on record live feel, Tempest prowling the stage like a man possessed, with the audience in the palm of their hands the band crank it up to fever pitch when Haughland teases us with the opening salvo of Led Zeppelins ‘’Rock and Roll’’ this leads into Norums solo spot that is punctuated with snippets of ‘’Girl from Lebanon’’ and ‘’Gonna get ready’’. Norums class shows here as he skillfully segways into ‘’Seventh sign’’ from ‘’Prisoners in paradise’’ an album I feel where the band began to evolve, ironically it was their last album before their brief hiatus.
The tempo is slowed down with the beautiful ‘’New love in town’’ again seeing Tempest on acoustic guitar dove-tailing beautifully with Norums soulful guitar and Michellis orchestral keyboards, ‘’every choice I’ve made has led me here today’’ those lyrics seeming as poignant as ever. We are seeing a band re-born tonight and we a privileged to have been invited!!.
‘’When I heard John play this riff-I knew we had to get back together’’ these were Tempests words as he introduced ‘’Start form the dark’’ the track from their comeback album of the same name, to many it signalled Europe for a new era, brooding guitars leading to a low down bass and another riff that would not be out of place at a Metallica gig, a dark song yet Tempests atmospheric vocals are allowed to soar and Haughlands drums perfectly accompanying Levins bass, but once again Europe know how to play to their strengths and we are treated to the mighty salvo of ‘’Ready or not’’and ‘’Cherokee’’-the former seeing Tempest again at his Coverdale-esque best, a true entertainer and the crowd need no encouragement to pump their fists and sing along to lyrics that could only come from the 80s. The fist pumping is raised up a notch with the set with tribal ‘’Cherokee’’ then leads directly into classic 'Rock the Night', the band playing to the end of the main set as if their lives depend on it, Tempest even jumping into the crowd to introduce himself. Some bands may dismiss the songs that made them famous,not Europe they just bring new life and energy to them and the few chords that ring from Norums Les Paul speak volumes, its not about being flash-its about the ‘songs’ and entertaining the crowd, and we have been left in a frenzy…awaiting the bands return, and as the never ending cries of ‘’Europe’’ ring out the band return…..
With ‘The Beast’’ we have hardly had time to get our breath when this ‘thunderous’ song hits us, Norums guitar is immense, ‘’oh my, oh my word,we’re having more fun than we deserve’’ sings Tempest, and he means its too, this is ‘new’ Europe in a nutshell, melodic, savage, edgy soulful and classy!…..and if ‘The Beast’ encapsulates what the band are now about, the final song will be what they will be forever known for..yes ‘that’ song-’’The final countdown’’, I heard people say throughout the evening that they thought Europe were just a ‘’one hit wonder’’ and as the O2 has witnessed Europe of the moment I wonder how the band really feel about playing that song-but as always its performed as is if its just been written and Michellis opening keyboards suddenly sent the arena into bear pit of fan adulation, every person there is transported back to the best times of their lives in an instance, and Tempest at the lip of the stage wringing every remaining ounce of emotion from his body…What a finale!!!…….so do you still think you know Europe?.
Set List:
Last Look At Eden / Love Is Not The Enemy / Superstitious / Gonna Get Ready / Scream of Anger / Let the Good Times Rock / No Stone Unturned / Carrie / Always the Pretenders / (Guitar solo) / Seventh Sign / New Love in Town / Start From the Dark / Ready or Not / Cherokee / Rock The Night / The Beast / The Final Countdown
‘’Gonna get ready’’ is another song from the last album and it again shows the bands leaner, rawer side-a real straight ahead rocker, and the middle breakdown is an atmospheric treat leading to Norums blusey tinged solo, then we are treated to ‘’Scream of anger’’ unbelievably over 25 years old-live tonight it sounds as fresh as ever and is delivered with an intensity that has to be seen to be believed Norums guitar playing is on fire and Ian Haughland is pounding the skins like a human pitbull, by now the O2 is seriously rocking to its foundations, the band are visibly more relaxed and seem to realise they don’t need to win over this Birmingham audience.
Sensing the momentum they have built up they charge headlong into ’’Let the good times rock’’, Haughland attacking his kick bass drum as if to put his foot right through it, and Norums melodic opening leading into the cheeky guitar vocal interplay, Levin bass set firmly on ‘funk’ mode, this leads into the sublime ‘’Leave no stone unturned’’ that sees why Michelli is such an integral part to the band-his orchestral string tinged keyboard adding an epic sound to what is a bluesy song, its obvious that Norums work with the great soulful Glenn Hughes has rubbed off on him and has enriched his playing-this is Modern Europe, but without losing sight of their strengths.
‘’Carrie’’ takes us back again, and sees Tempest and Michelli alone to play what is a ‘lighters in the air’ ballad, Tempests vocals are absolutely perfect and its easy to think of him as just a vocalist and songwriter-but stripping down a song to the bare bones isn’t always easy, but Tempest knows how to work to the crowd and especially the ladies, it is at this moment we wish we were all the singer in a rock band!!, the song finishes with a nice bit of crowd interaction and drummer Haughland leading the hands in the air waving, the band are now relaxed and we the audience having the perfect Friday night out.
The intensity returns with the band intent on not giving an inch-with ‘’Always the pretenders’’ from the ‘’Secret society’’ album-this is a riff that any Thrash band would be proud of, and again Levin and Haughland giving the track a much heavier than on record live feel, Tempest prowling the stage like a man possessed, with the audience in the palm of their hands the band crank it up to fever pitch when Haughland teases us with the opening salvo of Led Zeppelins ‘’Rock and Roll’’ this leads into Norums solo spot that is punctuated with snippets of ‘’Girl from Lebanon’’ and ‘’Gonna get ready’’. Norums class shows here as he skillfully segways into ‘’Seventh sign’’ from ‘’Prisoners in paradise’’ an album I feel where the band began to evolve, ironically it was their last album before their brief hiatus.
The tempo is slowed down with the beautiful ‘’New love in town’’ again seeing Tempest on acoustic guitar dove-tailing beautifully with Norums soulful guitar and Michellis orchestral keyboards, ‘’every choice I’ve made has led me here today’’ those lyrics seeming as poignant as ever. We are seeing a band re-born tonight and we a privileged to have been invited!!.
‘’When I heard John play this riff-I knew we had to get back together’’ these were Tempests words as he introduced ‘’Start form the dark’’ the track from their comeback album of the same name, to many it signalled Europe for a new era, brooding guitars leading to a low down bass and another riff that would not be out of place at a Metallica gig, a dark song yet Tempests atmospheric vocals are allowed to soar and Haughlands drums perfectly accompanying Levins bass, but once again Europe know how to play to their strengths and we are treated to the mighty salvo of ‘’Ready or not’’and ‘’Cherokee’’-the former seeing Tempest again at his Coverdale-esque best, a true entertainer and the crowd need no encouragement to pump their fists and sing along to lyrics that could only come from the 80s. The fist pumping is raised up a notch with the set with tribal ‘’Cherokee’’ then leads directly into classic 'Rock the Night', the band playing to the end of the main set as if their lives depend on it, Tempest even jumping into the crowd to introduce himself. Some bands may dismiss the songs that made them famous,not Europe they just bring new life and energy to them and the few chords that ring from Norums Les Paul speak volumes, its not about being flash-its about the ‘songs’ and entertaining the crowd, and we have been left in a frenzy…awaiting the bands return, and as the never ending cries of ‘’Europe’’ ring out the band return…..
With ‘The Beast’’ we have hardly had time to get our breath when this ‘thunderous’ song hits us, Norums guitar is immense, ‘’oh my, oh my word,we’re having more fun than we deserve’’ sings Tempest, and he means its too, this is ‘new’ Europe in a nutshell, melodic, savage, edgy soulful and classy!…..and if ‘The Beast’ encapsulates what the band are now about, the final song will be what they will be forever known for..yes ‘that’ song-’’The final countdown’’, I heard people say throughout the evening that they thought Europe were just a ‘’one hit wonder’’ and as the O2 has witnessed Europe of the moment I wonder how the band really feel about playing that song-but as always its performed as is if its just been written and Michellis opening keyboards suddenly sent the arena into bear pit of fan adulation, every person there is transported back to the best times of their lives in an instance, and Tempest at the lip of the stage wringing every remaining ounce of emotion from his body…What a finale!!!…….so do you still think you know Europe?.
Set List:
Last Look At Eden / Love Is Not The Enemy / Superstitious / Gonna Get Ready / Scream of Anger / Let the Good Times Rock / No Stone Unturned / Carrie / Always the Pretenders / (Guitar solo) / Seventh Sign / New Love in Town / Start From the Dark / Ready or Not / Cherokee / Rock The Night / The Beast / The Final Countdown
