Big hair gone, but still 80's rock
We all know 'Final Countdown', whether we like to admit it or not. Well, most of us anyway. This was one of those 80's classics that even though it's corny as hell, we all played it at a New Year's Eve party through the eighties and even part of the nineties. And it is probably still played at some NYE parties.
To be honest, besides 'Final Countdown' we probably don't know any other Europe songs. As far as I'm aware they pretty much disappeared back into Scandinavian culture never to be seen again by the rest of the world.
Europe jumped on the stage and burst straight into solid eighties rock, which is well received by the Sonisphere crowd. We have the synthesiser to provide a dramatic organ sound and along with the bright green drum set pumping out some solid Rock 'n Roll. However, there is not a single strand of permed big hair on stage.
Most of the set is naturally authentic 80's rock and we are all blasted back in time. Joey Tempest is being the true front man and working the crowd and it pays off. Over the last few years or rather decades, Europe's been on hiatus and returned in 2003 and remained big in Scandinavia and more specifically their home town, Stockholm.
The cool 80's rock is really working on the crowd and most people are jumping and dancing like back in the good old days. However, it is when, midway through 'Superstitious', they just burst into 'No Women, No Cry' that they have every single person jumping to their feet. It is really impressive how Europe didn't fall into the Reggae trap when covering this Bob Marley classic, but making the song their own with an unmistakable classic 80's sound to the song.
The band played a few heavier sounding tracks from their second album but ultimately it is simply clean cut 80's rock. However, just as the crowd is chilling to 'Rock the Night' the band pays their respect to Ronny James Dio by covering part of 'Heaven and Hell' mid-song.
The set is closed with the classic 'Final Countdown' and men, women and children are all on their feet when the opening chords are played.