Europe – Academy, Manchester 25th February 2011
Having originally formed way back in 1979 as 'Force' by vocalist Joey Tempest, John Norum on guitar and Tony Reno on drums, they went on to eventually form 'Europe' and became synonymous with hard rock and metal of the day. Their biggest break came in the 1980s with the release of their third album, 'The Final Countdown' and the subsequent massive selling single of the same name. They were a massive force during this decade, selling over 20 million albums worldwide. After going their separate ways in 1992, they officially reformed in 2003.
As part of Swedish hard rockers Europe's 'Balls 'N' Banners' tour, they appeared at the O2 Academy 2 in Manchester to a sell out crowd. The special support guests were that hard-rocking Midlands band 'Voodoo Johnson', who blasted their way through a very tight and energetic set; warming the crowd up for the main attraction of the evening.
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Joey Tempest led the band out to a roaring reception from the excited cosmopolitan audience. They ploughed straight into 'Last Look at Eden', Tempest strutting and posing whilst John Leven showing his full repertoire of camera friendly stances. That's the good thing about the older bands that have been playing live for so long; they certainly know how to put on a show. The frenzied crowd surged even tighter towards the stage as the band performed songs from their back collection, including tracks from their current album 'Last Look At Eden', plus classic tracks from their albums 'Wings of Tomorrow', 'The Final Countdown', 'Out of This World', 'Prisoners in Paradise', 'Start From The Dark' and 'Secret Society.'
The classic rock was tinged with some very funky moments as the band delivered a tight, memorable set. John Norum was impeccable on guitars and showed he still knows his way around the fret board. Tempest was his usual high energy levels and not one note was even slightly off-key. During the set they performed a cover of 'The Loner' as a tribute to the late Gary Moore; who was a huge influence on the band in the early days.
They finished off the blinding set with 'Rock the Night' but were soon drawn back on stage by the animated audience to encore with 'Doghouse' and of course the inevitable 'The Final Countdown'. I had somehow forgotten what a great band Europe are.
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Setlist:
Prelude (tape)
Last Look at Eden
The Beast
Superstitious
Scream of Anger
No Stone Unturned
Carrie (full album version)
The Getaway Plan
The Loner (Gary Moore cover)
Seventh Sign
New Love in Town (Dancing Queen preceeding)
Love is Not the Enemy
More Than Meets the Eye
Drum Solo
Gonna Get Ready
Start from the Dark
Rock the Night
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Doghouse
The Final Countdown
To view all photos taken during this set click here. There are 3 available.