Europe Relentless Garage London 1st November 2009

New venue for me up on Highbury Corner and greeted by a long queue for the sold out show. Last nite was the first night of Europe's "Last Look At Eden" world tour and they wanted to start by playing their smallest ever UK show and also kicked off the Classic Rock Magazine's week of gigs to compliment the Classic Rock Awards.

If all the shows are this good they are in for a treat.


First up were a new London band called New Device.I had only seen the name recently and have found out that they have a cd out on Powerage Records called "Takin' Over". Head over to www.myspace.com/newdevice for an introduction to a fine new band. Playing a 30 minute set relying on tracks from their new cd they came out of the traps and won over the audience very quickly. Great riffs and choruses all played with attitude sums them up and songs included On Fire and Pedal To The Metal with a rip roarin Takin' Over finishing off a fine introduction to a band we shall hear a lot more from.

At 9.10 the lights went down, the intro tape started and we were off on a 90 minute journey through some of the finest rock music on this planet.
Seeing a band like this in a venue so small was just stunning. The sound was huge but so clear and straight away you knew this was going to be special.


First track up and title of the new cd "Last Look At Eden" with it's great stuttering riff. The crowd knew all the words and before we knew it into track 2 "Get Ready" also off the new cd. Again, greeted like it had been in the set for years. Joey Tempest was playing the show like a stadium and his voice was superb. The rhythm team of John Leven(bass), Mic Michaeli(keys) and Ian Haugland(drums) laid down a solid groove giving John Norum(geetar) the opportunity to riff and solo to his heart's content. All his solos add to the songs and are not just a pointless shred -  the man can make a statement every time.


Read the rest of the setlist and see what delights we had :

  • Superstitious
  • Love Is Not The Enemy
  • Sign Of The Times
  • Always The Pretender
  • No Stone Unturned
  • New Love In Town
  • Scream Of Anger
  • Optimist (John Norum Instrumental Interlude)
  • Seventh Sign
  • Let The Good Times Rock
  • Start From The Dark
  • Rock The Night
Encores of
  • Only You Can Rock Me(UFO cover)
  • The Final Countdown.

Highlights?  All of it!

Special mention goes to the other 2 new songs played in the middle of the set. "No Stone Unturned" was played for the first time ever and "New Love In Town" was again greeted like a returning son. After that song Joey said they wanted to slow it down some more but instead went the opposite end of the spectrum with a blindingly heavy "Scream Of Anger". That's what so many people don't get with Europe.They think "...Countdown" and ballads there is so much more to them. The riffs to "Start From The Dark" and "Love Is Not The Enemy" are so heavy and that's why at a total metal festival like Bloodstock in August they went down so well. Great to see a surprise in the set too with "Seventh Sign" off "Prisoners In Paradise".

 
At the start of the encores Joey said they wanted to do a song to give something back to the country that gave then so much inspiration.With that with white flying V in hand John belts out the riff to UFO's "Only You Can Rock Me. Superb.. then the unmistakable sound of the keyboard riff we all know and the place goes nuts. A stunning end to a night to remember.


So on the same nite as Bon Jovi sink to new lows by appearing on the X Factor,  the band that should be playing a residency at the 02 play the gig of their lives in a small sweaty club and showing the world that they are one of the finest melodic rock acts on the planet.

Make a date and go and see them when they return to the UK in February.

ME 10/10

(all images in this review © Christie Goodwin)

See Europe on tour in the UK during February 2010.  Very special guest is Diamond Head.  Leeds 02 Academy (Feb 18), Birmingham O2 Academy (Feb 19), 02 London Shepherd’s Bush Empire (Feb 20), Oxford O2 Academy (Feb 22), Bournemouth O2 Academy (Feb 23), Bristol O2 Academy (Feb 24), Manchester Academy 2 (Feb 26), Newcastle O2 Academy (Feb 27) and Glasgow O2 ABC (Feb 28).  Ticket Hotline: Ticket Hotline: 0844 477 2000, http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/.  The album ‘Last Look At Eden’ is out now.  More info: http://www.europetheband.com/

 

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