LIVE REVIEW: Europe, Perth Australia 16th May 2018

Europe’s first ever date in Australia, after an incredible career spanning 39 years and counting, had a Perth crowd in the palm of their hands all night and left us all begging for more. It’s been a stunning journey for a band who still sport their ‘classic’ line-up of Joey Tempest (Vocals), John Norum (Guitar), Mic Michaeli (Keyboards), John Leven (Bass Guitar) and Ian Haugland (Drums) and finally they made it to Perth. The most remarkable thing though is not the hits, not the showmanship but that this is a band making some of the best music of their lives right now and there are few bands ‘of a certain age’ that you can honestly say that about.

Foregoing a support act and playing two full sets with a short interval Europe opens up their first ever Australian show with the title track from their latest offering ‘Walk the Earth’ Joey Tempest means business – it’s been along time coming and Perth is the lucky recipient of Europe at their very best. And this is so much more than you might imagine if you’ve only heard the hits, or stopped listening in the early nineties then you really are missing out because over the last few years Europe has created some of their finest work and tonight its our turn to find that out.

Before the band enter the stage in Darkness to open with the title track to their latest album ‘Walk the Earth’ the crowd had been in nervous anticipation, it’s a long wait to catch upon almost four decades of music and with so much to fit in from eleven studio albums, but the set-list strikes a nice balance between the ‘old’ and the ‘new’ with a refreshing emphasis on their latest body of work as the forge on with the powerful ‘The Siege’. So far there’s been no time to even contemplate taking a breath and just to emphasize one of the best openings to a concert I’ve heard in along time the classic ‘Rock the Night’ that follows is shot through with a section of AC/DC’s ‘Whole Lotta Rosie.’ I think the word is ‘Wow!’

Watching the band walk the darkly lit stage and the control Tempest has of the territory you suspect that he has probably lost more moves than most ever have, but quite what he’s lost I’m not sure as tonight on stage he seems like a man 39 years younger – full of energy and passion. But there’s no let up ‘Scream of Anger’ is a song made to be played live, all dynamics and thrust that suit the back-lit lighting, there is one thing for sure tonight though, much as Tempest may take the eye of the crowd John Norum is on fire!

‘Danger on the Tracks’ sounds huge and ‘Deep Purple-like’ and that is followed by one of my favourites from ‘Bag of Bones’: ‘Firebox’ which sparks up as the stage fades from black to the strains of it’s bombastic opening – Norum has switched to his Flying V, while Joey kneels with his tambourine and all is right and rocking in the world.

Keys swirl to start ‘Sign of the Times’ before the drums kick in and the melody grows as the crowd clap along as one, not for the last time tonight. ‘We need your helping hands” Joey intones and of course the whole room obliges as a warmer lighting with browns and purples lights the stage. And as that song fades it’s Norum’s time to really shine – centre stage to solo slow and bluesy for the very cinematic ‘Vasastan’ the instrumental from ‘War of Kings’ which sees his Strat come out for the first time tonight.

The first set seems to have gone in a flash as the classic ‘Girl From Lebanon’ from ‘Prisoners in Paradise’ gets a welcome airing with Tempest on the drum riser and striding the stage singing to every section of the crowd. Then the acoustic is out “Thank you so much, we made it” Joey tells the crowd as he checks his tuning “Thank you for waiting all these years. This is a beautiful place. You’re a beautiful crowd” It’s a nice welcome to Perth and the first date of the first ever Australian Tour and “Open your Heart” is a fitting song to dedicate to the punters here who have traveled as far a Japan and Singapore to be here.

Without further ado we’re into the epic ‘War of Kings’ which is countered by the older and poppier ‘Heart of Stone’ which just might boast one of the best choruses of it’s day and which is given plenty of grunt tonight. Then it’s back to the new for ‘Days of Rock ‘n’ Roll’ which sees Norum breakout the Les Paul and the crowd jumping as he hits that infectious riff which punctuates the chorus “Let’s see some hands” shouts Tempest and hands we get!

‘Superstitious’ a song worthy of a closer in anyone’s eyes rounds out the first set: “We’re gonna need you help on this one” we’re told as the keyboards hit that little flourish that echoes lie a mini ‘Final Countdown’. And there we are – relentless a happy crowd, 14 songs and we’re only half way!

After a short 20 minute break we’re back and ‘Ready or not’ sees Tempest go electric and join Norum on guitar. It’s a great way to start with an infectious refrain with Joey singing ‘Rock me till I hit the floor ‘to an appreciative re-booted crowd. We lose that extra guitar for the smouldering stomp and splendor of ‘Last Look at of Eden’ with its fittingly darker lighting which amidst a flurry of mic stand twirling segues nicely into the backing track for the splendid ‘Hole in my Pocket’ my favourite from ‘War of Kings’ which comes replete with the same dark light, back-lit spots, air punches, hand gestures and fluid Flying V riffs, pounding drums and riding bass.

More than at home now Tempest asks “Any questions?” and goes on to tell the crowd about their few days in Indonesia where they played Volcano Fest. The next song ‘Seven Doors Hotel’ takes us all the way back, it’s one of the first songs the band wrote and as Joey tells us, it’s a song they haven’t played in a while. It’s a great treat for some who have been there all along,and there are tears beside me as it blasts out.Norum has harnessed a great tone from that Strat and he shreds into what takes us back to the bombastic sound of a young band just starting out.

One of their biggest hits ‘Carrie’ is up next and the keyboard intro gets the crowd swaying. It’s a song from their commercial peak which never really was my thing, but even it tonight wins me over, it’s hard to resist with a crowd as warm and enthralled as this. There’s a beautiful moment as Joey just gazes on admiringly as John reels off that sweet solo. It gets perhaps the biggest applause so far and ends with Joey thanking the crowd for their accompaniment.

‘Turn to Dust’ from ‘Walk the Earth’ follows – a song not played too often and it resonates deep in its back-lit splendor. Its also a song that shows how far Europe have come musically in their 39 years – a slow burn of a song, dark around the edges, with a haunting solo from Norum and earthshaking Jon Lord-like keyboards. I’m happy to say it received equal appreciation.

Now if like most rational human beings you dread the drum solo, then fear not because this is as they say something a little different. Introduced with those words by Monty Python and a snatch of Python’s ‘Sit on my Face’ followed by the rousing theme to the old Lone Ranger TV show, Ian Haugland proceeds to show that drummers can be fun and drum solos can be entertaining. Its just fun, plain and simple fun, and the crowd loves it too.

‘Stormwind’ sees a lengthy intro and Mr Tempest walking though the crowd, even taking a seat at one point, its the stuff of a hundred selfies and a thousand hugs before he’s safely back onstage,sadly before he makes it over to us.The solid rock of ‘Stormwind’ gives way to another reach into the back catalogue as Joey asks us for a second time if there are “Any questions?” he pauses as he strums his acoustic “How ’bout something from prisoners?” the crowd screams in the affirmative. He smiles “How ’bout Prisoners of Paradise?” he asks as he launches into the title track in all it’s smooth stadium rock balladic glory. It’s here you really notice the contribution of Ian’s backing vocals which add real richness to the refrain.

Before you know it the evening is approaching its zenith after a decades long wait, and we get there with a taste of the new in ‘GTO’ a real full throttle, foot to the floor rocker and the vintage ‘Let the Good Times Rock’ from the ‘Out of this World’ album “Let’s do this together, I want to see some hands” Tempest implores as the band launch into the ‘sweet blue summer sky’ flavoured eighties rocker. the band leaves the stage to Tempest telling the crowd “You’re beautiful thank you, Perth” and imploring us to “Make some noise.” And then after over two hours the band leaves the stage.

It’s not long of course before the encores. ‘Cherokee’ starts with the drums, then the guitar jumps in and its all on for young and old! The old favourite strikes a huge roar from the Western Australian crowd and the well lit stage sees the band rocking out the way only the ‘old school’ can. He didn’t even need to say it but “Perth Australia let’s see some hands” is greeted with the last few unmoved audience members going rather wild and dancing spilling out into the aisles.

‘The Final Countdown’ is of course the final word. What can you say? The crowd is on in their feet, each and every one of them singing, some even ringing out the keyboard refrain.On stage Tempest is bouncing, there’s more hand-shaking,more high fives, then Norum hits ‘that’ solo and then even John is bouncing. It’s an amazing sight. Amazing…

So what a night! I mean it Perth Australia what a night! “Thank you so much. Hope to see you soon. Take care, God bless” and with that Europe’s first ever and date is over. It’s so much more than you can imagine Australia. If you love your eighties rock and you weren’t here tonight ten shame on you. There are more tan a few people in the lobby on the way out talking of heading East. It may have been 39 years in the making but Europe proved tonight that live on stage they are practically untouchable.

Come back soon! And the rest of the Country get ready Europe is coming!